Jump Bug is a 1981 arcade game developed by Alpha Denshi, under contract with Hoei Corporation, and was distributed by Sega in Europe and Japan, and Rock-Ola in North America, and it’s still very much a fun game to play nowadays.

It is an early example of a ‘forced scrolling’ shooter, and was also somewhat influential. By “influential” I mean: a lot of people ripped it off (I’m looking at you, Kosmic Kanga), and many others also stole ideas from it. Because it was good. But that’s how things went in the early days of video gaming…

In Jump Bug you control a bouncing VW Beetle that can fire bullets out front, and must avoid collisions with enemies, as you shoot your way through the constantly-scrolling landscape. You can bounce on top of buildings, on clouds, or on the ground. Just as long as you don’t hit any insta-kill enemies you’re alright. Shoot stuff; collect cash bags, and destroy special enemies for bonuses.

The graphics are colourful and well-drawn and the scrolling is very smooth. Most importantly, the movement – and bounce – of the car is exceptional, and you have some control over it with the joystick, so the game is very playable when you get into it.

Knowing where is safe to bounce, and then how to push the joystick to boost your height or quicken your drop, gives you an edge during play. And figuring that out turns Jump Bug‘s basic-looking gameplay into something quite special.

Jump Bug has eight different levels – City, Plain, Volcanos, In A Pyramid, Volcanos part 2, Sea, Sky, and Finish – and the levels smoothly transition into each other so that play is continual, if you can survive without dying.

You could easily while away an entire evening trying to get as far into Jump Bug as possible, and it wouldn’t be wasted time. Jump Bug is a jolly masterpiece, and a tough challenge for retro game enthusiasts. A perfect old arcade gem to entertain yourself with for a few hours, and one of my favourite games of all-time. 🙂

More: Jump Bug on Wikipedia