Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (3DS)

This article is about the Nintendo 3DS game version. For the home console/PC version, see Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console).

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USA cover
Developer	WayForward
Publisher	Activision
Platform	Nintendo 3DS
Release date	June 24, 2014
Continuity	Aligned continuity family Movie continuity
Chronology	Between War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron Alternate version of Age of Extinction
Rating	ESRB: E10+ PEGI: 7
Standard Retail Price	US: $29.99 UK: £24.99

Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark is the Nintendo 3DS version of the Rise of the Dark Spark console game, a strategy RPG rather than the action/shooter of the console version, developed by WayForward. As with the console version, the game is a crossover between the Movie continuity and the Aligned continuity begun with War for Cybertron, and features over fifty Transformers characters, slightly more than the console version. The game was released on June 24, 2014.

Gameplay

The standard gameplay is similar to that of Transformers G1: Awakening - there is a flat map, broken into squares, around which the player and computer take turns moving their characters. For story sections, an image of the character appears on-screen along with their dialog in both written and spoken form.

When the characters attack each other, the battle mode uses three-dimensional graphics to display the turn-based combat. The battle takes place according to the following rules: each turn in combat gains points that can be spent on one of seven different attacks, which from requiring one point to punch to super-attacks that need to accumulate points over a few turn. You can also block the attack of the enemy. During the fighting the characters gain experience, and Transformers' stats increase with their level. Furthermore, 32 units are support units who only have a brief bio and image of that character, in-game providing certain bonuses in battle.

Synopsis

Signs of Trouble

• Playable units: Drift

Lockdown mounts an attack on an Earth city, which Optimus Prime suspects may be related to a mysterious object that the Autobots had recently detected. Drift deals with the mercenaries at his position before heading to regroup with his comrades.

Procuring Firepower

• Playable units: Optimus Prime, Drift, Bumblebee, Crosshairs

The reunited Autobots break the attackers' line of defense to recover three weapons caches, allowing them to step up their counterattack. They subsequently make their way towards the impact crater of the unknown artifact.

Divide and Conquer

• Playable units: Heavy Soldier ×2, Assault Soldier
• Bosses: Bumblebee

At the Dark Spark's location, Lockdown's troops activate turrets to defend against the incoming Autobots. Bumblebee joins the fight, but the mercenaries retreat to Lockdown's ship with the artifact before they are overrun.

The Dark Spark

• Playable units: Lockdown, Heavy Soldier ×2, Assault Soldier
• Bosses: Optimus Prime, Drift, Bumblebee

Unable to take off due to heavy fire, Lockdown and his troops are forced to defend their ship against an Autobot assault that includes Prime, Bumblebee and Drift. Optimus pleads with the mercenary not to use the Dark Spark, having learned of its nature through the Matrix of Leadership, but Lockdown successfully escapes with the dangerous object.

Entering the Ancient Tombs

• Playable units: Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave

On another universe's Cybertron, Megatron has dispatched his Decepticons to track down the Dark Spark, seeking to use the artifact to end the war. Entering tombs believed to hold the Dark Spark, Starscream, Soundwave and Shockwave are attacked by primitive insect creatures, but fight their way through.

A Plague of Insecticons

• Playable units: Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave
• Bosses: Kickback

Moving further into the ruins, the Decepticons are forced to fight off more Insecticons, including the more powerful Kickback, whilst waiting for a large door to open. With the threat ended, they reach the Dark Spark's vault.

Unsealing the Vault

• Playable units: Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave
• Bosses: Sharpshot

The vault's entrance is blocked by an acid jet, so the trio activate four control panels whilst fending off further Insecticons. Beyond the deactivated acid, however, is Sharpshot, another powerful Insecticon. He is defeated in battle, but Shockwave proposes an alliance, as Sharpshot, Kickback and Hardshell can influence the lower Insecticons. Sharpshot agrees, and the new allies proceed.

