For other meanings see Jetpack (disambiguation)

Jetpack (disambiguation)

A jet pack is a jet-powered or rocket-powered device, usually worn on the back, that allows a person to fly.Jetpack or Jetpac may also refer to:...

.

Jetpac is a ZX Spectrum

ZX Spectrum

The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...

, VIC-20 and BBC Micro

BBC Micro

The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...

 video game developed and released by Ultimate Play The Game

Ultimate Play the Game

Ultimate Play The Game was a critically acclaimed video game developer of the early home computer era. "Ultimate Play The Game" was the trading name of Ashby Computers & Graphics Ltd. , a software company founded in 1982 by two ex-arcade game developers Tim and Chris Stamper...

 in 1983

1983 in video gaming

-Events:* A major shakeout of the video game industry begins. By 1986, total video games sales will decrease from US$3.2 billion to US$0.1 billion.* MCA Universal files suit against Nintendo, claiming that the latter company's video arcade hit Donkey Kong violated Universal's copyright on King Kong...

. The game is the first in the Jetman series, and was the company's very first release. The game was written by Chris Stamper with graphics by Tim Stamper. Jetpac was one of the very few Spectrum games also available in ROM

Read-only memory

Read-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...

 format for use with the Interface 2

ZX Interface 2

The ZX Interface 2 was a peripheral from Sinclair Research for its ZX Spectrum home computer released in September 1983. It had two joystick ports and a ROM cartridge slot, which offered instant loading times. The joystick ports were not compatible with the popular Kempston interface, and thus...

, allowing "instantaneous" loading of the game when the normal method of cassette loading could take several minutes.

Gameplay

In the game, Jetman has to first assemble his rocket (which comes in kit form), and then fill it with fuel before taking off to the next planet (where the procedure is broadly repeated). Along the way Jetman has to fend off the attention of intelligent (and not-so-intelligent) aliens, while making off with their valuable resources.

After the first level, the rocket stays assembled and just requires refuelling. However, every five levels, the rocket that Jetman flies in on is changed and the new model which replaces it has to be built from scratch before it can be fuelled up to take off. Each new model has a higher number written on it and has a new design, although the gameplay is unchanged.

The screen has left-right wrap around

Wraparound (Video Games)

Wraparound, in video games, is a gameplay variation on the single-screen in which space is finite but unbounded; objects leaving one side of the screen immediately reappear on the opposite side, maintaining speed and trajectory...

 and consists of three platforms on which Jetman can stand.

The enemies change every level (however, they eventually cycle) and each alien has a different pattern of movement which means they can be dealt with in a different manner. For instance, the "dart" enemy tends to hover in a vertical column on the left-hand side of the screen until it "fires" across the screen. However, this level can be easily completed by always staying on the middle of the three on-screen platforms and firing to the right. However, the "flying saucer" aliens will follow Jetman and so will require a different strategy to avoid.

Sequels, ports and remakes

Two sequels were released: Lunar Jetman

Lunar Jetman

Lunar Jetman is a ZX Spectrum video game developed and released by Ultimate Play The Game in 1983. The game is the second in the Jetman series, following on from his adventures in Jetpac, and one of the few games released to support the Currah Microspeech. In the game, Jetman has to defend the...

 and Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship

Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship

Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship is the third video game in the Jetman series. It was designed and developed by Zippo Games for Rare and released in the US by Tradewest in 1990, and in Europe by Nintendo, for the NES...

, the latter however was not released on the ZX Spectrum due to disappointing sales of the original NES

Nintendo Entertainment System

The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...

 version.

In 1999

1999 in video gaming

-Events:*British Academy of Film and Television Arts hosts the 2nd annual BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards*March – Game Over republished as “Game Over: Press Start to Continue”...

, Jetpac was introduced to a new generation as Rareware included it in Donkey Kong 64

Donkey Kong 64

Donkey Kong 64 is a platform game, developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in North America on November 24, 1999 and in Europe on December 6, 1999. The game is a follow up to the Donkey Kong Country trilogy on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System...

. It could be unlocked to play in Cranky Kong's lab, and if players successfully got 5000 points, they would be rewarded the game's Rareware Coin. After taking pictures of 6 Banana Fairies, the player would be able to play it and Donkey Kong any time they wish by going to the mystery menu of the main menu. An updated version of Jetpac, entitled Jetpac Refuelled

Jetpac Refuelled

Jetpac Refuelled is a video game developed by Rare for the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade service. It costs 400 Microsoft Points .-Gameplay:...

was released to Xbox Live Arcade

Xbox Live Arcade

Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...

on March 28, 2007.

External links

• Jetpac at Ultimate Wurlde