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"A fun little game...a VERY little game..."

After browsing around the attic for a while the other day, I found, to my delight, a Commodore 64 with some games beside it. So, I whipped that sucker out and got it all hooked up. Sweetness, it's 20 years old and it works like it's fresh out of the box! Now it's time to play some Jupiter Lander!

Graphics - The graphics are nothing special by todays standards; and they weren't that terrific by the standards at the time either. But, they certainly get the job done. The only features are the ship and the landing areas. But, that's all you really need in this game, right? And, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Controls - The only thing more simple than the gameplay are the controls. You use the A, D, and F1 buttons...that's it. The A button thrusts to the left (moving your spacecraft to the right). The B button thrusts to the right (moving your spacecraft to the left). The F1 button thrusts downward (yep--it moves your ship up). Very simple controls to a very simple game.

Story - You're trying to land a spacecraft on Jupiter. Hey--it was made in the 80's; you were expecting Squaresoft? Not much of a story, but it gets the job done, and it does it well.

Gameplay - Jupiter Lander employs the simplistic gameplay we're all used to from the 1980's. Of course, nobody ever said that was a BAD thing. The simple objective is to land your craft on Jupiter as many times as possible without running out of fuel. There are three landing spots, each with a unique level of difficulty. Naturally, the more difficult it is to land on a spot, the more points you get for landing there. As simple as it may seem, it grows on you and becomes surprisingly fun.

Replayability - Plenty of replay here. You can play for hours on end trying to beat your (or your friend's) top score. Granted, it may not have as much replay value as some newer, more in-depth games, but it's still a great diversion that could last anywhere from 5 minutes to 5 hours.

Though it's simplistic and old, nostalgia certainly kicks in. Even though it's not the best game of the time by any standards, it's great fun that ultimately gets the job done and is very entertaining. I would definitely recommend this ol' Commodore game to anybody with a thirst for fun and a love of games.



Reviewer's Score: 7/10 | Originally Posted: 06/16/02, Updated 06/16/02