Lost in translation. Mighty Bomb Jack never had a chance!
Mighty Bomb Jack basically is a giant side-scrolling puzzle game under the guise of an adventure game. It's probably the hardest game ever made but it's not impossible. The main complaint back then and now is the unresponsive, unpredictable jumping. The other major complaint is that Mighty Bomb Jack isn't so mighty. He lacks powers.
I think people expect too much when judging this title. It's not Super Mario 3 but it's worth a look if you want something really challenging yet simple at the same time. I look at Mighty Bomb Jack as one of those games that drives you crazy as you keep dying early on, only to make you want to try again and again. If you lack patience or an attention span, avoid this title.
A few reviewers have said this game is weak because it punishes you for being too good. Well, if you're that good at the game, you probably need the extra challenge. The whole torture room mechanic is entertaining. The game pretty much never lets you take a break so I recommend pausing and taking some breathers to avoid going mad.
If you compare this game to the other platformers of the time, it's really not much different than Kid Icarus or Mario Bros. Your wits and fast reflexes are your greatest weapons. I have played this game on the NES and on emulators too. The Wii version seems to be plagued with the biggest control issues but, even there, there is actually a trick to the jumping.
You see, if you push the jump button too hard or for too long, you float. This allows monsters to gobble you up. Baddies spawn constantly, forcing you to move about quickly. Once you master jumping and learn to use your coins often, you'll find that the game is enjoyable. It's just a bit of learning curve to learn to deal with that.
In any case, I know I searched for a long time to get my hands on this game I'm glad the Wii made it available but it's a bit late since I already got my fix. This game plays surprisingly well on ZNES using a Saitek gamepad. It's actually more responsive than the original game... WT?? o_O