J.J. and Jeff (Kato & Ken Chan) Help!

Keranu · 08/10/2007, 04:31 PM

I've been playing J.J. and Jeff lately on my Turbo Express and I have came across a part in the game I was having trouble with before. At level 6-4b (the "b" represents the second part of the stage, of course), there is a part with three platforms hovering over emptiness and at the end of the third platform, there is a tall brick wall that is too high to jump over. I've tried kicking some of the bricks and one of them shakes the screen as if something was triggered, but I didn't notice anything. I'm thinking what I have to do is kick in the air somewhere above the platform for a piece of ledge to appear like earlier in the level, but I posted this thread here incase my plan backfires! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

esteban · 08/10/2007, 10:12 PM

Quote from: Keranu on 08/10/2007, 04:31 PMI've been playing J.J. and Jeff lately on my Turbo Express and I have came across a part in the game I was having trouble with before. At level 6-4b (the "b" represents the second part of the stage, of course), there is a part with three platforms hovering over emptiness and at the end of the third platform, there is a tall brick wall that is too high to jump over. I've tried kicking some of the bricks and one of them shakes the screen as if something was triggered, but I didn't notice anything. I'm thinking what I have to do is kick in the air somewhere above the platform for a piece of ledge to appear like earlier in the level, but I posted this thread here incase my plan backfires! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

IIRC, fall into the emptiness, the bastards hid a spring in there, you'll bounce super high to the part you need to get to.

I am probably wrong!

_Paul · 08/11/2007, 04:38 AM

Hehe, this reminds me of when we used to tell a friend to 'jump down that hole' in games because it was a teleport / cheat / infinite lives or somesuch. Of course it never was but we had a good laugh afterwards.

JoshTurboTrollX · 08/11/2007, 10:14 AM

I always said- "super 1up world"

The greatest secret in the world!!

esteban · 08/11/2007, 11:17 AM

Quote from: guest on 08/11/2007, 04:38 AMHehe, this reminds me of when we used to tell a friend to 'jump down that hole' in games because it was a teleport / cheat / infinite lives or somesuch. Of course it never was but we had a good laugh afterwards.

I know, it's always good for a laugh. Especially because when folks are REALLY desperate, they are willing to try anything.

But there really is a part like this in JJ & Jeff! Of course, I found it by accident (falling to my imminent death) when BOOOM!, up I flew from a hidden spring.

I'm not kidding about this!

Hopefully, some other person can verify this. Otherwise, I'll have to add this to my list of things "I have to prove before I die"

Keranu · 08/11/2007, 03:22 PM

Nevermind, I figured it out. There was a hidden block you had to kick on like I thought and I was able to find the key I had trouble with too!

Steve I have discovered a few hidden springs throughout the game and most of them warped me back levels :S . I'll remember your post though incase I ever discover any moments like the one you described.

On a side note, I love this game more than ever! Such a brilliant game concept!

ParanoiaDragon · 08/12/2007, 03:04 AM

Quote from: guest on 08/11/2007, 04:38 AMHehe, this reminds me of when we used to tell a friend to 'jump down that hole' in games because it was a teleport / cheat / infinite lives or somesuch. Of course it never was but we had a good laugh afterwards.

Yeah, we'd always tell my friends to jump into certain pits in Super Mario 1 to get free lives. Good times!

shubibiman · 08/12/2007, 04:11 AM

I've been playing Kato&Ken Chan a lot lately and I have to say that it's one of the best run & jump games for the system. Still I think it's a little bit difficult (well, I'm more into shooters and I really suck at thoses kind of games). And yes, there really are warp zones that can be reached by falling down holes.

esteban · 08/12/2007, 11:32 AM

Finally, JJ & Jeff is getting some love

. I suppose the folks who like to bash it all the time are tired of ranting about it.

Keranu · 08/14/2007, 10:13 PM

Just wanted to say that I finally beat this game some nights ago. The instruction manual lied and said there are 8 stages when there was only 6! I was a little disappointed to see the ending so early, but it was a very enjoyable experience nonetheless, especially the extremely fun and challenging level set up of stage 6! Unfortunately since my Turbo Express has really quiet sound, I couldn't really hear the ending music and it sounded like it was a nice tune too

. I'll probably play through it again since I plan on making a walkthrough for it eventually.

