Jack or 100
Ways to Barbecue by iNDUSTRY Entertainment,
Price $14.95
Reviewed January, 2004
Playing platform games on the Zodiac will
make you realize why Tapwave made this device for PDA gaming.
It's the perfect device for moving your character around
the screen, jumping and fighting. A perfect game to go with
this perfect device is the newest title from iNDUSTRY Entertainment,
Jack or 100 Ways to Barbecue! In a maze that consists of
hundreds of little rooms, Jack works his way through a LodeRunner
like environment, climbing ladders, jumping over fire and
collecting keys and treasures. A cute character combined
with a dungeon maze that has a comic touch gives gamers a
good run for their money.
Though Jack has his own detailed story
on iNDUSTRY's web site, veteran gamers will recognize and
feel right at home with the maze even without that story.
It looks like a LodeRunner maze with ladders connecting the
platforms and treasures scattered around the platforms. The
difference in Jack is that these rooms seem all connected
with ladders and doors. Your character, Jack, can freely
go anywhere he wishes as long as there is a ladder leading
him there, or he has a key to the door. Jack is also a very
agile. He can jump over fire or water, jump past monsters,
climb ropes and poles, and more. You do need be careful not
let him fall too far, or he will plummet to his death. The
game play also includes shooting the monsters with the weapons
you find while exploring the maze.
The adorable Jack character along with
the dungeon design makes this game easy to pick up and play.
The maze layout keeps the exploration interesting. Having
treasure objects such as Palm PDAs, floppy disks along with
apples and melons give the dungeon crawl comic relief.
Walking in the dark rooms with a torch
lighting your way is a unique experience. Most Palm gamers
should find a display mode that fits their screen. On the
Zodiac, you can display it in high res and high res plus
modes, with a single button switch (the function button on
the left side of the Zodiac). The graphics look sharp in
both display modes.
The techno style music tracks in
Jack fit the game well with a mysterious mood that hints
that something surprising will happen around the corner.
You can turn it on or off by tapping on the menu button
on the silk screen. Jack runs on any Palm OS devices that
has 3.5 version or newer. The game plays flawlessly on
the Zodiac.
Playing Hints and
Tips
Collecting Palm PDAs is very rewarding
as each of them gives you critial information about the rooms
nearby. Always stock up on keys and be selective as to which
doors you open. If you see ladders leading up or down to
rooms, use those before using your keys to open doors. In
dangerous areas, keep Jack jumping. For more details on the
items you can collect and monstors you will face, visit this
page on Jack's web site: www.indus3.org/jack/instructions.html |
