Jumping Flash!

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Jumping Flash!
Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Jumping Flash!

PAL territories and 2 November 1995 in North America. It was re-released through the PlayStation Network store on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable in 2007, in 2012 on PlayStation Vita and again in 2022 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
.

Presented in a

astrophysicist antagonist character Baron Aloha. Robbit must explore each section of Crater Planet to retrieve all of the jet pods, stop Aloha and save the world from being destroyed. The game was designed as a technology demonstrator for the PlayStation console and was revealed in early 1994 under the provisional title of "Spring Man". Jumping Flash! utilizes much of the game engine used in Geograph Seal, an earlier game by Exact for the Sharp X68000
home computer.

Jumping Flash! has been described as an ancestor of, as well as an early showcase for,

Guinness World Record
as the "first platform video game in true 3D".

Gameplay

A screenshot from a video game.
A still image from the first level. The interface displays the radar, time remaining, health and inventory.

Jumping Flash! is presented in a

first-person perspective. The player assumes the role of Robbit, a robotic rabbit, and can freely move Robbit in three-dimensional space and can rotate the camera in any direction. The top part of the screen shows the remaining time, the player's score, and a character named Kumagoro—Robbit's sidekick artificial intelligence who offers the player warnings and hints.[1] The top left corner of the screen shows the collected power-ups; the top right corner contains the radar showing the locations of objects including enemies, power-ups, jet pods and enemy projectiles. The bottom shows a health meter on the sides and the number of remaining lives in the centre. The player starts the game with three lives; a new life is granted once one million points are earned.[2]

The core of the gameplay is focused on the player's ability to make Robbit jump.

rockets, Roman candles and spinners.[7][8]

Each level has a time limit of ten minutes, which ends the game if it is exceeded. Losing all lives is presented with a choice to

continue or return to the title screen.[9] Power-ups scattered across each world, presented as picture frames, include carrots that extend Robbit's health, extra lives, time-outs that stop the clock and freeze the level's dynamics for a few seconds, hourglasses that extend the player's time, and power pills that make Robbit invincible for a short period of time.[10][4] Enemies in the game vary from anthropomorphic versions of creatures to robots and plants.[11][12]

The game is composed of six worlds with three levels each,

time attack mode is available for any level the player has completed.[15]

Plot

The game begins on Crater Planet and revolves around the story of an insane

astrophysicist, Baron Aloha. Planning to make a large profit from his evil ingenuity, Aloha removes giant pieces of land from the planet using machines to turn them into private resorts. Aloha removes and hides the twelve jet pods that propel each world. Witnessing the destruction, the residents of Crater Planet call for help, and in response the Universal City Hall dispatches one of their agents, a mechanical rabbit named Robbit.[1]
Robbit is ordered to explore each world to retrieve the jet pods, stop Aloha, and save Crater Planet from destruction. At the end of the game, Aloha flees to his home, Little Muu, and vows revenge on Robbit.

Throughout the game, Aloha surrounds himself with creatures called MuuMuus that appear as small, white, five-limbed creatures with miniature palm trees on their heads. Many of the game's

full motion videos feature the MuuMuus in an izakaya
tavern, recounting their defeat at the hands of Robbit.

Development and release

Jumping Flash! was developed by Japanese developers Exact (Excellent Application Create Team) and Ultra.

Sharp X68000 home computer the previous year by Exact.[19][21][22] After seeing Geograph Seal and realising the potential in their game design, Sony's director of entertainment in Japan, Koji Tada, paired Exact with Ultra to develop a new game for the upcoming PlayStation console. Tada replaced Hiroyuki Saegusa as director of the game, although he had kept all key Exact staff to work on the project.[21]

The initial development was split into two phases. Exact developed the game engine and its gameplay; Ultra designed the story and 3D cutscenes, and created characters such as the mechanical rabbit protagonist, Robbit.[21] Ultra felt they needed to depart from the "stereotypical science fiction vibe" that included the usual "space ranger" or double agent protagonists.[21] To create a sense of individuality among platform games, the developers implemented a dynamic camera that would automatically pan down towards the shadow of Robbit on the ground during large jumps,[6] allowing players to carefully line up their landings.[16] Jumping Flash! was considered the first game of the platform genre to be developed with full 3D computer graphics.[23] The music for Jumping Flash! was composed by Japanese video games and anime music composer Takeo Miratsu. Many of the tracks, along with tracks from Jumping Flash! 2, were included on the Jumping Flash! 2 Original Soundtrack album, which Miratsu also composed.[24]