CrackTiger · 08/15/2007, 12:09 AM

Keranu, you inspired me to finally give JJ & Jeff a real play for the first time in years and now with the benefit of hindsight, I can honestly say that not only is it a great game in its own right, but one of the best platformers of its time.

Seriously, anyone who doesn't think its at least good, really must not have given it enough of a real chance to reach the challenging areas with some amazing platforming gameplay.

Keranu · 08/15/2007, 12:44 AM

That's one of the sweetest posts ever made about J.J. and Jeff right there, my friend. You're completely right too, it's just an amazing platform game! The level set ups are just so fun; it reminds me of a more wacky version of Super Mario Bros.

nat · 08/15/2007, 12:48 AM

Shall I call the Crete Super 8 Motel and reserve a room for you guys with a TG-16 and a copy of JJ & Jeff?

Keranu · 08/15/2007, 01:00 AM

Only if it includes a love bed and a fridge for me to store my Dog n' Suds in ;) .

Turbo D · 08/15/2007, 01:04 AM

Quote from: Keranu on 08/15/2007, 12:44 AMThe level set ups are just so fun; it reminds me of a more wacky version of Super Mario Bros.

Thats what I always liked about it

CrackTiger · 08/15/2007, 08:07 AM

Quote from: Keranu on 08/15/2007, 12:44 AMThat's one of the sweetest posts ever made about J.J. and Jeff right there, my friend. You're completely right too, it's just an amazing platform game! The level set ups are just so fun; it reminds me of a more wacky version of Super Mario Bros.

By Stage 4 it gets like the later levels of Wonderboy, but feels way more solid and balanced. It helps that there are few instant deaths. When you're moving along steady at a fast pace making amazing moves between platforming and dodging enemies without missing a beat, it has that feeling that you only get from the very best platformers.

I just wish that it was longer.

esteban · 08/15/2007, 08:57 AM

I think it is important to point out that we all love JJ & Jeff, as opposed to Kato & Ken (which I have yet to play, but I am getting the HuCard soon). I hope I'll have some free time to play them side by side.

Tangent: I'm sure we discussed this before, but I hate the poorly drawn bird in JJ & Jeff. In the game, nearly all the sprites look decent, but then there is this sloppy bird (the stalactites aren't too pretty either). YES, I clearly have an issue with birds in video games, because I had the same problem with the eagle / hawk in Legendary Axe. Legendary Axe's winged creature was more of an abomination than the avian sprite in JJ & J, but they're both horrible.

Turbo D · 08/15/2007, 10:34 AM

lmao, I knew someone was going to mention the bird. Anyways, that bird is bad ass

Keranu · 08/15/2007, 04:44 PM

Quote from: guest on 08/15/2007, 08:07 AMWhen you're moving along steady at a fast pace making amazing moves between platforming and dodging enemies without missing a beat, it has that feeling that you only get from the very best platformers.

God yeah. My personal favorite part is stage 6-4a where you launch of a spring and have to constantly bounce off flies buzzing over deadly fire pits and then end it with a spring jump over a giant dragon head while avoiding his fire breath and nearby birds.

Quote from: SteveTangent: I'm sure we discussed this before, but I hate the poorly drawn bird in JJ & Jeff. In the game, nearly all the sprites look decent, but then there is this sloppy bird (the stalactites aren't too pretty either). YES, I clearly have an issue with birds in video games, because I had the same problem with the eagle / hawk in Legendary Axe. Legendary Axe's winged creature was more of an abomination than the avian sprite in JJ & J, but they're both horrible.

Yes I hate that damn bird too! Some of the sprites in the game look really nice, but that bird is terrible just like in Legendary Axe. Speaking of which though, one thing I wish J.J. and Jeff had was more enemies and background graphics because they repeat a lot.

esteban · 08/15/2007, 05:42 PM

Quote from: Keranu on 08/15/2007, 04:44 PM
Quote from: SteveTangent: I'm sure we discussed this before, but I hate the poorly drawn bird in JJ & Jeff. In the game, nearly all the sprites look decent, but then there is this sloppy bird (the stalactites aren't too pretty either). YES, I clearly have an issue with birds in video games, because I had the same problem with the eagle / hawk in Legendary Axe. Legendary Axe's winged creature was more of an abomination than the avian sprite in JJ & J, but they're both horrible.
Yes I hate that damn bird too! Some of the sprites in the game look really nice, but that bird is terrible just like in Legendary Axe. Speaking of which though, one thing I wish J.J. and Jeff had was more enemies and background graphics because they repeat a lot.

