Series playthrough: Jumping Flash
Back story
Although Super Mario 64 became synonymous with how a successful 3D platformer was made, the genre had indeed experimented quite a bit prior to its release. One such title, and indeed an early 3D experimental game as a whole, is Jumping Flash on the first PlayStation. A much forgotten release in hindsight, not surprisingly so, but personally remembered with fondness for screenshots I saw in magazines as a young teenager.
The series would spawn three releases, two of which made it to the West, while the third and last, remained a Japan exclusive. There was even a spin-off on the PocketStation, the mini handheld memory card with a screen. The franchise was developed by several smaller studios, I won't go through them all, but they'd later become collected under Japan Studio, a first party studio to Sony.
Since I’ve recently been playing around with the fantastic DuckStation emulator, I decided to to give Jumping Flash a go. What’s neat about DuckStation is that you can run PS1 titles in whatever resolution you prefer, even 4K. Perhaps most interesting though, is that it corrects geometry to fix wobbly polygons, can smooth out textures and, more importantly, improve the framerate!
The series would spawn three releases, two of which made it to the West, while the third and last, remained a Japan exclusive. There was even a spin-off on the PocketStation, the mini handheld memory card with a screen. The franchise was developed by several smaller studios, I won't go through them all, but they'd later become collected under Japan Studio, a first party studio to Sony.
Since I’ve recently been playing around with the fantastic DuckStation emulator, I decided to to give Jumping Flash a go. What’s neat about DuckStation is that you can run PS1 titles in whatever resolution you prefer, even 4K. Perhaps most interesting though, is that it corrects geometry to fix wobbly polygons, can smooth out textures and, more importantly, improve the framerate!
This latter improvement requires that the original game had an uncapped framerate, most PS1 titles were locked to 30fps, but luckily the Jumping Flash titles are uncapped. Bringing them up to a smooth and responsive 60fps, versus the variable roller coaster of 30-40fps it had on original hardware, making it a treat to play on a modern screen and controller with DuckStation overclocking the original PS1 CPU.
Visually, Jumping Flash is unique and, in some ways, the graphics are a lot of the experience alone. It has this early 3D, open world, vibe of incredibly simplistic, sharp angled, environments and characters. With vibrant colours to match. Nostalgically throwing me back to how I remember Virtual Reality visuals were in the 90s. With a first person view, gazing over the vastness of a colourful world of free, 3D, movement is what initially amazed me as a young teenager.
Sure, by today's standards it has limited, box shaped, 3D worlds, with some corridor maze and boss levels thrown in. However, they give this sensation, when viewed in the first-person, of a generous size and vastness. Most 3D games back then were limited in their playing field size, often resulting in corridor-based level designs. Jumping Flash allows you to freely move about and jump to incredible heights of buildings, mountains or other structures.
Normally, while jumping, the camera is pointed forward. However, in a stroke of genius design, considering the verticality of the levels, jumping again mid-air initiates a double jump and camera change. This second jump automatically pans the camera downwards to your feet. This view angle swoop not only shows the incredible 3D world far beneath, but also gives the player a clear overview to see where they're about to land, allowing them to aim with their shadow. It’s a cool visual presentation, as well as a clever way of orientating yourself in a first person platformer requiring precision.
Sure, by today's standards it has limited, box shaped, 3D worlds, with some corridor maze and boss levels thrown in. However, they give this sensation, when viewed in the first-person, of a generous size and vastness. Most 3D games back then were limited in their playing field size, often resulting in corridor-based level designs. Jumping Flash allows you to freely move about and jump to incredible heights of buildings, mountains or other structures.
Normally, while jumping, the camera is pointed forward. However, in a stroke of genius design, considering the verticality of the levels, jumping again mid-air initiates a double jump and camera change. This second jump automatically pans the camera downwards to your feet. This view angle swoop not only shows the incredible 3D world far beneath, but also gives the player a clear overview to see where they're about to land, allowing them to aim with their shadow. It’s a cool visual presentation, as well as a clever way of orientating yourself in a first person platformer requiring precision.
This camera work, as well as the rather slow gravity and massive air-time in jumps, giving the player time to change course, is what makes Jumping Flash incredible fun to play to this day. Not only does it feel uniquely different, it's actually a smart gameplay choice that avoids cumbersome and awkward 3D control, typical of the time period it was released.
Although I've explained the fundamentals of the franchise already, let’s jump in and take a look at each release!
Review
Played on: DuckStation (PS1 Emulator)Released: 1995
The premise of the first Jumping Flash title is extremely simple. You play Robbit, a rabbit robot, and have 10 minutes to find four carrots in each level and then find the exit, which ends the level with a highscore screen. That’s it.
Don't worry though, the time limit is generous and allows you time to roam about to find the four carrots and additionally find powerups and hidden bonus level portals. Powerups can be stored up to three at a time and are most useful against bosses. Bonus levels allow you to rack up extra points in a separate level you're transported to, provided you find the bonus portal.
