Developed by Data East published by Bally Midway, this game puts the player in the shoes of Jumpin’ John. Jumpin’ John has a special race car that has the ability to jump! it only works once the car gets over 100mph, but it is needed to jump over rivers and other obtacles. As you are racing you can bump other cars into each other or into the walls (bumping in the walls destroys the vehicle). There is a variety of traffic to dodge, from regular cars to trucks (that like to dump their loads in front of you!). There are four theme race tracks (Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall) that repeat for a total of 32 tracks. When you finish a level, your car will stop at a gas pump and you will get a tally of how many vehicles you have bumped off the road!. If you can complete a track without bumping any cars at all you get a 50,000 point bonus!
Show how well was the game ported to some of my favorite pre-crash consoles?
Atari 2600 – A simplified version of the arcade game, it is however still quite fun. Sound effects are nice and controls are responsive. It takes some practice to get used to the jump mechanic in this version of the game.
Intellivision – This version has one of the best looking intro screens I have seen! the gameplay is spot on and the controls are very responsive. Of the home versions of this game, this one I can play the best. Great music and sound effects and a really neat car animation while you play (looks like it is dancing).
Colecovision – This version gives you a choice between using a standard controller or the driving controller!. The driving controller does work, but I find it is a little hard to jump when using it. The arcade game is translated quite well to the Colecovision with great graphics and sound. The box art of this game is one of my favorites for the Colecovision.
So how would I rank these ports?
- Intellivision
- Colecovision
- Atari 2600
My high score for the Arcade Game 7,580 points. If you ever see the arcade game or use Mame, give it a try and post your high score below!
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