What do you get if you cross Pilotwings with Space Harrier? Possibly not Screwjumper!, but they’re vaguely similar. Truth be told, I can’t really think of any other comparisons, so it’ll have to do. Screwjumper! is all about destruction. In layman’s terms, you jump down a big hole - and smash stuff.
Being able to play a trial version of all XBLA games can sometimes be a great favour. If WonderwallWeb’s Shrek ‘N’ Roll review wasn’t enough to convince you, then you could always try it out for yourself. Exactly the same can be said about Screwjumper!, although I fear the trial may leave a bad taste, and that is a shame. I wasn’t convinced after a few minutes, it’s only after you begin to get a little better that the temptation of just getting a few more points on a level, pops up, and you genuinely think; Hey, this ain’t half bad….
First up, either the story completely passed me by or it was never properly explained. From what I could gather, the ‘Srewjumpers’ are a group of futuristic mine workers who were made redundant by technological advances, in other words - replaced by machines. So instead of trying to maintain the mines, they’re now out to destroy them. I assumed the mines are now being used for evil deeds and like to imagine they’re similar to the sweat factories Disney and Manchester United use to make their merchandise - yes this is a joke, I’m more than sure Disney and Man United pay well for their shoddy gear to be produced……(arf!)
Anyhow, you pick one of the available Screwjumpers, all of them are armed with a limited supply of grenades/dynamite and that’s you ready to jump. You start off by (funnily enough) jumping into the mine. At first controlling your screw jumper is a little tricky. The bumper buttons are used to turn and to brake(?)…..The right trigger throws your grenades and the left trigger speeds you up. You only have a limited supply of boost, and trying to use it all in one go will see you burning up and dying. Some platforms can be smashed by simply falling through them, others need you to boost through them. The grenades can blow up anything. Boost through certain pieces to create knock-on effect damage, taking out lots more pieces and bumping your score up. Continuingly boost through platforms to create a multiplier, but remember to ease up or, as I alluded to earlier - you’ll be toast. There are several routes down some of the mines, with each path offering a different arrangement of destructibles. You’ll eventually reach the bottom of the mine and depending on how much you’ve smashed, you’ll either be detected by security and promptly gassed, or you’ll have done enough damage to bring the mine down. If you did indeed achieve the latter, you’ve now gotta get out of the mine. This is simply a case of boosting back from where you’ve just came, before the mine collapses on you. Confusingly, you can boost all you want on the way up. It’s a simple concept that offers a real challenge. The first few levels come across as really tough - until you advance further. Go back and try the first few levels again and you’ll wonder why you ever had any trouble.
Graphically it does the job. There’s nothing that will blow your socks off, but the explosions and boost effects are all decent. I didn’t encounter any slowdown either. Sound is another matter….if you weren’t into the 90’s rave scene, then the music’s going ‘off’ very quick. It’s a soundtrack ripped straight from Psone racer Wipeout.
Aside form the normal mode, once you’ve cleared the first level you’ll unlock ‘Bonus mode’. Bonus mode includes; Race, Time Trials and Endurance. Time Trial explains itself, in endurance mode you’ve just got to fall for as long as possible, and race is a chance to erm…race other screw jumpers to the bottom of the mine - with the winner getting an exclusive screw fix pull over - possibly. There’s a host of Xbox LIVE modes, with head to head – the winner is the one who smashes the most stuff sounding the most exciting. I say sounding, because I didn’t get a chance to play online. Not once has there been any available games to join and not once did anyone join any of the games I hosted.
The fact that I couldn’t find anyone online to play with, may explain why I was able to get to 14th in the world on the level 6 leader board. DANG! I was happier than a dog in Heather Mills’ spare leg cupboard, until I realised the leader board only went up to 200th.
Screwjumper! is a high score game, and is very good for high score whores who’ll play for hours just to beat their previous best. It’s a shame most won’t look past the trial, because in time Screwjumper! can be a lot of fun. Thumbs up from me.
