Jumpman Junior

Jumpman Junior is a platform game written by Randy Glover and published by Epyx in 1983 for the Atari 8-bit computers and Commodore 64.^[2] In 1984, a port was released for ColecoVision in Australia, France, Germany, Italy and the UK.^{[citation needed]} It is a follow-up to Jumpman (1983). While Jumpman has 30 levels, Jumpman Junior has 12–all of which are different from the previous game. The game was reduced in scope so it could be released in cartridge form.

Jumpman Junior
Developer(s)	Epyx
Publisher(s)	Epyx
Designer(s)	Randy Glover[1]
Platform(s)	Atari 8-bit, ColecoVision, Commodore 64
Release	1983: Atari 8-bit, C64 1984: ColecoVision
Genre(s)	Platform
Mode(s)	Single-player

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot (Atari 8-bit)

Jumpman Junior has the same gameplay as Jumpman but with new levels. The goal is to disarm the bombs before they explode. To reach the bombs the player must navigate up platforms, ladders, and ropes by jumping and climbing.^[3] Each level has a different theme and different obstacles. There are 12 levels and 8 game speeds.^[3]

Reception

Antic liked the "excellent" graphics, and faulted it only for the way it started over from the beginning after losing a life.^[4] Electronic Games started its review by calling the original Jumpman "a genuine classic" with levels that were "a coherently-written collection of some of the most interesting play mechanics ever devised." They conclude that the new version is "so good—the playfields are reminiscent of the original, but are all new—that even veteran Jumpmen should check it out."^[5] InfoWorld's Essential Guide to Atari Computers cited it as a standout among Epyx's arcade games.^[6]

Computer and Video Games rated the ColecoVision version 89% in 1989.^[7]

Legacy

In 2004, Jumpman Junior was re-released on the C64 Direct-to-TV.^[8]

References

1. Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
2. Dillon, Roberto (3 December 2014). Ready: A Commodore 64 Retrospective. Springer. ISBN 9789812873415. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
3. Weiss, Brett (20 December 2011). Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984: A Complete Reference Guide. McFarland. ISBN 9780786487554. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
4. Faughn, David (March 1984). "Product Reviews". Antic.
5. "Jumpman Junior". Electronic Games. May 1984.
6. Mace, Scott (1984). InfoWorld's Essential Guide to Atari Computers. Harper & Row. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-06-669006-3.
7. "Complete Games Guide" (PDF). Computer and Video Games (Complete Guide to Consoles): 46–77. 16 October 1989.
8. "Commodore 64: 30 Games in One Joystick". Amazon.