Jumpman
Commodore 64, 1983
Randy Glover/Epyx
$39.95
*Note; I wished to post this review here as my periodic reminder that I still exist, but mostly let my stuff languish on my blog and YouTube. So this article was originally posted on the blog. This is a special occasion for me, my first full review for a Commodore 64 game. I've been including the 64 as a comparison in some videos but wasn't sure what I could add to the discussion until recently, or if anyone would care. Have a wonderful holiday season if you're reading this when it came out.
*My video review for Jumpman
*Previous article
*Alphabetical list of writings
*Game played/shown in its designed NTSC mode with 4:3 aspect ratio
*If pics show artifacting, zoom in/out (CRT effect)
There was a time long ago which you'd find not too dissimilar from today, when everyone making a game copied the one which had come before. Today it could be described as laziness, a lack of creative soul or integrity, the full throttle toward the tried and true; that which has already been proven financially successful. In the early 1980's however, the situation was more understandable, nobody really knew any better. There were entire consoles dedicated to thinly disguised ripoffs of Pong, and while the Atari 2600 put all of those to shame, how many alien invaders were we forced to endure through never ending yet ever faster waves?
Perhaps it's simply what the people wanted, or perceived limitations of the systems. There were actually a number of wonderfully unique games in the early 80's, the underpinnings of adventures and RPGs were personal stars among them. But this was a time when the arcades ruled, when kids through adults eagerly parted ways with their quarters for another chance to rescue the princess in Donkey Kong. When it came specifically to the types of games you'd often see in the arcades, consoles as well as computers often left much to be desired. Since gaming in the arcades was responsible for people wanting to game at home, an expectation of that style could be expected from consumers.
^Starting out, easy does it
Yet the best you could often hope for was a less than stellar conversion from Atari, who had clear interest in making sure games at home would never truly rival the arcades. Third parties would do well to push the consoles and computers potential, but lacked the vision or creativity. There were games styled after the arcades which had been great, others were awful, but nearly all of them were ripoffs. To have that essence from the arcades while adding upon it is what Jumpman managed to accomplish, taking that next logical step forward.
An arcade styled platformer with multiple single screens, Jumpman certainly contains a whiff of the arcade classic Donkey Kong. Early advertisements wouldn't attempt to hide this, downright inviting the comparison by boldly declaring "If you liked Donkey Kong, You'll LOVE Jumpman!" On closer inspection however, the only things the two games share in common are ladders, platforms, and the name Jumpman having been the original name for Mario. Surely some buttons were being pushed to invoke feelings for what had come before, but this was no clone.
^Aliens, bats, bombs, and bullets
Get from point A to point B while avoiding obstacles was generally the objective in Donkey Kong. Jumpman is quite non-linear in comparison, with the usual goal of collecting all of what the manual describes as "bombs" appearing on a given level. How you go about collecting them is up to you at first. Want to zig-zag? Go in a circle? Opportunistically grab what you can before running to safety prior to sneaking back later? You're allowed to discover how you personally enjoy playing the game, rather than the game demanding that you learn how it wants to be played, for a number of levels at least.
The first thing standing in your way are the platforms themselves, where really only one level in Donkey Kong had true platforming elements. Here the need to jump is often due to gaps in the platforms, not just because of enemies you're attempting to avoid. It's really amazing how many different ways platforms could be drawn at this time, on computers which weren't always working with the largest screen real-estate (resolution). You'll be seeing no shortage of platforms, as Jumpman packs in thirty "stated" levels, with thirty-three overall. Four levels in Donkey Kong, ten in Miner 2049er (released before Jumpman), both repeating after they end. I'd plead that my comparisons not be mistaken for criticism; Donkey Kong is a wonderful game, as is Miner 2049er, but thirty levels culminating with an actual end in 1983 was nothing short of a leap (jump?) ahead.
^Puzzles, first difficulty defeated, some deaths
Hallelujah! Praise the gaming gods, there is an end! Another classic released in 1983 (after Jumpman) was Lode Runner, a masterpiece of an early puzzle game with 152 levels. Good luck ever getting that far because there's no save feature or password system. Should you manage the feat anyway you'd then be thrown back to the start until the game got fast enough to cause instant death. Some reward! This is not to say it was a bad design for the time, everyone was doing it! The only goal for most games was to get a high score, levels were repeated until either you died or the machine crashed. It would be one thing to go on as long as you wanted in a game like SimCity, but platform games are a type which I would feel beg for an "achievable" end. By that I mean there should be a goal in sight, and I feel Jumpman's 30 levels are that perfect balance between not enough and too much, adding the reward of an actual ending.
