~ MamakTalk ~: Sponsored Game Review: JumPo

JumPo is an endless runner type of game from the creators of ZiBo, and in this title you need to jump over spikes in order to keep going and improve your score. It sounds easy, but there are different heights of spikes to jump over and they often appear in packs of two or more. There are powerups on offer here just as they were in ZiBo, with the yellow crystal granting you invincibility, the green crystal helping you jump higher and the blue crystal giving you the power to jump twice. Not all of these powerups will save you, but collecting these crystals also gives you the option to level up your abilities. A fun, 3D arcade game with Google Play Games integration to compete against friends.

Just like ZiBo, which we reviewed a little while ago, you can download JumPo from the Play Store and get started.

Playing JumPo is pretty simple, you just tap to jump. However, timing is crucial here, and you’ll need to choose the best time to jump to dodge the spikes and keep the ball in a good position for the next go around.

You’ll noticed a picked up a powerup there, the green crystal gives you the power to jump higher than usual. The further you get into the game, the easier it gets, but beware powerups like the double-jump blue crystal as more often than not you’ll end up landing on a spike.

Above you can see just that has happened to me, I’ve landed on a spike because I got too confident about my double-jump skills. I did manage to crack my high score of 56 though:

Those crystals we mentioned earlier can be used to level up your abilities permanently, something I thought helped the game to feel fresh for a lot longer.

A nice focus for an arcade style game like this is to use the Google Play Games integration to compete with others online, and it looks like I’m doing pretty well right about now.

JumPo does of course feature ads, as it’s a free game to download and play. Unlike other games though, you can easily remove ads with a small payment if you wish.

I enjoy these sort of endless runner games on Android as they remind me of the sort of games you’d play in the arcade, where it’s all about gameplay, and cracking that high score. I’d have liked the green powerup to have been thought about a little more though, as it can often be more of a hinderance than a help. Jumping twice sounds great, but that second jump also adds distance as well as height, sending you further down the line to land on a spike you might have otherwise dodged. Of course, this is just one more thing that adds some depth to the game, and the ability to level up abilities is nice, as many other endless runner games simply refuse to reward players for putting their hours into the game.

Ratings

Speed (4/5) – JumPo runs just fine, and there’s no signs of lag or anything here.
Theme (4/5) – The 3D graphics here aren’t stunning or anything, but they’ll remind you a lot of the arcade games of old, which is nice to see.
Features (4/5) – JumPo is hardly a revolution in the mobile games space, but fans of old arcade classics and challenging endless runner games will find a lot to love here.
Overall (4/5) – A solid, challenging arcade game that’s accessible to all players, JumPo is worth taking a look at if you’re more interested in arcade style games than those that pretend to be a PlayStation title.

Pros

Powerups add variety to the game and keep players on their toes.
Fairly easy to get a decent score right from the get go, which makes JumPo an accessible game for all skill levels.
Ability to level up skills rewards players that spend a lot of time in the game.
Classic arcade action that can be played anywhere with little need to learn any controls.

Cons

Some endless runner fans might find this a little too easy.
Double-jump powerup feels more like a hinderance than a help.

All-in-all, JumPo is good fun, it’s certainly nothing revolutionary, but you know what? That’s okay. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel with each mobile game that comes out, and JumPo is great arcade fun, so there’s little to complain about overall. Those looking for another endless runner game that has some good arcade chops will find a lot to like about this, and I’m sure a lot of players will enjoy the ability to level up and compete against others on Google Play Games.