Turning the Tables

• Playable units: Cliffjumper, Arcee, Hound
• Bosses: Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave

Whilst the Decepticons are occupied with the Insecticons, Cliffjumper, Arcee and Hound sneak into the opened vault and take the Dark Spark. As the Autobots fight Insecticons on their way out, Starscream, Soundwave and Shockwave arrive, but Arcee's team fight their way through to make an escape.

The Great Train Escape

• Playable units: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz, Cliffjumper, Arcee, Hound

The Autobots regroup with Optimus Prime's team at a train station, but a swarm of Insecticons arrive before they can flee with the Dark Spark. The team holds its own until a train arrives, but as they leave aboard, the Decepticons detonate explosives on the line.

After the Crash

• Playable units: Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave
• Bosses: Bumblebee, Arcee, Hound

Arriving at the site of the train crash, the Decepticons recover the Dark Spark, but encounter resistance from the Autobots. They make short work of their enemies, before heading out to return the artifact to Megatron.

The Outskirts of Kaon

• Playable units: Soundwave, Shockwave, Swindle, Sharpshot

The Decepticons rendezvous with Swindle at the gates to Kaon, which are heavily guarded by Autobot troops. They overrun the position and blast their way through the first gate.

Kaon City Rumble

• Playable units: Soundwave, Shockwave, Swindle, Sharpshot, Kickback, Slipstream

Arriving at the inner gates, the Decepticons battle their way through more Autobot forces before blowing their way into Kaon.

The Combaticons Reunite

• Playable units: Soundwave, Shockwave, Swindle, Kickback, Slipstream

The Decepticons approach the location of the other Combaticons, and, following orders from Megatron relayed by Slipstream, they protect the elite team as they prepare to combine into Bruticus. The combiner is successfully formed, and the Decepticons prepare to sit back and watch as the giant tears away the Autobots.

Bruticus Awakens

• Playable units: Soundwave, Shockwave, Kickback, Slipstream
• Bosses: Cliffjumper, Optimus Prime, Arcee, Hound

The Decepticons protect and fight alongside Bruticus against waves of incoming Autobots. Eventually the combiner is able to take Cliffjumper hostage, allowing the Decepticons to bargain their opponents into submission and head for Megatron.

Bruticus on the Run, Pt. 1

• Playable units: Optimus Prime, Jazz, Arcee, Hound

The remaining Autobots resolve to rescue Cliffjumper and retrieve the Dark Spark. They successfully battle through a veritable army of Decepticons, only for Bruticus to arrive to arrive on the scene.

Bruticus on the Run, Pt. 2

• Playable units: Optimus Prime, Jazz, Arcee, Hound
• Bosses: Bruticus

With any escape cut off, Optimus Prime's team engages Bruticus and Decepticon reinforcements. The combiner takes heavy damage, and retreats after his allies are all defeated.

Battle with Bruticus

• Playable units: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz, Arcee, Hound
• Bosses: Bruticus

The Autobots pursue Bruticus to the edge of Kolkular, where the combiner positions himself near a pair of generators. The team fights their way forward, repeatedly overloading the generators until their discharge defeats Bruticus.

Attack on Kolkular

• Playable units: Soundwave, Sharpshot, Kickback, Slipstream, Heavy Soldier
• Bosses: Bumblebee, Jazz

Making their way across Kolkular towards Megatron, the Decepticon party carrying the Dark Spark come under siege from Autobots in city's research facility. They activate the facility's defences and repel the invaders before continuing on their way.

Defense of Inner Kolkular

• Playable units: Megatron, Shockwave, Slipstream, Heavy Soldier, Assault Soldier
• Bosses: Arcee, Hound

The Decepticons arrive at Megatron's location, and rally to defend against incoming Autobots. The invaders attempt to reach their captive ally Cliffjumper, but Megatron's forces overcome the assault.