Along with the platforming, a puzzle element is injected as soon as the second level, appearing in a consistent though not full manner throughout the rest of the game. Some bombs may need to be collected before others, as they cause platforms or ladders to appear or disappear. This might cause a temporary increase to the difficulty, could make things easier, or even render the level impossible to defeat, ensuring a game over. Infuriatingly there's even one level which starts invisible and must be discovered through exploration. This level has three versions of itself, a kind of A, B, or C variation randomly assigned on a given playthrough, and it's a tough one to master
^Things getting harder in the 2nd difficulty
It's a deceptively difficult game, at least in the way I ended up playing. In the menu area your current "run speed" is listed, defaulting to 4. This is a fine speed for your initial learning of the mechanics, though it kind of quelches your main nemesis in the game, the bullets. Most levels don't feature specific enemies, they're a battle of platforms and the puzzle elements those provide. Bullets spawn off screen on most levels, slowly crawling along where perhaps you can see them, but other times they'll remain off screen. Upon becoming level with the player either vertically or horizontally the bullets will then snap to you quickly. This challenge is largely rendered moot at the default speed. I found slowing the game anymore than that was unbearable personally, though conceivably would allow more people to win the game.
Around the halfway point I increased the speed to 3 and even 2 at times, suddenly the game transformed into what has to be one of the first ever non space shooter bullet-hells. Along with taking the next logical steps forward when it came to the arcade styled platforming genre, Jumpman may deserve even more credit for being years ahead of its time with its early incorporation of crazy bullets skirting just under your feet as you jump in the nick of time, or buzzing just over your head. Most levels feature bullets, so you're always a snap of the fingers away from death on a speed of 3 or lower, especially on the middle and hard difficulties. It's more than a worthy challenge for anyone who considers themselves good at games, among the hardest I've ever conquered.
^2nd difficulty complete, onto hard mode!
Any of the levels without bullets (in which there are several) can eventually be fully mastered to the point where you shouldn't die on them, offering a welcomed relief from the stress of bullet-hell. These levels will initially be a challenging puzzle, but once figured out you'll find them to be your chance to breathe. The previously mentioned invisible levels are a true nightmare to learn, but you'll find that once you do it's your chance to leave the game running and take a break, as there are no enemies to contend with (and no pause feature I'm aware of). There are three levels which don't allow (or limit) jumping, instead giving you your own weapon. You might be shooting your own bullets at UFOs and doppelgangers, or memorably for me launching spears at dragons. A few levels offer special treasures if you can solve the puzzle which allows access to them.
An assortment of enemies offer not only something different to look at, but are often puzzles within themselves. The way in which aliens move will need to be considered, lest they trap you in a corner. Bats hone in on you through echolocation, collecting a bomb while near one might cause immediate regret. Upon collecting a bomb in a certain level you'll find a copy of yourself will come onto the screen only to mimic every move you had made previously. Up to seven other Jumpmen will stalk your every move, but how best to avoid them? While not enemies, in one level the bombs humorously pick themselves up only to run away from you, forcing an anticipation of their moves. Games made today could learn a lesson with how to provide both a familiar theme, while making every single level feel completely unique.
^So many Jumpmans, more deaths
Jumpman was released in the winter/spring era of 1983, my usual guessing would place it around March based on magazines mentioning it in May. Wiki gives the exact date of February 26th of '83, citing a 1984 copyright number. It was designed by Randy Glover on the Atari 800 and published by Automated Simulations/Epyx. The Commodore 64 was the first port, and it was handled by Glover himself. Computer Gaming World claimed they received both the Atari and 64 versions by May, evidence of a possible simultaneous release. Reviews and sales information from the fall for the C64 lead me to believe the summer of '83 to be more probable for the Commodore release. There would be later ports to the Apple II, the PC via a booter disk, and a special "upgraded" version for the PC-JR. The PC versions were published by IBM themselves.
The Atari 800 and Commodore 64 versions are largely similar, at least in terms of resolution and feel. I would say that the game is slightly better overall on the Atari, as there's a nice collapsing effect at the end of a level, along with a revolving set of colors to the girders and ladders. The 64 does show advantages, with more sprites (8 as opposed to 4), with those sprites being more detailed (single color stick figures in other versions). You wouldn't be going wrong playing either of these versions, though I'd steer wide of this on PC, where it looks, sounds, and plays terribly. A comparison between the different versions can be seen at this point in my video review.
^Now you see it, now you don't, getting quite hectic
Graphically it's of the early Commodore 64 variety, which I lovingly think of as the Atari Age. One magazine thought it looked so good they called it "high resolution", which I'd imagine comes from comparing it with the text mode character graphics in many games to that point. While the 64's graphics are a bit complicated to discuss here, I'd personally consider Jumpman to be using what I'd call the 64's low resolution. The 64 would prove to be capable of NES like graphics (medium res), and could even pull off an admirable 16-bit look in its later years (high res). While a game like Donkey Kong in the arcades was already looking 16-bit with its colors and resolution, Jumpman was certainly a good looking game for the home systems at that time. The animation in particular is outstanding, there's a lifelike feel to the way Jumpman runs and jumps which immediately brought to my mind much later games such as Prince of Persia. I couldn't trust the soul who wouldn't crack up when viewing Jumpman tumbling from girder to girder to his death.
