Leaving the Ping Pong paddles on Imagine’s virtual table and walking off towards the next game in the Your Sinclair Top 100, we arrive at number 52 which is Jumping Jack. On first glance you’ll probably balk at it on graphics alone – for this is an amazingly basic looking game – but after a few plays you’ll be so gripped by Jumping Jack you’ll be forgetting to eat!
Jumping Jack was released in 1983 by Imagine Software and was created by father and son team of Albert Ball and Stuart C. Ball. Like all extremely addictive games, Jumping Jack, or Leggit! as it was known on other systems, was extremely simple on paper. You’re Jack and you need to make your way to the top of the screen by jumping through the random holes that appear in the sliding platforms above you; it is (technically) that easy. There is another part of the game where you slowly unravel a limerick as you progress however you do need to reach the top of the screen first. Also once you’ve completed one screen, bizarre enemies are added to make your gaming life that much harder.
With Flappy Bird or Crossy Road fulfilling today’s mobile gamers two minute attention spans, Jumping Jack was the 1980’s home computing equivalent. Replaying the game today, you’re instantly pulled back into this highly addictive game that fills you with so much rage when you see yourself plummeting from the penultimate platform as a gap spawns near your feet. Yet you get back up and go again…and again…and again. Yes you can deride the graphics of Jumping Jack but remember a) this was from 1983 and b) both Crossy Road and Flappy Bird next to say The Division and Journey look unbelievably basic.
If you need to lose some valuable hours of your life today I recommend loading up Jumping Jack and playing it.
Originally published July 7, 2016. Updated October 25, 2022.