Battle in the Detention Block

• Playable units: Megatron, Shockwave, Kickback, Slipstream, Assault Soldier
• Bosses: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz

The Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, breach Kolkular's detention center, and Megatron leads his forces to defend. The Autobots are overwhelmed, but Prime puts 'Operation Longshot' into action...

Contingency Plan, Pt. 1

• Playable units: Jetfire, Recon Soldier, Assault Soldier ×2

Jetfire is given orders by Optimus to infiltrate the remains of Trypticon and fire the behemoth's primary weapon at Kolkular. The aerial Autobot meets up with reinforcements, and they fight past Decepticon guards into Trypticon's interior.

Contingency Plan, Pt. 2

• Playable units: Jetfire, Recon Soldier, Heavy Soldier ×2
• Bosses: Starscream

Jetfire's team reaches the outer core of Trypticon, but encounters a team of Decepticons led by Starscream. The Autobots prevail, and head into the system core.

Contingency Plan, Pt. 3

• Playable units: Jetfire, Recon Soldier, Assault Soldier ×2

Jetfire arrives at the inner core, and fights off the last Decepticon defenders to activate Trypticon's targeting systems on a timer. The team evacuates from the giant Transformer as its weapon fires.

Balance in All Things

• Playable units: Optimus Prime, Jazz, Cliffjumper, Heavy Soldier, Assault Soldier
• Bosses: Soundwave. Slipstream

In Kolkular, Trypticon's weapon decimates the Decepticon forces, and Optimus Prime's team prepares to escape. Their exit is blocked by reinforcements led by Soundwave and Slipstream, but the Autobots power through and head to confront Megatron.

Rise of the Fallen

• Playable units: Optimus Prime, Jazz, Cliffjumper, Heavy Soldier, Assault Soldier

Optimus and his allies confront Megatron at Shockwave's lab, but the Decepticon leader harnesses the power of the Dark Spark to raise fallen Autobots as undead slaves. They fight through wave after wave of enthralled slaves until Megatron himself joins the fight, but the Dark Spark renders the Decepticon unbeatable. With no other option, Optimus Prime unleashes the power of the Matrix of Leadership, knocking the Dark Spark away from Megatron into space. With the dark artifact no longer a threat, the Autobots return to Iacon and their last hope – the Ark.

Infiltration in the Jungle

• Playable units: Drift, Bumblebee, Crosshairs, Ratchet
• Bosses: Stinger

Back on the other Earth, a team of Autobots has tracked Lockdown to a jungle, where the mercenary has set up some kind of factory. The group fights its through the facility's main gate, but encounters Stinger just inside. After they deal with the villainous Bumblebee doppelganger, Drift heads on alone to scout the complex, whilst the others remain behind to cover the entrance.

Tropic Warfare

• Playable units: Lockdown, Heavy Soldier ×2, Assault Soldier
• Bosses: Drift

Inside the facility, Lockdown and his troops detect the Autobot incursion. They fend off numerous troops before finally defeating and capturing Drift.

Jailbreaking Drift

• Playable units: Bumblebee, Crosshairs, Ratchet, Heavy Soldier
• Bosses: Stinger

With Drift captive, the other Autobots mount an assault on the facility to rescue him. The team successfully retrieve their ally, and fight past Stinger's reinforcements to leave the complex.

Run Through the Jungle

• Playable units: Lockdown, Heavy Soldier ×2, Assault Soldier ×2
• Bosses: Bumblebee, Crosshairs, Ratchet

Lockdown leads his troops to confront the Autobots. The mercenaries prevail, and subsequently leave the jungle facility to pursue other goals.

Assault on Main Street, Pt. 1

• Playable units: Optimus Prime, Drift, Bumblebee, Ratchet

The Autobots follow Lockdown to a city, where they call in Grimlock for support. Whilst fending off mercenaries, Optimus Prime's team open gates, clearing a path for their Dinobot ally.

