Jetpack Jake

Jetpacks are a reality nowadays, but they are still not feasible as a transportation method, given the fact that they must spend a lot of fuel and cannot hold too much of it. Hence, it’s more of a gimmick than an actual useful thing, especially since there are many other faster and more efficient ways to move around. Flying is still not as fun as on a jetpack, on the other hand.

Jetpack Jake is a 2D arcade game that challenges you to keep a cool head and perform smooth jetpack maneuvers in order to get from one place to the other. Although the game was designed for mobile devices first, it can be pretty fun and challenging on the PC as well, depending on how patient you are and how much you can take until you rage quit.

To begin with, the gameplay is as simple as possible, given the fact that all you have to do is use A and D to move left or right, as well as the spacebar to activate the jetpack. Other than that, the only goal is to make it to the landing platform without touching anything else along the way. You must also keep an eye on your fuel level, because  you have a finite amount of it to spend.

The levels get tougher as you manage to complete them and move forward into the game, since all kinds of traps and enemies make an appearance. Some of these traps are static, while others are constantly moving, making it that much more difficult to avoid them. Thus, sometimes you have to move quickly to make it with the available fuel, while also paying attention to the moving enemies around you.

As for the graphics, they are kept to a minimum and they certainly do not impress in any way, but it’s not a very important part of the game after all. The retro style goes great with the simple gameplay mechanics, and the levels are actually very nicely designed most of the time. The controls are fairly responsive and enjoyable, albeit slightly slow sometimes due to the nature of the game.

When it’s all said and done, Jetpack Jake is more than enough fun for everyone, at least if you do not expect an awful lot in the gameplay department. Hence, it’s the type of game you play whenever you have a few spare minutes to waste.