Mr. Run and Jump

With its tight controls and simple gameplay that’s easy to pick up but hard to master, Mr. Run and Jump is yet another game from Atari that should thrill those seeking an old-fashioned challenge. Though it is attractive-looking with its neon visuals, this is a game that proves gameplay is king, with you becoming strangely invested in the exploits of its stick-man protagonist and his dog, Leap.

There are times when a hands-on preview at an event can give you a succint impression of what to expect from a game. There are other times in which these same previews can actually be deceiving, especially if the game in question is a slow burn, story-driven, or an ever-improving gauntlet of challenges which can’t be properly seen in such a short session. I have to admit that my initial impressions of Mr. Run and Jump at BIG Festival 2023 were merely “fine”, but that’s probably becaus...

As someone who grew up primarily in the 1990s, I’ve played more than my fair share of 2D platformers. With those decades of experience, it’s no surprise that I consider myself a relatively strong platforming player. However, despite its precise controls, Mr. Run and Jump’s challenging, neon-bathed obstacle courses and hard-to-reach collectibles had me second-guess my skills at every step.

A delightful moveset coupled with an overly punishing challenge ironically makes Mr. Run and Jump a balanced recommendation. It will be great, but it will demand the most of you.

Mr. Run and Jump is a fun, but frustrating game that does a good job in replicating the feel of classic Atari gameplay. The music set the tone for each Realm of Color stage very well. Some of the levels even have the enemies moving to the beat of the music too! However, the loose controls really hinder Mr. Run and Jump as a precision platforming game. Certain parts of levels felt like less like a challenge and more like a chore because of the controls and non-intentional ice physics.

Mr. Run and Jump is a highly entertaining yet very challenging platformer!