I never imagined that I would be reviewing a game where I navigated levels using a cartoon-looking dinosaur equipped with rocket boots, yet here I am. In JumpJet Rex, you take control of a Tyrannosaurus rex who must save Earth from an incoming asteroid. If that sounds like a strange premise, that’s because it is, but I am increasingly appreciative of how indie developers try to make games that you wouldn’t normally see from larger studios. Developer Tree Fortress created an unusual but fun title that many people can enjoy.
JumpJet Rex is a great game for anyone to pick up as it doesn’t take a lot of skill to master the controls. The left thumbstick controls what direction the T-rex moves and the A button activates his rocket boots. If you want to pull off more ‘elaborate’ tricks than just jumping, the X and Y buttons propel him with a short burst of motion either left, right, or up. Nothing about it is complex, to say the least. That is actually my first complaint. Although I appreciate the simplicity of the controls, it can get tiring that essentially all movement in the game is attained by mashing A continuously. The other buttons help with speed if you want to finish a level faster, but really, you can get by just by using two buttons on your controller.
The only time where I found myself using any kind of attack, a tail spin that can be used by pressing a bumper, was when I was facing a boss. There are enemies throughout each level that float in place or chase you, but I always either quickly dashed through them or just completely went around them altogether. The boss fights are also incredibly easy. Whenever I died, I would respawn only to see that the health of the boss did not regenerate. I could die as many times as I wanted and there were no repercussions other than the amount of time it took me to beat it. I can see how this would be beneficial to some people if they just wanted a casual game to play, but I felt as though there should have been at least a little bit more of a challenge.
The aspect of the game that stood out the most is how each level was designed. Ranging from only one small area to full levels that require navigation, they are as unique as they can be. I say it like that because the layout of every level is formed using blocks. Sometimes they’re metallic and give a level an almost retro-futuristic look, or they can be blocks of dirt and rock. Generally, you’re always looking at the same ‘building blocks’ in every level, except at times they will have a different skin. Still, I actually enjoyed how the developer created each level with a limited amount of assets. For something that could have potentially made the levels dull, Tree Fortress used it to their advantage. They created levels that had their own look and feel to them without sacrificing the retro atmosphere of the game. Everything felt like it belonged.
As far as graphics and music go, JumpJet Rex doesn’t really stand out, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It seems to have found a place quite comfortably in the category of ‘modern old school games.’ It recreates a nice aesthetic using 16-bit graphics and chiptune music that older gamers would be more familiar with. I only wish that the music had more variety since none of it ever stood out to me. There are dozens of tracks, but many sounded similar. The good news is that the music was likable enough to the point where it wasn’t a huge deal if a lot of it blended together. I never really got tired of it even if I wanted something that stuck with me more.
I’ve said this before that I’m the type of person who prefers games that focus on characters and story, but JumpJet Rex just isn’t that kind of game by nature, and it works for it. It tends to center around the gameplay. You are still motivated to complete the game so you can save earth from an asteroid, but you’re compelled to because you know that’s what the game wants you to do, not because you genuinely care about the narrative. Even though the story doesn’t have much to it, the gameplay carries the game forward. Each section must be unlocked by earning a certain amount of stars (gained by completing a level under a certain time) or by defeating a boss. Because the game never tries to be anything more than a simple side-scrolling platformer, it isn’t bogged down by an unsuccessful attempt at a story. Too many games try to do too much and end up having an identity crisis, but JumpJet Rex knows what it is.
Summary
It has its flaws, and can easily be finished in a couple of hours, but JumpJet Rex still offers a lot of fun. It can appeal to gamers both young and old, and it even has a co-op mode so you can play with your friends. The controls are simple enough that no one should have trouble playing it, and for $10, it’s a good title for people to grab if they’re looking for a quick and pleasant game to beat.
Jennifer is a games journalist, former games journalist and PR Manager at Gearbox. They contributed 234 articles to ICXM between 2015–2017, focused on opinion pieces, game reviews, Windows and PC, and Xbox news: went on to write for Windows Central and later managed PR for Gearbox Software.