Movement is controlled by the d-pad, additionally there's a jump button, a fire laser cannon button and a special item button. There's also a shoulder button to look downwards without jumping, but as I mentioned in the foreword, double jumping will tilt the camera to a surprisingly helpful view, pointing down at Robbit's feet. Mostly you're jumping about and being aware of your surroundings anyhow, thanks to the tilting camera.
Gameplay is surprisingly nimble and well controlled, this is what pulled me into actually completing these titles, after the visual impact had settled. For such an early and experimental 3D platformer, it's really fun to play and controls in a way that doesn't annoy or encumber you to perform the jumps you want to. Traversing the floating platforms scattered around each level gives a cool sense of vertigo and amazement of the heights.
Gameplay is surprisingly nimble and well controlled, this is what pulled me into actually completing these titles, after the visual impact had settled. For such an early and experimental 3D platformer, it's really fun to play and controls in a way that doesn't annoy or encumber you to perform the jumps you want to. Traversing the floating platforms scattered around each level gives a cool sense of vertigo and amazement of the heights.
Sure, there's not much to do other than find carrots, but then again this simplicity is a welcome relief, making the playthrough a more lighthearted and breezy experience compared to the complexity of modern titles.
Presentation of the story is bare bones, depicted through short CGI cutscenes of Robbit getting ready for missions. Also depicted is the weird and evil astrophysicist, called Baron Aloha, who's captured whole worlds, separated into levels and locked each one within glass domes. Robbit smashes the domes and enters each level, which you must complete to progress to the next and so forth.
Presentation of the story is bare bones, depicted through short CGI cutscenes of Robbit getting ready for missions. Also depicted is the weird and evil astrophysicist, called Baron Aloha, who's captured whole worlds, separated into levels and locked each one within glass domes. Robbit smashes the domes and enters each level, which you must complete to progress to the next and so forth.
Each world contains three levels. The first two levels are carrot hunt ones, with an indoor maze hunt level thrown in as variation here and there, while the third and last level is a boss level. Each world has an environmental theme, reflected in the visuals in each level.
Losing a life will restart the entire level, there are no checkpoints, so doing so right before reaching the fourth carrot feels rough. However, it’s never more than a 10-minute replay anyhow. I never found it to be a particular hard playthrough, rarely losing my life and having more than enough time to find all the carrots.
Losing a life will restart the entire level, there are no checkpoints, so doing so right before reaching the fourth carrot feels rough. However, it’s never more than a 10-minute replay anyhow. I never found it to be a particular hard playthrough, rarely losing my life and having more than enough time to find all the carrots.
Death usually comes by falling off the game world, rather than being killed by the rather lacklustre enemies spread about each level. You can kill the enemies by firing the laser cannon, but I found it just as easy to simply avoid them. Bosses, on the other hand, will take a lot more of your health, you need to learn when to attack and when to avoid oncoming attacks.
The combination of solid first person platforming, pleasant music, the curiosity of simplistic 3D geometry, jumping vertigo heights in the air and just the general vibe of early 90s VR visuals, really pulls you into Jumping Flash. While you probably need some nostalgia from that era to fully appreciate it, it’s simplicity almost looks like an artistic, minimalist design nowadays.
There’s something satisfying by jumping about so high up, correcting your fall and landing on small ledges to reach even further! Plus, it’s nice with such straight to the point objectives, released from the cumbersome nature of tons of objectives in modern releases. I was surprised by the amount of freedom in each level, there's aren't really any restrictions or invisible walls stopping you anywhere.
The combination of solid first person platforming, pleasant music, the curiosity of simplistic 3D geometry, jumping vertigo heights in the air and just the general vibe of early 90s VR visuals, really pulls you into Jumping Flash. While you probably need some nostalgia from that era to fully appreciate it, it’s simplicity almost looks like an artistic, minimalist design nowadays.
There’s something satisfying by jumping about so high up, correcting your fall and landing on small ledges to reach even further! Plus, it’s nice with such straight to the point objectives, released from the cumbersome nature of tons of objectives in modern releases. I was surprised by the amount of freedom in each level, there's aren't really any restrictions or invisible walls stopping you anywhere.
Recommended as a short but super fun playthrough, perhaps clocking in at six hours. Give it a go, and try something completely different!
Review
Played on: DuckStation (PS1 Emulator)
Released: 1996
The second Jumping Flash is very similar to the first. This time around, you need to collect four MuuMuu’s in each level in order to reach the exit. They’ve all been captured, including their home worlds, into bottles by the evil Captain Kabuki. In a strange turn of events, being interrupted in his exile holiday after the first game's ending, Baron Aloha decides to help Robbit in his task. Your aim is to crush each of the three bottles within each world and completing the levels inside, basically the exact same structure as the first game.
There's new powerups which do a neat amount of damage, but I found them hard to differentiate and just used them randomly at bosses. New types of bonus levels can be found too. The structure of progression is alike the first game, where two normal levels are proceeded by a third ending boss level, within each world. Some of the regular levels are maze ones again too.
