You can’t really tell from the above screenshots, but I’d say Spark – of Spark the Electric Jester fame – is seriously ticked off, having just lost his job to… a robot of all things! This simply will not do, so off he goes on a rather thrilling rampage, seeking fast-and-furious 16-bit revenge against all things robot-y. Oh, and in case super speed is not enough (wait, what?), he’s also able to seemingly transform into other ‘jesters’, gaining access to new powers in the process. I almost feel bad for the robots.
Now, when it comes to 2D platformers, there are two kinds (more or less): those that tend to take down a notch – mostly of the puzzle and action variety – and those that… GO FAST! Spark the Electric Jester is definitely of the latter, and thank its creator for that, because we definitely need more experiences like this. Especially since SEGA seems to have forgotten how to make a good Sonic game – 2D or otherwise. So sad.
That said, come to think of it, Spark the Electric Jester actually does look like quite the solid Sonic title, different protagonist aside, what with its fast-paced, colourful, two-dimensional landscapes, branching routes, oversized boss battles, power-ups, and… the list just goes on. Also, that snowboarding bit in the trailer (below). Wow. Not sure why, but darn if I don’t love it. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we definitely need more games like this; blazing platformers that don’t take themselves too seriously.
…gotta go fast!
Spark the Electric Jester is available from Steam, carrying a $14.99 price tag.