Reception and legacy

The game received generally positive reviews upon release. Critics mainly praised its unique innovation, advanced graphics, gameplay and clean textures.[8][11][27] The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it their "Game of the Month" award, citing the outstanding graphics and particularly the innovative 3D gameplay. They described the style as "cutesy" but not off-putting.[27] "Major Mike" of GamePro said that despite the game appearing "strange", it had action, strategy, and some humour.[30] Next Generation said that "[many] of the boundaries have been redefined in a big way", contrasting it with side-scrolling platformers with a first-person perspective and explorable 3D environments. They called it "simply superb" and gave it a "Revolutionary" five-star rating.[32] Computer and Video Games magazine called it "one of the most innovative and entertaining games seen" and "the first true 3D platformer."[37]

Maximum stated that Jumping Flash! was one of the most "imaginative, playable, enjoyable" and original titles seen on the

Greg Miller of IGN condemned the graphics as "dated", having "jagged edges" and "muddled" colours, and said every aspect of the game is "weak" and that it had not stood "the test of time".[14] In a retrospective review, Andrew Yoon of Engadget praised the gameplay and innovation, saying the "grainy" and "antiquated" graphics did no harm to the vibrant atmosphere of the game.[4]

Speaking in 2007, Rob Fahey of Eurogamer stated that Jumping Flash! was arguably one of the most important ancestors of any 3D platform game, as well as asserting that the game would always have a part in videogaming history.[11] Albert Kim of Entertainment Weekly stated that the game provided perhaps the most euphoric sensation of video gaming at the time and described the first-person perspective as "hypnotic".[39] Maddy Thorson, the creator of the indie video game TowerFall, praised the game, saying "something about the sensation of leaping through 3D space captured my childhood imagination".[40]

1UP.com cited its first-person platforming as a precursor to Mirror's Edge, despite suggesting that the jumping remained "woefully out of place" in the platform genre.[41] In 2007, Matt Casamassina of IGN ranked Jumping Flash! as the third-most underrated video game of all time.[42] After release, co-developer Ultra renamed themselves "Muu Muu", after the creatures featured in the game.[21][43]

Sequels and spin-off

Due to its popularity, Sony produced two sequels to Jumping Flash!, including one spin-off.

SCEI in 2000.[48] Both Jumping Flash! and Jumping Flash! 2 were re-released via the PlayStation Network in 2007 and 2009, respectively.[49] A loose spin-off titled Pocket MuuMuu was released in Japan for the PocketStation in 1999 before Exact's closure.[44]

