An absolutely insane race to the finish.
Jump Trials Supreme is a crazy little platformer with a simple concept: jump on that goddamn button in ten seconds or less. There is no story, there is no rationale for this button to even exist, but if you don’t run and jump your heart out before the timer hits zero, that little man you control will straight up die of shock.
Supreme is the third game in the odd Jump Trials series from the folks at G-Style (the quirky geniuses behind Crazy Construction and Undead Bowling) focusing on little male silhouettes running and jumping. This time around, our hero has developed a sense of fashion, adding a little hat and scarf to his black void exterior, and has learned how to double jump, a critical move for most levels in the game.
The controls are straightforward: press A to jump, and press it again to double jump. Various obstacles common to platformers are introduced as you progress through the game: spikes are added to walls, slippery ice lines the floor, platforms crumble or slowly sink down, etc.
Trial Mode is the main area featuring ten “grades” with ten areas in each one, for a total of one hundred levels to play through. At first glance, that may seem a bit short considering the ten second time limit, as it roughly equals sixteen minutes of gameplay, however, the game quickly becomes a crazy difficult dash to the end button. Every misstep, every overreaching jump, every tiny detail can end with a maddening failure slapped across the screen. When a level is finally completed, a medal can be awarded if players hit certain time goals, but more often than not on the hardest levels, players will be awarded nothing, keeping the replay value of this title high if you’re a completionist.
Challenge and Course Attack are unlocked as players progress through Trial Mode. Challenge features the same levels as Trial, but with three coins added into the mix. Players are not judged by how quickly they finish, just the amount of coins they collect, but with ten seconds still on the clock it’s not exactly a relaxing stroll through the park. Course Attack puts a new spin on the concept: complete ten levels in three hundred seconds, ensuring the already high stress level of this game is pushed to new heights.
The graphics are modest but fun and colorful. Since this game focuses on quickness, it’s actually a great design choice to keep the areas pleasant but distraction free. The music is energetic and fits the mood, but gets old fast as it doesn’t change much throughout.
An online leaderboard keeps the competitive nature of the game alive. Now, in addition to racing against the clock, players are racing against each other. Strategy quickly becomes the most important part of this simple game as each step and jump affect the score. New Master grade levels are also periodically added through SpotPass because this game clearly wasn’t already challenging enough.
Jump Trials Supreme is a fantastic game if you’re in the mood for a serious but quick challenge. It is certainly not for the weak hearted as players will be pushed to their limits in this deceivingly simple platformer. However, it’s a gem of a game with fantastic amounts of replay value and a design that keeps you energized and ready to play. Jump Trials Supreme is definitely a title that deserves a second look.