Jump Jump Jump Like Kangaroo!

November 23, 2011

Ever wondered what it’d be like to be a kangaroo? Hopping around the outback, nibbling on shrubs and grasses, storing things in your pouch, boxing fellow kangaroos in a mildly comedic manner? We’re sure you have, because so have we. Kangaroo Jump aims to simulate at least one of those dreams (hint: it’s the jumping bit) with a stylish arcade hopper that challenges you to climb to the top of a tall ravine to escape the erupting volcano. Don’t miss a jump!

All you’re tasked to do in Kangaroo Jump is jump. Move the mouse to choose the distance and force of your jump’s arc. Farther away means a stronger leap, while closer results in a quick hop. Aim for the platforms above your head, and watch out for big dollops of lava. They’ll send you back down with a single touch!

Checkpoints can be found throughout your climb, and you should always, always, always activate them. If you die, you restart at the last one you hit, so if you miss a checkpoint, you’ll have to re-do a lot of climbing. You can also find little silvery orbs that give you a handful of measurable jumps, adding a dotted line to show you exactly where your leap will take you once you press the mouse button. Very handy!

Apart from a few hazards and the ever-present danger of falling, Kangaroo Jump is basically a straight-up hopping adventure. Make it as high as you can, and keep going when you don’t think you can go any further. A meter on the top right side of the screen tracks how high you’ve gone, and it takes a lot of jumping to make it move.

If Kangaroo Jump has any serious drawbacks, it’s the lack of any sort of break in the action. It’s just one long climb, never pausing to show you how far you’ve gone or to provide a segue to the next set of jumps. Inserting a pause is a key element to successful entertainment, just ask any filmmaker or writer, and without that stop/start, the player never really absorbs the situation and just continues onward mindlessly.

It may stumble a bit when you analyze its deeper elements, but otherwise, Kangaroo Jump is a lot of fun. Simple action that almost never ends, and gameplay even children can learn to enjoy!