Jumpman

Jumpman

Game No.	295
Voting	7.03 points, 35 votes
Developer	Randy Glover
Company	Epyx
Musician	Randy Glover
HVSC-File	GAMES/ G-L/ Jumpman.sid
Release	1983
Platform	C64, C64DTV, Apple 2, Atari XL/XE, PC
Genre	Arcade, Platformer (Single Screen)
Gamemode	Single player up to 4 players (in turns)
Operation
Media
Language
Information	Follower: Jumpman Junior

Description[edit | edit source]

Alien creatures have broken into the Jupiter headquarters and sabotaged all systems and hid bombs in different corners and angles, which can destroy the headquarters and the two adjoining buildings any moment. It all depends on you. As secret agent Jupiter Jumpman you have the speed and experience to cross the aliens' plans and thus defend the headquarters.
In this comprehensive platform game, the bombs have to be collected in 30 levels. At the same time some creatures as bats, birds or aliens, but also robots and missiles disturb you. Also, collecting the bombs is a bit tricky. Either traps are triggered, i.e. ropes, ladders or platform parts disappear or fall down, or in some levels they only appear by this. The name of the level kind of contains directly what will happen! Seen as that, everything that moves should be avoided.
Usually this platform game is played by jumping, but in some few levels alien creatures need to be shot. Jumpman was rather successful in 1983, so that there was a follower game Jumpman Junior in 1984.

Design[edit | edit source]

The levels are designed rather simply, i.e. most participants are unicoloured but the level altogether is multicoloured. Creatures, especially Jumpman, are animated. Simple souund effects as the jumping and running of Jumpman, movement of creatures, the missiles or bombs accompany the game. A short tune is played when you lose a life, at the end of a level and at the end of the game.

Hints[edit | edit source]

There are 5 game variants:

1. Beginner (level 1-8)
2. Advance (level 9-18)
3. Professional (level 19-30)
4. All levels
5. Random level (1st random level is always "Robots 2")

After completing the game variants 1-3 the Jupiter headquarter appears.

Jumpman's speed is preset for each level and can be seen next to SPEED. But it can be changed by pressing the keys <1> to <8> before the Jumpan appears in the level: 1 is the fastest and 8 the slowest speed.

You start with 7 lives, every 10.000 points you get an extra life.

Each collected bomb gets you 100 points, except for the level "Grand Puzzle" (here: 500 points per bomb). Shooting creatures also gets you points (not in all levels possible!).

In the game there are 2 types of ropes which Jumpman automatically climbs up or down. You can also jump from or onto the ropes!

Green ropes: He only climbs upwards.
Blue ropes: He only climbs downwards.

Caution: Jumpman's speed also effects the speed of the creatures.

Controls

/ : climb up/down ladders
/ : walk left/right
/ : jump left/right
: jump up

Solution[edit | edit source]

The solution for some levels can be viewed in the video section or in the video at the C64 game video archive (see links).

Cheats[edit | edit source]

The version by "Remember" has different cheat modes (unlimited lives, sprite collision off, jump level).

Voting[edit | edit source]

Voting of the C64-Wiki users (10=the best vote):
7.03 points at 35 votes (rank 435). You need to be logged in to cast a vote.
C64Games	8	13th January 2008 - "super" - 7177 downs
Lemon64	8,3	13th January 2008 - 79 votes
Kultboy.com	7,67	28th July 2008 - 9 votes
Gamebase64	10	"Classic!"

Reviews[edit | edit source]

Jodigi: "A nice game. One might think that entering and leaving the ladders is a bit problematic. But maybe this is intended so."

Worf: "A really bad game! Only the great number of levels can be mentioned positively. A real B-game."

TheRyk: "Okay, an early game. But compared to Lode Runner which is from 1983 as well, Jumpman is really poor. Being stuck in ladders again and again is really annoying. Apart from mere nostalgic reasons, nobody needs that. 3 out of 10 points."

Robotron2084: "Jumpman does not look exhilarating, but plays really great. For me the game has the same cult status as e.g. Space Taxi, Boulder Dash or H.E.R.O.. Not that I would give those games 10 points, but for me these are all essential cornerstones of the (C64) computer game history. Everything else is blasphemy. 7 out of 10 points."

Camailleon: "It would be a nice platformer if it wasn't for the unfair situations as e.g. that the enemies are not set back after losing a life, so that it often happens that after reappearing you lose another screen life. Another mistake is that enemies can appear from the side where you currently have to walk along the border. Then you have no chance to avoid the enemy."

NSH: "I love this game, one of my favorites. To me the problems are just part of what makes it challenging- avoid getting stuck on ladders, avoid edges of the screen when not all enemy bullets are visible, and have a chuckle when you die at an inopportune moment such that you reappear on an enemy. Surviving the Grand Loop is a great and satisfying achievement. 9 out of 10 points."