J.J. and Jeff (Kato & Ken Chan) Help!

[Black Tiger]

That's one of the sweetest posts ever made about J.J. and Jeff right there, my friend. You're completely right too, it's just an amazing platform game! The level set ups are just so fun; it reminds me of a more wacky version of Super Mario Bros.

By Stage 4 it gets like the later levels of Wonderboy, but feels way more solid and balanced. It helps that there are few instant deaths. When you're moving along steady at a fast pace making amazing moves between platforming and dodging enemies without missing a beat, it has that feeling that you only get from the very best platformers.

I just wish that it was longer.

[esteban]

I think it is important to point out that we all love JJ & Jeff, as opposed to Kato & Ken (which I have yet to play, but I am getting the HuCard soon). I hope I'll have some free time to play them side by side.

Tangent: I'm sure we discussed this before, but I hate the poorly drawn bird in JJ & Jeff. In the game, nearly all the sprites look decent, but then there is this sloppy bird (the stalactites aren't too pretty either). YES, I clearly have an issue with birds in video games, because I had the same problem with the eagle / hawk in Legendary Axe. Legendary Axe's winged creature was more of an abomination than the avian sprite in JJ & J, but they're both horrible.

[Turbo D]

lmao, I knew someone was going to mention the bird. Anyways, that bird is bad ass 

[Keranu]

When you're moving along steady at a fast pace making amazing moves between platforming and dodging enemies without missing a beat, it has that feeling that you only get from the very best platformers.

God yeah. My personal favorite part is stage 6-4a where you launch of a spring and have to constantly bounce off flies buzzing over deadly fire pits and then end it with a spring jump over a giant dragon head while avoiding his fire breath and nearby birds.

Tangent: I'm sure we discussed this before, but I hate the poorly drawn bird in JJ & Jeff. In the game, nearly all the sprites look decent, but then there is this sloppy bird (the stalactites aren't too pretty either). YES, I clearly have an issue with birds in video games, because I had the same problem with the eagle / hawk in Legendary Axe. Legendary Axe's winged creature was more of an abomination than the avian sprite in JJ & J, but they're both horrible.

Yes I hate that damn bird too! Some of the sprites in the game look really nice, but that bird is terrible just like in Legendary Axe. Speaking of which though, one thing I wish J.J. and Jeff had was more enemies and background graphics because they repeat a lot.

[esteban]

Tangent: I'm sure we discussed this before, but I hate the poorly drawn bird in JJ & Jeff. In the game, nearly all the sprites look decent, but then there is this sloppy bird (the stalactites aren't too pretty either). YES, I clearly have an issue with birds in video games, because I had the same problem with the eagle / hawk in Legendary Axe. Legendary Axe's winged creature was more of an abomination than the avian sprite in JJ & J, but they're both horrible.

Yes I hate that damn bird too! Some of the sprites in the game look really nice, but that bird is terrible just like in Legendary Axe. Speaking of which though, one thing I wish J.J. and Jeff had was more enemies and background graphics because they repeat a lot.

Yes, the backgrounds in JJ & Jeff suck. They are too flat, sparse and repetitive. If they had worked on just ONE aspect (i.e. more variety), then it would have helped the game immensely. The last time all of use got into a good discussion about JJ & Jeff, folks pointed out the lame backgrounds and I agreed. Even back in the day, when the game was first released, I was disappointed that a little more love hadn't gone into this aspect of the game.

Most games would benefit from a larger cast of enemies, and I agree that JJ & Jeff is among them. There should have been more substantial foes, or even, Gasp! "mini-bosses".  Simply increasing the cast of insignificant things (like, say, tiny flies, ice cream cones, aphids and flutes) would be nice, but not sufficient.

I still don't understand how that ugly-ass bird passed the quality check at Hudson. Is that hideous feathered beast in Kato & Ken?

[Black Tiger]

God yeah. My personal favorite part is stage 6-4a where you launch of a spring and have to constantly bounce off flies buzzing over deadly fire pits and then end it with a spring jump over a giant dragon head while avoiding his fire breath and nearby birds.

Thats the kind of challenge that a great game provides, with the controls to back it up.

[Keranu]

Yes, the backgrounds in JJ & Jeff suck. They are too flat, sparse and repetitive. If they had worked on just ONE aspect (i.e. more variety), then it would have helped the game immensely. The last time all of use got into a good discussion about JJ & Jeff, folks pointed out the lame backgrounds and I agreed. Even back in the day, when the game was first released, I was disappointed that a little more love hadn't gone into this aspect of the game.

Actually I love the background graphics in the game (especially the sea one), but I just wish there were like two more backgrounds so they wouldn't repeat as much. What I really like about some backgrounds are little touches in the way distance, like a small faded island with a beutiful palm tree in the sea level and faded hills (?) in the sky level (?). I also thought the backgrounds were fairly vibrant and offered nice detail (like the trees and brick walls), but I guess the graphics in J.J. and Jeff are really subjective.

[Black Tiger]

I also have never had any problem with the bgs. Sure they could be better, but so can most games and its not a piece of eye candy, I play it for the gameplay & challenge.

[Keranu]

Gameplay, challenge, and wackiness .

[esteban]

I also have never had any problem with the bgs. Sure they could be better, but so can most games and its not a piece of eye candy, I play it for the gameplay & challenge.

Of course. But I'm obsessive, and I fantasize about THE ULTIMATE JJ & JEFF EXPERIENCE. My rant about the backgrounds and stuff was simply a glimpse into my daydreams. I really don't understand why that godforsaken brown goose, such a poorly designed sprite, was left in the game (it belongs in one of It Came From the Desert mini-games). And I really do think that the JJ & Jeff universe would be far more endearing and captivating if the backgrounds (or foregrounds, or something) went beyond being merely perfunctory.

Of course, over the years, I have developed a masochistic "soft-spot" for the poor brown goose.

[Keranu]

I really don't understand why that godforsaken brown goose, such a poorly designed sprite, was left in the game (it belongs in one of It Came From the Desert mini-games).

HAHAHA, yes! It really does resemble the sprites in that game! There must've been some kind of mix up.

[ceti alpha]

Wow! I'm going to HAVE to give 'ol J.J. and Jeff a chance.    I only played it once back in the day when I rented it.   But I do remember my friend and I being somewhat intrigued at the time.