Are you a prolific precision platforming enthusiast who regularly goes on epic journeys to find a fair maiden? Perhaps it's time for Mario to put his feet up and give someone else a go. Perhaps with that in mind, UKIYO Publishing is bringing Swedish developer Nexile's 'Tactical Leaping Adventure' Jump King to consoles including Switch this year.
As you can see from the trailer above, the King himself looks like he would fit in perfectly with the Shovel Knight clan, although he's a good deal less agile. This tongue-in-cheek, tough-as-nails game sees Jump King determined to scale every obstacle he encounters for a chance to reach the "Smoking Hot Babe" at the top.
Unfortunately, this monarch doesn't enjoy any of the mid-air manoeuvring that comes naturally to Mario and co. - once pressed, the amount of time you hold down the jump button determines your distance and there's no going back. Not enough pressage (that's a word) and you'll fall short of your target; too much and you'll overshoot.
Should you fail to master the simple technique of jumping (and it seems you will, many many times), down, down, down you go. This deviously simple challenge comes with a retro pixel art wrapping and writing that pleasingly doesn't take itself too seriously. Here's a selection of the game's key features as noted on Jump King's website:
- The only way forward is up, and your only enemy is yourself!
- Simple but iconic jump-mechanic, charge each jump just right!
- Once you leap away there is no retreat.
- Tactical platformer; the obvious path is sometimes not the best…
- Mysterious world with characters that you will learn to love and hate.
- The higher you jump, the harder you fall!
- All your progress (and each setback) is saved automatically!
- That jump which you so easily cleared a moment ago has somehow turned into the hardest jump in the game – what are you going to do? Cry about it?
- You only have yourself to blame! He he he…
- Classic graphics – painstakingly hand drawn backgrounds.
The game launched on PC last May and currently enjoys a Very Positive rating on Steam. There's no date or price attached to the Switch version just yet, but we imagine it can't be far off.
Are you down to leap your way to glory in Jump King? Have you played this on PC? Let us know how excited you are to fall to your doom over and over again by plummeting to the comments below.
Comments 8
I'm surprised anyone can jump with that costume - it must weigh at least 40 pounds so no doubt would weaken your legs?
This game always just seemed like a "game for streamers to overreact and play to keep their followers entertained." Has anyone played this and enjoyed playing it? It looks like it would be more frustrating than fun
in the dictionary under “meh”
I hated this on PC. Felt like a lot of trial and error since you're really comited to a jump. Looks fantastic, so I was confused into buying it thinking it would be good.
@BillyB Or the armor actually strengthened his legs.
I saw ‘Tactical’ in the title and was interested .... then saw the trailer. False advertising for oddball pixel platformer.
The jump mechanic reminds me of the wii u splatoon minigame. The difference is that this king can walk
Looks like "shovel" ware, hah!
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