Yes, the backgrounds in JJ & Jeff suck. They are too flat, sparse and repetitive. If they had worked on just ONE aspect (i.e. more variety), then it would have helped the game immensely. The last time all of use got into a good discussion about JJ & Jeff, folks pointed out the lame backgrounds and I agreed. Even back in the day, when the game was first released, I was disappointed that a little more love hadn't gone into this aspect of the game.

Most games would benefit from a larger cast of enemies, and I agree that JJ & Jeff is among them. There should have been more substantial foes, or even, Gasp! "mini-bosses". Simply increasing the cast of insignificant things (like, say, tiny flies, ice cream cones, aphids and flutes) would be nice, but not sufficient.

I still don't understand how that ugly-ass bird passed the quality check at Hudson. Is that hideous feathered beast in Kato & Ken?

CrackTiger · 08/15/2007, 07:18 PM

Quote from: Keranu on 08/15/2007, 04:44 PMGod yeah. My personal favorite part is stage 6-4a where you launch of a spring and have to constantly bounce off flies buzzing over deadly fire pits and then end it with a spring jump over a giant dragon head while avoiding his fire breath and nearby birds.

Thats the kind of challenge that a great game provides, with the controls to back it up.

Keranu · 08/15/2007, 07:29 PM

Quote from: esteban on 08/15/2007, 05:42 PMYes, the backgrounds in JJ & Jeff suck. They are too flat, sparse and repetitive. If they had worked on just ONE aspect (i.e. more variety), then it would have helped the game immensely. The last time all of use got into a good discussion about JJ & Jeff, folks pointed out the lame backgrounds and I agreed. Even back in the day, when the game was first released, I was disappointed that a little more love hadn't gone into this aspect of the game.

Actually I love the background graphics in the game (especially the sea one), but I just wish there were like two more backgrounds so they wouldn't repeat as much. What I really like about some backgrounds are little touches in the way distance, like a small faded island with a beutiful palm tree in the sea level and faded hills (?) in the sky level (?). I also thought the backgrounds were fairly vibrant and offered nice detail (like the trees and brick walls), but I guess the graphics in J.J. and Jeff are really subjective.

CrackTiger · 08/15/2007, 11:43 PM

I also have never had any problem with the bgs. Sure they could be better, but so can most games and its not a piece of eye candy, I play it for the gameplay & challenge.

Keranu · 08/16/2007, 12:34 AM

Gameplay, challenge, and wackiness

.

esteban · 08/16/2007, 01:06 AM

Quote from: guest on 08/15/2007, 11:43 PMI also have never had any problem with the bgs. Sure they could be better, but so can most games and its not a piece of eye candy, I play it for the gameplay & challenge.

Of course. But I'm obsessive, and I fantasize about THE ULTIMATE JJ & JEFF EXPERIENCE. My rant about the backgrounds and stuff was simply a glimpse into my daydreams. I really don't understand why that godforsaken brown goose, such a poorly designed sprite, was left in the game (it belongs in one of It Came From the Desert mini-games). And I really do think that the JJ & Jeff universe would be far more endearing and captivating if the backgrounds (or foregrounds, or something) went beyond being merely perfunctory.

Of course, over the years, I have developed a masochistic "soft-spot" for the poor brown goose.

Keranu · 08/16/2007, 01:51 AM

Quote from: esteban on 08/16/2007, 01:06 AMI really don't understand why that godforsaken brown goose, such a poorly designed sprite, was left in the game (it belongs in one of It Came From the Desert mini-games).

HAHAHA, yes! It really does resemble the sprites in that game! There must've been some kind of mix up.

Ceti Alpha · 09/05/2007, 01:44 PM

Wow! I'm going to HAVE to give 'ol J.J. and Jeff a chance.

I only played it once back in the day when I rented it. But I do remember my friend and I being somewhat intrigued at the time.