Jumping Flash 2's light hearted theme and colorful presentation may be able to charm most who play it, but ...
Jumping Flash 2 at first glance may just look like your standard first person shoot, only really cute. However, only the perspective of Jumping Flash 2 is akin to other FPS. The gameplay itself is quite different. Jumping Flash 2 is not actually an FPS, it would be better to describe it as a first person platformer. While you most certainly can shoot enemies and get new weapons, neither of these features work on the same level as in games like Doom or Quake. Robbit is equipped with dual laser cannons and the weapons you pick up in the game are one time use power ups, rather than a permanent addition to your arsenal. You won’t pick up weapons like a chain gun or rocket launcher, but rather things like cherry bombs or roman candles, all of the weapon power ups are fireworks themed. But, perhaps, Robbits greatest weapon is his ability to jump. Robbit can do up to a triple jump, so besides your initial jump off of the ground you can do two more mid-air jumps. If you time these jumps right, they can send you sailing up very high. Should you land on an enemy more than likely you will kill them without needing to shoot them at all. If you happen to be really good at the jumping in Jumping Flash 2 you could possibly finish the game without firing a single shot.
Besides being a great weapon, jumping will also serve as your main mode of transportation in Jumping Flash 2. Robbit can run and move around a level on foot, but, you will not be able to finish a level without jumping. The levels are usually set up with a large main area and then a lot of smaller areas and platforms floating around that you must get to. More often than not these platforms are suspended high in mid air and you must reach them without fall into the great beyond that is below you. The reason for all of this jumping is to gather Muumuus. Muumuus are small white creatures that resemble an octopus; each level has four that you must gather before the exit opens up for you.
Most of the time you won’t have too much difficulty finding the Muumuus around the level, or fighting the creatures that block your path to reaching one. Jumping Flash 2 features 12 worlds for you to play through. However, usually you will breeze through the two levels prior to the boss battle, fight a slightly more difficult boss, and finally move on to the next world. This makes Jumping Flash 2 a good choice for the younger, less experienced audience; a seasoned game player will not find too much challenge here. Besides a lack of difficulty, Jumping Flash 2 has no multi-player. The only options of play available are the main story mode or a time attack mode.
However, the difficulty or modes of play really are not the main draws for Jumping Flash 2. The graphics and fun level designs, on the other hand are. Jumping Flash 2 has a very light hearted and colorful look to it. The cut scenes have these cute, super deformed characters in them that act very silly. Most of the enemies you’ll find in the levels are cute animals. You won’t see too many of the enemies designs reused in Jumping Flash 2, you’ll run across enemies like a frog wearing a hard hat, a green kiwi bird that hops around on the ground, flowers that spit seeds at you, and humming birds that have maraca shaped bodies who try to fly over you to block your jumping path. The bosses have as varied of a look to them as the regular enemies. You will encounter bosses like a flying robotic shark, a pair of twin clowns rolling around on circle balls, and a giant spider that can crawl around on the ground or the ceiling.
The level design has as much variety as the enemy design. Almost all of the worlds in Jumping Flash 2 are very colorful and fun to look at. None of the 12 worlds featured in the game have the same theme to them. The first world for instance has a tropical resort theme to it. As you jump around between the floating islands you will run across hotels on some, beaches with a life guard towers on them, floating sail boats, and an inactive volcano that has been turned into a swimming pool. All the while it is very sunny and clouds are breezing by. You’ll encounter another world that has a feudal Japan feel with pagodas, fans, and bonsai trees to jump on. You’ll encounter other levels that have a carnival/circus theme, and another that feels like a giant’s household appliances floating in space. Overall the graphics and their presentation is very nice and well put together. Besides looking nice, the levels are fun to explore and try to find all of the platforms that may be hiding in the distance. Also there is no graphical slow down while playing and the loading is very prompt.
The sound in Jumping Flash 2 is pretty good for the most part. The music chosen for each level feels very appropriate and also has that light hearted, fun feel to it. The voice acting in Jumping Flash 2 is also pretty good, the over the top voices and silly accents that some of the characters have, definitely fits their design. The only real problem with the sound in Jumping Flash 2 is the sound effects. Most of them just feel a bit weak or flat. Some of the noises the enemies make are barely noticeable, and when you use a weapon that causes an explosion such as a cherry bomb; the explosion itself is large but the sound of it feels under whelming.
Jumping Flash 2 boils down to a fun; albeit easy game, with plenty of personality and enough charm for almost anyone to enjoy. Its lower level of difficulty makes it a great choice for younger players, but it may be too easy for those who have been gaming for a while now and should only expect the game to last them a weekend at most.