JumpJet Rex is a retro-styled 2-D game featuring a T-Rex in jet boots.  What’s not to like about that?  Check out this review of the game, downloadable on PC, from my good friend Robbie Allen.

What do you get when you mix a dinosaur and jet boots? Probably my greatest childhood dream.  Seriously, jet boots and dinosaurs, there’s nothing in that statement I don’t like. So with a concept my inner child is already adoring, I can safely say JumpJet Rex had my attention from the start.

In JumpJet Rex you play as Rex, a cartoony Tyrannosaurus Rex fitted with jet boots, who must literally jump through hoops to prevent a meteorite from hitting Earth. Each level in the game is set up with a variety of traps, hoops, coins, and other obstacles to get through. Rex has the ability to jump infinitely in the air (I kinda wanted to call this Double Jump: The Video Game, but you can jump way more than twice), or use his jet boots to shoot himself forward or straight up. He can also do a butt drop of sorts, but this move feels a little off. While the other moves are rather fast, the butt drop surprisingly goes real slow and doesn’t feel like there’s any weight to it, unlike most games where a similar move would send your character soaring downward. It also feels weird when considering how fast you jump or rocket it off with the other moves. Otherwise the controls are very responsive and work quite well in the game.

There aren’t many enemies in the levels and you’ll find yourself dodging hazards more than anything else. This may sound boring, but JumpJet Rex does an amazing job of keeping things hectic and fun so that you never feel bored. The game also has many secrets hidden in the levels that also add to the fun. These even include bonus levels giving you chances to earn even more coins and money to use to buy alternate costumes in the store. You also get stars at the end of the level for completing it, beating a set time, and completing without dying, so this definitely encourages replaying the levels.

JumpJet Rex also has great colorful retro inspired graphics and fun chiptune-like music. It has the feel of either an Amiga game or an old PC shareware game from the Commander Keen days. It’s great to look at and equally fun to listen to. I’ve also noticed there’s lots of debris on the ground like trash and soda cans that litter the floors of the level and can be pushed around by your dino. It doesn’t seem to serve any purpose, but it does add to graphical feel of the game, as if it’s trash your own character has left in the location.

Overall, JumpJet Rex is a fun game I highly recommend you give a try. It’s a simple, fun design that is challenging without being too difficult or frustrating. I definitely say check it out.

Kid Factor:

It’s got a T-Rex on jet boots; do I really need to say more?  But in all seriousness, the game is great for kids.  There’s little violence and your T-Rex always dies in silly cartoonish ways like being reduced to cinder.  The game doesn’t have much dialog outside the story segments and they don’t directly affect the game, so reading skills aren’t required.  There’s a chance that some later levels might be a little frustrating for really young kids, but chances are they’ll find enough enjoyment in the colorful cartoony graphics that this won’t be a problem.  –Robbie Allen

Tags: Reader Reviews!