Most power-ups work without trouble. This super mushroom will always turn Mario big. Michael Jackson will always become a giant robot when he teams up with Bubbles the Chimp. Even Pac-Man's power pellet will make ghosts run in terror100% of the time. These items just work; they are reliable. But let me tell you, there's nothing predictable about the rocket skates!
Actually, let me take that back. This questionable power-up from ToeJam & Earl isn't unpredictable. I mean, you would be right if you predicted that it would send the player racing around uncontrollably. The chaos that ensues from accidentally strapping on the rocket skates is easy to predict, and it often involves players falling from one stage to the next.
This is an industry that takes difficult skills for granted. Nobody questioned how Master Higgins was able to ride that skateboard so well, we just accept it because it's a video game. This is certainly not the case in ToeJam & Earl. If anything, the uncontrollable speed adds a level of realism to this item. I mean, as much realism as a game about two funky aliens can have.
