Panda Jack: Black, White and Platforming All Over

Price: Free
Rating:
Panda Jack - 2D Platform Game
Android App Review by AndroidAppsReview.com

Reviewed by Luke Patrick

One of our favorite platforming genres ever was the classic platformer—you know the sort. You start at one end of the level, and then jump, slide, twist and shimmy your way to the other. Along the way, you’ll collect points, gain levels, and even beat up the occasional boss.

This is the kind of action that Panda Jack, from Cortion, Lda, attempts to recreate. It presents you with just these kinds of arrangements, and the rest is entirely up to you.

For our full review of this return to a golden era of gaming, all you need do is slide on down below the break. Starting with:

Concept and Gameplay

Panda Jack for Android

As stated, Panda Jack is intentionally designed to be a return to classic form. With this in mind, you’ll find everything you could have hoped for in a classic platforming title, only in your pocket.

You’ll play as the game’s endangered protagonist, Panda Jack. To beat the game, you’ll need to use the joystick and controls to correctly navigate each level.

This means snagging coins, dodging obstacles, jumping over enemies, and on several occasions, blasting baddies with a fireball. It’s exactly what you’d hoped for, just with a panda at the wheel rather than a spiky hedgehog.

There’s a fair amount of variety to be had here as well, though of course we’d love even more. We’d like more levels, a wider variety in enemies, and maybe even some additional powerups. Still, for a title that’s just stepping out there, what’s inside Panda Jack’s walls is good enough for now. And hopefully, future updates will bring along the content we so desire.

Graphics and Interface

Panda Jack isn’t the best-looking title we’ve ever seen on the Android platform, but it’s certainly far from the worst. Its enemies are actually where we find the worst graphics, but aside from this, it’s a fairly polished production.

The levels are detailed enough to be good-looking, while Panda Jack’s animations are spot-on. We also enjoyed the minimalist controls. If you can use both of your thumbs at the same time, then you can play Panda Jack.

Level design could be harder as well, but we’re not put out. Just as with the game’s content, we’re assuming future updates will up the ante, creating an environment that’s more challenging.

Overall Value

And you certainly can’t beat the game’s value. With a free price tag, there’s nothing to lose by giving it a go. If you’re a fan of the genre, we imagine you’ll find a whole lot to love, as well.

All in all, it’s a game with good graphics, simple controls, and a whole lot of heart for the golden age of platforming. It also features a panda, which we like quite a lot on purely aesthetic levels. Keeping all of that in mind, Panda Jack earns a solid four out of five, and a recommendation.

Panda Jack requires Android 2.2+ and up. A small expedite fee was paid to speed up the publication of this review.