Personal Computer Games


Jet Power Jack

Author: SC
Publisher: Micro Power
Machine: BBC Model B

 
Published in Personal Computer Games #7

Jet Power Jack

There are five screens to Jet Power Jack, and he is faced with the same task in each one. Using his jet-pack to thrust him into the air he must cross the screen to collect fuel pods, and then return to where his flying saucer is waiting for a top-up.

Jack starts off in the top left-hand corner, and in the first screen he has to hop from platform to platform. Spikes protrude from the ceiling in some places, and evil aliens hang like bats above his head.

The real challenge in Jet Power Jack is mid-air control. Moving left and right is no problem, but maintaining the correct altitude using the thrust key is very difficult.

Jet Power Jack

This makes the second screen, where there are large amounts of open space to be crossed, very challenging. In the third screen, aliens glower at you from cages that are fatal to touch and in the fourth screen spiders hanging from the ceiling block your path.

Throughout each stage, various nasties continue to bob up and down at various parts of the screen, and their flight-paths become steadily less predictable as the game progresses.

The final screen features a huge alien squatting at the bottom of the screen, and more open space to be carefully negotiated.

Until now, BBC owners have been left out of the fun given by Ultimate-style games. While this one is no Lunar Jetman, it could help to fill a gap in the market.

Apart from an annoying screen blackout after you lose one of your three lives, Jet Power Jack is well-presented with reasonable graphics. The sound is loud but can be turned off and there is a pause control so you can answer the phone. Don't expect a high score without a lot of practice.

SC

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