I'd call the sound and music fairly decent for the era, though there's nothing which stands out looking back historically. The shots fired, jumping, collecting, and falling sounds all put you into the game, and there's a handful of short but decent ditties which play after completing a level and getting a game over. The story is a bit of laughs, but short enough to be a quality addition to the manual and box. You're Jupiter Jumpman trying to save Jupiter Headquarters, located on the planet Jupiter (I think). Despite his name, Jumpman doesn't actually jump, he uses jet boosters. Each building of headquarters represents the different difficulty levels, with "alienators" having planted bombs throughout the buildings. Of course you're the only one who knows how to defuse the bombs. None of this would cross your imagination by just playing the game, but since it's just one page of silly story it should put a smile on your face.
^Nearly 40 years worth of high scores, serious bullet hell
The true ending is achieved through only the grand loop and randomizer difficulty levels, but you'll probably have to beat each individual difficulty on its own before you have a shot at that. The loop starts you in easy mode and you'll have to finish all 30 levels in a row (Easy contains 8 levels, medium 10, and hard has 12), with only your original seven lives along with any collected every 10,000 points. Randomizer goes through all of the levels randomly, which depending on your luck of the draw could be easier or harder. The end cut-scene shows a spacecraft picking up Jumpman and warping away as all three buildings blink, indicating their power has been restored. Your initials can then be entered into the high score table, provided you're worthy.
The highscores were my primary motivating factor in completing the grand loop, as I didn't even come close to earning a spot after finishing a single difficulty level. My disk happened to be packed full of scores from my father (BVD and SVS), and my uncle (DLG). Dad held the top spot having completed the grand loop, and my uncle was number two having finished the randomizer. The other scores were their attempts at making it that far. My dad would keep track of games which saved high scores, and if I ever beat him in anything you'd suddenly see him playing that game trying to retake his spot. My guess would be my uncle actually won first and then my dad came along to say "take that!", like he would with me. This was my chance to say take that to him one last time, and if he was around today you could be sure he'd brush up on his skills for another go. I ended up in first place with the overall high-score (CSS), just barely. But the game also keeps a separate list of high bonus scores, in which he remained in first place, again just barely. Rather whimsical to think of how similar we must have played on our own to end up so close after all these years.
^We won! The game and the high-score challenge
The magazines of the era loved Jumpman. Run said it was essentially thirty different arcade games for the price of one, and that it featured colorful and detailed graphics with superb sound effects and music. "...State-of-the-art." Compute compared it with Miner 2049er, calling Jumpman"...much, much more." Adding that it featured "...hi-res graphics, intricate animation...Head and shoulders above most other games..." Info-64 in its first issue said Jumpman would challenge your logic skills along with your reflexes, giving it 5 out of 5 stars. In 1987 Info called it one of the first games to appear for the 64 which was arcade quality, but a totally new design. Taking a retroactive look at older games in 1989, Commodore Magazine gave it 5 out of 5 stars, "...One taste and you just can't stop." Computer Games gave Jumpman an "A", winning 1983's Golden Floppy Award for best ladder game. Readers of ST. Game voted Jumpman as the 7th best Atari program of 1983. Creative Computing declared that it earned its "highest recommendation." The only European look I could find was from Your 64, who called it a superb game. "Funny, challenging, and tremendously varied."
Compute's Gazette had sales charts placing Jumpman as the best selling Commodore 64 entertainment program in September, October, November, and December of 1983. The games designer, Randy Glover, claims Jumpman had sold over 40,000 units of the Atari and C64 versions by 1987, damn good for a game from 1983. It would quickly spawn a kind of sequel in Jumpman-JR, and turn Epyx into one of the most iconic gaming companies of the 1980's. They had actually released a number of great games prior to Jumpman as Automated Simulations (Epyx was their arcade division), but seem to have gone all-in on Epyx after the success of this game, and as a company they would continue that success until the end of the decade.
For me Jumpman took the great idea of platforming and kicked it ever higher. Adding puzzle and strategic elements, but also forcing your reflexes to act like they never had through the barrage of bullet-hell. To win the grand loop is actually ridiculously frustrating, among the hardest games I've ever played, but it's not a game that you have to win. Play a few levels of each difficulty, maybe win just the easy mode or slow down the game if that's what you have to do. There's no way you won't enjoy Jumpman. A special thanks to Songstryss for inspiring me to do my first review for the Commodore 64 (She's great, check her out). Hope you'll consider watching my video review for Jumpman, where the magazines written about here will be read from for historical context, among a whole lot of other fun. Readers of this article may also enjoy my looks at Winter Games (Amiga), The Faery Tale Adventure (Amiga), Turrican (Amiga), or Arkanoid (Amiga).
*My video review for Jumpman
*Previous article
*Alphabetical list of writings
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