Jetpack

The Good
Wow...talk about nostalgia!

"Jetpack" was one of my favorite old games years ago. I, mean, sure, everything fit on one screen, there was PC speaker sounds, and the graphics were tiny pixels, but this really all added to the games simple charm. Somehow, the game had a really fun and simple feel with some variety, such as the many humorous way your weird little character died and all the power-ups appearing out of nowhere. It really stands out from other games. I remember that I used to find the official levels FAR too hard...

But I'm almost leaving out one of the best parts of the game! Jetpack's level editor was very cool and fun, simple enough that an idiot could figure it out in minutes. I SO remember spending HOURS making my own levels for this game!...

The Bad
After awhile, Jetpack's simpleness DOES get a little tiring. The only really annoying thing though is that even with your brick-burning phaser, you can't even really kill any of those robots or their fellow monsters...just stun them with one of the power-ups.

The Bottom Line
One of the better DOS games...really fun and easy to pick up on! Not to mention, you can download it FREE from Adept Software.com!

The Good
Great puzzle/action gameplay inspired by Lode Runner and Jumpman with other elements included that add originality to the game. Very easy to learn, while also providing a challenge. There are 100 levels in the standard game that increase in difficulty as you progress, and ensure a long and enjoyable experience. If a bit dated today, the graphics are still colorful and charming, and create that retro feel when you play the game. And best of all, this game comes with one of the best level editors to be featured in a game, which spawned a massive level designing community and cult following for Jetpack, making buying it worthwhile at the time, and adding infinite replayability. User made levels can still be found online today, though some of the fan sites are dead now.

The Bad
No music, although that would have been too expensive for the game's budget. A lot of the levels are ridiculously hard and require several tries to master. The game overall hasn't aged as well in popularity as bigger cult classics like Lode Runner, and the sequel has been vaporware since the 90's. (though it's being made now)

The Bottom Line
Jetpack is one of my favorite DOS games of all time, with its inspired gameplay, excellent design, and powerful level editor. If you can get over the aged graphics, somewhat laughable sound effects, and the ridiculous difficulty in some of the levels, Jetpack is a must grab for any puzzle/platformer fan, especially since it's freeware now. There are still tons of good custom levels that can be found online, so even after you beat the game there's plenty more to do, and you can make your own levels quite easily. I highly recommend it, and can hardly wait for Jetpack 2.