Pokémon: Magikarp Jump

The Pokémon Company has never shied away from unique game premises, such as taking pictures, battling toys, or even conquering feudal Japan. However, I don't think anyone was expecting jumping competitions starring the Kanto region's weakest little fish. Acting almost like a virtual pet game, Magikarp Jump focuses more on raising your Pokémon than training them, as battling isn't the ultimate goal this time around.

Throughout your "adventure" in Hoppy Town, you'll likely catch dozens, if not hundreds, of Magikarp as you slowly work your way through the competition leagues. In order for your Magikarp to stand a chance in a jumping contest, you'll need to raise their "jump power" with food and training. Both of these methods can be upgraded in the shop to grow your fish faster, and both require you to wait real-life time for them to refill before they can be used again, creating a barely disguised copy of the dreaded energy bar found in other free-to-play titles. Once you think your Magikarp is ready, you can enter into a jumping contest. Whether you win or lose, you'll get some money for upgrades and some experience points for yourself. Leveling up with these experience points let's you catch better Magikarp to hopefully get a little farther in the league. All of these features combine to make a very slow-moving game, all about incrementally making your way to the top.

This incremental approach isn't necessarily fun, but it is wildly addictive. Every time I leveled up or beat a new challenger, I had a nice rush of excitement for how much closer I was to achieving my next goal. The game also does a nice job of adding in some charm and character with little events and extra buddy Pokémon, but underneath all of that, the experience is pretty bare-bones. I was definitely engaged to the end of Magikarp Jump's main content, but I don't think I was actually having much fun playing it, especially during the final grind. This game can be a fun distraction for a time, but it's a rabbit hole you probably don't want to go down.

The game is available for Android here (as of 5/18/21): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.pokemon.koiking&hl=en_US&gl=US
The game is available for iOS here (as of 5/18/21): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pok%C3%A9mon-magikarp-jump/id1162679453

Popular posts from this blog

Meow Tower: Nonogram Pictogram

Image
I seem to have a thing for mobile games about cats, and I am a huge fan of Nintendo 's Picross series. Normally those two interests don't overlap, but Meow Tower changed that. Combining the fun of befriending cute cartoon cats and solving intricate number puzzles hooked me immediately. While it's technically not a Picross game, seeing as that is a Nintendo trademark, the nonogram puzzles are still the same, and I loved being able to play them on my phone. Granted, there have been plenty of options to play these kinds of puzzles on the phone for years, but Meow Tower  sets itself apart from the rabble thanks to its stellar aesthetic. The developers behind this game are true artists. While it's a solid, straightforward nonogram game at its core, Meow Tower just looks so much better to play than any of the numerous generic options that crowd the app stores. The bubbly sticker-book style used for the art and menus gives Meow Tower a lot of charm and personality from t
Read more

Space Lich Omega

Image
Inspired by the ever popular Candy Box and Candy Box 2 , Space Lich Omega is an browser-based RPG adventure with an almost entirely ASCII display. However, it chose to step away from the established fantasy style of it's inspiration for a more science-fantasy theme. I ended up having a fun time with this game, despite its need for a little polish, thanks to the unique story and hilarious pop-culture Easter eggs that can be discovered throughout the different explorable locations. Despite the crude-ish interface, I never had any trouble navigating throughout the game. I actually ended up beating it in a relatively short time, especially when I had my gunk production going all out, allowing me to jump my health up enormously. Although I did need to do a little grinding every now and then for an item that I missed, that didn't interfere with my enjoyment too much. Ultimately, this is no Candy Box , but it still has its merits and is worth playing if you ever find yourself in
Read more

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes

Image
Reusing game engines has proven to be pretty popular in the Zelda series. It offers developers a chance to craft more experimental and risky games, as the initial investment on the engine was covered by the previous, more traditional release. As a huge fan of A Link Between Worlds , I was ecstatic to learn it was getting a pseudo-follow-up. My excitement only grew when Nintendo sent me an early-access demo, and I somehow had no concerns that this was another multiplayer-focused game, despite my preference for solo play. Since the previous multiplayer Zelda games had pretty functional single-player modes, I anticipated that I could expect the same here. Unfortunately, that wasn't an entirely accurate assumption. Like its predecessors , Tri Force Heroes is level-based in order to accommodate its multiplayer focus. All of the stages are designed like dungeons, so they hold up really well for puzzle-solving challenges, but they lack a lot of the same charm you can find in Four Swor
Read more