Jumping Jack'son

A game with attitude!

All Jack wanted was a quiet night in with his record collection - just him, some snacks, and a few classic tunes, but he never got the chance. Why, I hear you scream? Well, I'm glad you asked... The soul of Rock ‘n Roll has somehow been imprisoned, and now deranged classical instruments are on the rampage, thirsty for blood. And not just any blood - yours! Yep, if there was ever a strange idea then this is it.

Jack’s strange world is viewed from above, made up of tiled squares that he can hop around on. Some of these tiles are special and will change colour with every hop—and if you manage to turn them all the same colour, they’ll produce a vinyl record. This needs to match an unused turntable, so for example, a red tile set makes a red record for the red player. The song will gradually compile as each record player is activated - which means that the level is only complete once all are working. Sounds weird but it works well.

Yeah, it may sound peculiar but it looks hotter than hell itself. Check out the first screenshot...

Never would I have imagined such a silly game would be so addictive!!

Not your normal game...

Each level is different and much like a jigsaw in design. Some aren't continuous, so the use of a transporter may be required – but be careful, because you don’t want to bump directly into a roaming baddie! Some instruments chase if you get too close and will kill you using a humorous "Pif-Paf" cartoon-like effect (this bit is absolutely fantastic). There are many items to collect for extra points and other oddball features: wear a pair of cool shades or take a breather to safely gather your nerves on a chequered tile for a moment.

Why not try dropping a couple of old cassettes on the floor to block an instrument dead in its tracks? Well, only for a few seconds, but that gives the gameplay a desperately needed break when the chaos ramps up - nobody uses those old tapes, so it’s nice they’ve found a new purpose! As you progress, the maps become more technical and offer a greater challenge in this insane, musical world of complete and utter craziness!

What an insanely unique game and I did rather well and made the hi-score table...

Daft question, but can you beat my Hi-Score? Nah, I didn't think so!

Aesthetics

Infogrames have worked their magic and produced another jaw-dropper. I normally start with the graphics but, not today - this game is a blast!! The sound effects are superb and these go to making up thumping tunes. Other sound effects for the instrument monsters are excellent and I love it when some will begin to violently bash out their sounds if you get too close. Sigh, just imagine if they'd have used the DMA hardware...

The graphics are frequently amazing throughout each and every level - rich in colour, beautiful backgrounds, and the funniest musical sprites chasing you. The scrolling is ultra-smooth and I even loved the high-score table which is almost like a demo screen. Hey, check it out above, can you beat my first-attempt score?

As you can tell, I love this game and wish you would boot it up also. Don't miss out! One final screenshot...

Oh no, something mean and green is attacking me. LOL this is insane!! :D

The CryptO'pinion?

Jumping Jackson is an absolute gem, bursting with quirky charm and unique humour. I mean, come on - how many games have you legging it from a furious trumpet? That alone makes it completely bonkers and brilliantly maddening! Yet it's also seriously challenging so remains one of the most playable puzzlers on the Atari ST. I reckon it's a timeless classic and a personal favourite. A lot of love went into making this!!

Download for hard drive or floppy.