Assault on Main Street, Pt. 2

• Playable units: Optimus Prime, Drift, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Heavy Soldier

The Autobots move further into the city, defending Grimlock as he smashes a path through the mercenaries' blockades.

The Final Encounter

Playable units: Optimus Prime, Drift, Bumblebee, Crosshairs, Ratchet, Heavy Soldier, Assault Soldier

• Bosses: Lockdown, Stinger

Optimus Prime and the Autobots confront Lockdown, who has used the Dark Spark together with space bridge technology from the jungle facility to construct a warp tunnel. After a hard-fought battle, Optimus Prime unleashes the power of the Matrix of Leadership to knock the Dark Spark back into space, and Lockdown is forced to retreat.

In yet another universe, Optimus Prime watches as the Dark Spark streaks down to Earth...

Characters

Movie Autobots	Movie Mercenaries	Aligned Autobots	Aligned Decepticons	Other
Playable units Optimus Prime Bumblebee Drift Crosshairs Ratchet Support units Cliffjumper Dune Runner Landmine Longarm Rollbar Salvage Scattershot Warpath NPCs Grimlock	Playable units Lockdown Stinger Support units Bludgeon Dead End Dreadwing Dropkick Payload Swindle Thundercracker Wreckage	Playable units Optimus Prime Bumblebee Cliffjumper Arcee Jazz Hound Jetfire Support units Eject Gears Huffer Perceptor Ramhorn Rewind Steeljaw Windcharger	Playable units Megatron Starscream Soundwave Shockwave Sharpshot Kickback Swindle Slipstream Support units Dirge Frenzy Hook Ramjet Rumble Scavenger Skywarp Thundercracker NPCs Onslaught Brawl Vortex Blast Off Bruticus	Generation 1 Optimus Prime

Notes

Continuity notes

• The game takes place both on the Cybertron of the War for Cybertron universe and Earth of the movie and Generation 1 universes.

Trivia

• The Support Units featured in the game are depicted as follows:
  • Cliffjumper in his 2007 Deluxe Class toy body.
  • Earth (Movieverse) Thundercracker is in his 2007 Voyager Class toy body while Cybertron (Aligned) Thundercracker roughly resembles Generation 1 Thundercracker.
  • Payload is heavily based off his Voyager Class toy body from the Hunt for the Decepticons portion of the 2010 toyline, a redeco of Revenge of the Fallen Long Haul.
  • Dune Runner is in his Revenge of the Fallen Scout Class toy body and not one identical to Landmine's. As for Dead End, he is more in line with his Revenge Scout Class toy body as well.
  • Perceptor, who makes a voice-over appearance in the console version, roughly resembles G1 Perceptor. The same thing applies to Huffer, Ramjet, Skywarp, and Dirge.
  • Scattershot is straight from Revenge of the Fallen, yet his name is spelled Scattershot in this game.
  • The Rollbar featured in the game is essentially Robot Powered Machines Rollbar, but with the design of another Rollbar with the Scout Class toy that turns into a delivery van.
  • Frenzy is G1 toy blue and Rumble is G1 cartoon purplish-blue, in an unusual twist on the FIRRIB debate.
  • Steeljaw, Eject, Rewind, and Ramhorn are based off their Fall of Cybertron toys from the Generations toyline.
  • Warpath is in his Dark of the Moon video game body.
  • Landmine, Dreadwing, Longarm, Swindle, Salvage, and Dropkick are all straight from the Deluxe Class portion of the 2007 Movie toyline.
  • Wreckage is in his original toy's colors whereas Bludgeon is redecoed from him, though the redeco was later repurposed as another form of Wreckage.
  • Gears and Windcharger are new "Aligned" characters based off their Generation 1 counterparts.
  • Scavenger and Hook have previously appeared in "Aligned" novels, so they are finally given proper physical appearances based off their G1 counterparts.
• Hardshell is mentioned in this game but does not make a physical appearance.