Demo Review 45: Jett Rocket

It was a sweet day for Jett Rocket, planetary inspector. Then evil arrived, in the form of a robot controlled by the Power Plant Posse! The robot attacked core elements of Jett’s ship, and then knocked it to send Jett falling down to the planet below. Jett lands in the water, where a dolphin explains that the PPP are planning to pollute the planet with putrid pollutants. Ooh, nice alliteration there. We get a tutorial where we learn Jett’s basic moves. By shaking the Wii remote, he tosses himself forward, kind of like Sonic the Hedgehog.  He can jump, and while in mid-air you can shake the Wii remote to make him do a ground pound, which can also target and hit large buttons on the ground or other items of interest. A generator on the atoll is repaired, letting Jett go back to his ship.

There, one world, the Atoll, is open. The other two require 200 and 550 solar cells to be unlocked, and the demo will not have enough. Oh well. Let’s try the first level. Here, Jett learns to use his jetpack to reach higher places; he also learns how to refuel it when needed. We also encounter the first PPP robots. Again, ramming into them is the key to victory. We also learn to look everywhere for solar cells, as there are many scattered around the level, and they are often well-hidden. At one point, a robot asks Jett to retrieve four batteries to power up a cannon disguised as a stone idol. Jett does so, then jumps in the cannon and is sent to the platforms that were previously too high for him to reach. We also get a section with helicopter blades, which can be used to reach higher ledges, as well as ventilators which serve a similar purpose. At the end of the level, Jett Rocket activates the generator, and returns to his base. End of demo.

What? After only one level? Aw, man!

I instantly liked this game. The CGI is very good, the music is catchy, and the plot, while simple, at least allows for an interesting gameplay. Truly, Shin’en Games (who also made Art of Balance) have a lesson to everyone who makes WiiWare games out there: Make good games. It doesn’t have to be complex, it can be a basic puzzle game idea or a little 3D platformer. But put some effort into it. Jett Rocket is often hailed as one of the best WiiWare titles, and it’s not difficult to see why.

You catch on quick when it comes to controlling the character. The whole thing has a slight Super Mario Galaxy vibe to it. The demo level is well-designed, including the secret sections where you can find solar cells or a 1-Up. This demo lets us try many features, and promises a lot more on the way. I wished it was longer, though. Maybe two levels instead of just one? I mean, outside of the Tutorial, of course… Oh well, I’m still very happy with what I got. The demo ending screen tells us about the many features of the complete product, and it all looks very fun; I might buy it once I have some money to spend on WiiWare titles.

If you have a Wii, try it. Seriously, try it. My guess is that you won’t be disappointed. It’s a short demo, perhaps too short, but if that’s my only complaint, this means we have a great game here.