References

  1. ^ Japan Studio assisted on development.
  2. ^ Japanese: ジャンピングフラッシュ!, Hepburn: Janpingu Furasshu!
  1. ^ a b Exact 1995, p. 5.
  2. ^ Exact 1995, p. 8.
  3. ^ Mitchell, Richard (5 December 2012). "Solving the 3D platforming problem in Jumping Flash". Joystiq. AOL. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e Yoon, Andrew (10 January 2007). "Retro Review: Jumping Flash! (PS1)". Joystiq. AOL. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  5. ^
    1UP.com. UGO Networks. Archived from the original
    on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2007.
  6. ^ a b "Is It Time To Reboot Jumping Flash!?". IGN. Ziff Davies. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  7. ^ Exact 1995, p. 9.
  8. ^
    Game Revolution. 1995. Archived from the original
    on 9 July 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2007.
  9. ^ Exact 1995, p. 15.
  10. ^ Exact 1995, p. 10.
  11. ^ a b c Fahey, Rob (9 June 2007). "Jumping Flash (1995)". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 16 October 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  12. ^
    AllGame. All Media Network, LLC. Archived from the original
    on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  13. ^ a b "Jumping Flash! - PlayStation". GameSpy. IGN. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  14. ^
    Miller, Greg (12 March 2007). "Jumping Flash! Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original
    on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  15. ^ Exact 1995, p. 17.
  16. ^ a b Fahs, Travis (4 November 2008). "Jumping Flashback". IGN. Ziff Davis. p. 1. Archived from the original on 11 December 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  17. ^ "JAPANスタジオ作品一覧 1998年～1994年" [List of Japan Studio works 1998–1994] (in Japanese). Sony Interactive Entertainment. 2021. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  18. ^
    ISSN 1078-9693. Archived
    from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  19. ^ a b c "PreScreen - Jumping Flash!". Edge. No. 19. Future plc. April 1995. pp. 41–42.
  20. ^ "Jumping Flash! preview". GameFan. 3 (7). July 1995.
  21. ^ a b c d e Fahs, Travis (4 November 2008). "Jumping Flashback". IGN. Ziff Davis. p. 2. Archived from the original on 11 December 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  22. ^ Butler, Tom (20 January 2014). "The rise of the Jump". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  23. ISSN 1350-1593
    .
  24. ^ Martin, Ben. "Jumping Flash! 2 Original Game Soundtrack (Featured Review)". AltPop.com (Soundtrack Central). Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
  25. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original
    on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  26. ^ "Jumping Flash". Edge. No. 22. July 1995. pp. 62–63. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  27. ^ a b c d Baran, Andrew; LeFebvre, Mark; Desmond, Mike; Parus, Scott (November 1995). "Review Crew: Jumping Flash". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 76. Ziff Davis. p. 40.
  28. ^ Famitsu staff (1995). "クロスレビュー" [Cross Review]. Famitsu (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  29. ^ "Jumping Flash! review". GameFan. 3 (10). DieHard Gamers Club: 16, 28. October 1995.
  30. ^
    ISSN 1042-8658
    .
  31. ^ a b "Jumping Flash (review)". IGN. Ziff Davis. 25 November 1996. Archived from the original on 11 December 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2007.
  32. ^
    Imagine Media
    . August 1995. p. 68.
  33. ^ "Jumping Flash!". Games World. No. 14. July 1995. pp. 56–57. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  34. ^
    Emap International Limited
    . October 1995. p. 153.
  35. ^ "GameFan Megawards". GameFan. 4 (1). DieHard Gamers Club: 104–106. January 1996.
  36. ^ "First platform videogame in true 3D". Guinness World Records. Jim Pattison Group. Archived from the original on 11 December 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  37. ^ "3D Platformarama" (PDF). Computer and Video Games. No. 171 (published 12 January 1996). February 1996. p. 13. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  38. Imagine Media
    . September 1996. p. 39.
  39. ^ Kim, Albert (22 September 1995). "With the PlayStation, Sony Pursues Game and Fortune". Entertainment Weekly. Time. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  40. ^ Shuman, Sid (3 December 2014). "PlayStation Turns 20: Our All-Time Favorite PSone Games". PlayStation US. Archived from the original on 21 December 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  41. 1UP.com. UGO Networks. Archived from the original
    on 12 June 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  42. ^ Casamassina, Matt (30 January 2007). "Top 10 Tuesday: Underrated and Underappreciated Games". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  43. ^ "MuuMuu". GameSpy. IGN. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  44. ^ a b "Import Watch: Pocket MuuMuu". IGN. Ziff Davis. 11 January 1999. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
  45. ^ "Jumping Flash! 2 - PlayStation". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 11 December 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  46. ^ "Jumping Flash! 2 review". IGN. Ziff Davis. 25 November 1996. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  47. ^ "Jumping Flash 3: Robbit Mon Dieu". IGN. Ziff Davis. 5 November 1999. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
  48. 1UP.com. UGO Networks. Archived from the original
    on 11 October 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  49. Sony Computer Entertainment. Archived from the original
    on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014.

Bibliography

  • Exact (1995). Jumping Flash! instruction manual.
    Sony Computer Entertainment
    . pp. 5–26. SCUS-94103.

External links

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