Jumpin' Jackson

Jumping Jack'son is a top-down puzzle game that was released by Infogrames in 1990. It was mostly puzzle-based, with a hint of action to spice things up. The game sparked an exciting sense of originality thanks to its musical themes and design.

The game, designed by Christophe Laboureau, takes on the story of Jack'son, a yellowish fat little blob that is on the task of freeing the spirit of rock and roll. To do so, he has to drive away dull classical music that is essentially sucking up all the grooviness in his world. With Elvis Presley's first single holding the key to doing so, Jackson is ready to bounce on anyone that tries to dull his tunes.

The game is comprised of over 16 different mazes, all filled with puzzles with bright, daring colors. Jack'son is tasked with collecting hidden records placed on the map, and by putting them on turntables, he is capable of creating a tune. The greyed-out tiles hold the fortunate for Jack'son, as he has to move over a group of tiles to change their color; a record appears when Jack'son successfully manages to create a combination of four tiles having the same color. He should then proceed to play the tune on a turntable that also corresponds to the color of the newly acquired record.

But that doesn't sound challenging at all; where is the action? Not to worry, the tranquil nature of the game soon takes a 180-degree turn when the baddies start to roll in! Evil instruments that are hellbent on stopping you will endlessly chase you down as you hop around the little tiles trying to find your precious tunes. You will be relentlessly pursued by drums, trumpets, and all kinds of classical musical instruments throughout the remainder of the game. Luckily for you, Jack'son is armed with his cassettes that can be dropped to block their path and hold them at bay while you make some distance. The levels will reward you with an assortment of items that will aid you in your righteous quest for musical justice. From hamburgers to bottles of coke and musical notes, they are here to give you a helping hand, along with the occasional jukebox that will allow Jack'son to carry an extra record.

In my ears, for a game based around musical themes, the developers have done a wonderful job. The sampled tunes are crisp and lovely, and urge you to complete a level to listen to the remainder of the record. Based on his tunes, the air-guitaring Jack'son truly is a mastermind who can really pump out some excellent music.

Jumping Jackson, in my opinion, is pretty tricky and challenging. However, it's not one of those puzzle games that make you wanna rip your hair out in frustration, as everything is hidden behind colorful graphics, cute sprites, and some good-quality music. The game is a must-play for any puzzle lover or retrogamer as it will keep you locked in-game for hours, with the groovy tunes stopping you from hitting the exit button.