Released: 1996
The second Jumping Flash is very similar to the first. This time around, you need to collect four MuuMuu’s in each level in order to reach the exit. They’ve all been captured, including their home worlds, into bottles by the evil Captain Kabuki. In a strange turn of events, being interrupted in his exile holiday after the first game's ending, Baron Aloha decides to help Robbit in his task. Your aim is to crush each of the three bottles within each world and completing the levels inside, basically the exact same structure as the first game.
There's new powerups which do a neat amount of damage, but I found them hard to differentiate and just used them randomly at bosses. New types of bonus levels can be found too. The structure of progression is alike the first game, where two normal levels are proceeded by a third ending boss level, within each world. Some of the regular levels are maze ones again too.
Environmental designs vary through each world like the first game, with new visual environments for the second game. What’s noteworthy is that the levels are quite a bit more challenging this time around, at least later into the game. Featuring less places to land as you traverse over areas without any safety of a ground to land on beneath. Increasing the platforming skills and precision needed.
Otherwise, the gameplay is identical, further emphasising how well the first person platforming works, even on more challenging designed levels. Visually there's a little more detail put into the geometry and textures. There's also some weather effects added for good measure on certain levels.
Otherwise, the gameplay is identical, further emphasising how well the first person platforming works, even on more challenging designed levels. Visually there's a little more detail put into the geometry and textures. There's also some weather effects added for good measure on certain levels.
Overall, a sequel of equal measure to the first, better balancing the difficulty, but doing extremely little new. It's really easy to just jump straight into it after completing the first game.
Both are short experiences, so you'll probably have a craving for some more after the first. Thus, combining them and playing them back to back is a perfect length and will allow your skills progressing to be challenged when you reach the second title.
Review
Played on: DuckStation (PS1 Emulator)
Released: 1999
This is the most unknown release of the series. It’s the third game, confusingly without Jumping Flash in the title. It’s only released in Japan, and although it’s quite text based, I could enjoy the actual levels and gameplay without the hassle of a language barrier. The story, on the other hand, went amiss as a result.
Released: 1999
This is the most unknown release of the series. It’s the third game, confusingly without Jumping Flash in the title. It’s only released in Japan, and although it’s quite text based, I could enjoy the actual levels and gameplay without the hassle of a language barrier. The story, on the other hand, went amiss as a result.
The third game is kind of underwhelming in its first level. Visually, it features more advanced textures with a less simplistic design to detail. It leans into earthly, natural, colours, rather than the bright, contrast heavy, tones of the first two releases. It's also a less ambitious title when it comes to level sizes, albeit with a thought put behind each level design. Gone are the massive open levels, and in their place are smaller, more intelligently designed levels.
Thus, the first level seems tiny and almost comically simplistic to complete. This feeling goes on for a level or two, which are reached through a charming overworld map. However, once you get past the initial few missions, Robbit Mon Dieu begins to shine. More so as a proper game concept, than the technical showcase vibe of the first two titles.
You see, each level has an objective. Be it to reach a certain place, collect objects, kill a number of enemies, release water pressure from the ground or create a mechanical waterway upwards massive towers etc. Variation is key to this third games more lasting appeal. There are mid-air, bonus levels, which focus on Robbit having to jump from floating platform to platform, within a time limit too. Challenging the player in new and more complex ways than the first two games. Emphasising the gameplay's diversity and solid controls.
The missions complexity increases too, even though they often reoccur on previous levels. It reuses them, with new missions each time. After all, the previous titles burnt through a lot of real estate with little interactivity to them, never to return. This game backtracks and makes the player familiar with each level.
There’s a new stomping move too, which allows for another way of taking down enemies or interacting with mission objectives, in addition to your laser. Powerups can only be carried one at the time this time around, forcing the player to take better care of them and only use them in crucial moments.
Overall, it begins a little underwhelming, then you realise the cleverness of finally changing up the formula and evolving it all into a proper campaign structure. Sadly never translated and released to the west though, and thus I couldn't understand the story or the information given on the main map.
Sure, it may alienate some players but I found it refreshing after two very similar releases. Although my love and curiosity still lies with the first title, as it was my first taste of the series, Robbit Mon Dieu is Jumping Flash with more depth. Crucially delivering needed variety and utilises replay value of levels cleverly.
Summary
There you have it, a quick set of reviews of all the main Jumping Flash releases. I wish the series could have continued on to the PlayStation 2, just out of curiosity of what more powerful hardware could have done with the concept.
To be clear, there's also a spin-off, PocketStation focused release, titled Pocket MuuMuu. It relies on the mini handheld console being used together with it. It's playable without the device, but I imagine it loses some it's appeal. Just like Robbit Mon Dieu, it's a Japan-only release, both sporting a similar "Sugar & Rocket" logo on the cover art:
Overall, if you have some interest in early, experimental, 3D gaming and enjoy pure platforming, then take a look at Jumping Flash 1 or 2. If it sparks an interest, I found them entertaining and pleasantly simplistic to play, then play them both and finally dig into the third one!
Glad I took the decision to give this forgotten series a much deserved chance!