Entertaining kids can be hard enough but when there aren’t a huge selection of games for them to pick up and play right away it can be even harder. Games on Android have often been targeted towards children – with bright characters and eye-catching themes – but not a lot of them get the controls right for children. Read on to see if Jetpack Jinx – a game for children that will have you addicted as well – has the controls just right for the kids. Let’s face it though – no matter how much sense it makes for the kids – you need to “try it” first so, read on to see how a good game it really is.
Description: Jetpack Jinx has you take control of Jinx,a minion who serves the despicable Lord Shadowbot – sworn enemy of the Space Heroes. During an operation in Space, Jinx falls from his ship and is left stranded on an island with just his jetpack. You’ve got to assume control of Jinx and with the help of his jetpack, get him back to his ship. By guiding Jinx through intuitive tilt controls it’s up to you to get him back to his ship. So, there’s a good story in there and something for us all to get behind. Take a look at the trailer below to find out more:
How it Works: To get Jetpack Jinx on your device it’s as simple as installing from the Play Store and then you’re ready to go. The game will then tell you just how to go about playing:
It really is that simple to play but, while it might be easy to use it’s pretty difficult to master. Not difficult enough for young ones to struggle but enough to make sure they don’t lose interest – it’ll also keep Daddy on his toes as well – and there’s great satisfaction when you do reach a high score:
There are a number of different gems to collect through the game and the bigger the gem – the higher you fly. To really get a boost, head for the “x2” green stars, these will help keep you airborne for longer.
Beware though, as there are a number of enemies along the way that want to knock you out of the sky. It’s not just enemies either, as obstacles come crashing down to meet you too, it’s all about keeping on guard for this game.
It’s not all doom and gloom though, as there a lot of power-ups that you can use throughout the game such as Rocket Boosters, Magic Time, Super Sidekicks and Mega Mouth! It’s a lot of fun trying to collect them without falling and you’ve got to use them all to find your favorite. I think my favorite is Mega Mouth, which lets you take in gems from all sides:
Jetpack Jinx is free-to-play and there are upgrades you can buy for the game through coins you earn in-game or coins that you’ve paid for:
However, the great thing about Jetpack Jinx is that you can set a 4-digit pin to stop the kids racking up a massive bill – which is important for games like this and we wish all kids games incorporated something like this.
Opinion: I might not be a child but, I sure had my fun with Jetpack Jinx. There is a learning curve but I doubt it’s too steep to deter young players. I actually found it difficult to tear myself away from the game and was playing for a lot longer than I intended to. I think that Jetpack Jinx is a great game for everyone and no matter how old you are, there’s a lot of easy and addictive fun to be had with the game. The intuitive controls are excellent in general but really shine in the hands of children – just pass them the game and they will get it right away.
Ratings
- Speed (4/5) – The game loaded quickly and was an instant joy to use, the pace is perfect for the style of play.
- Features (5/5) – You could say that there isn’t a lot to Jetpack Jinx but, you’d be wrong, it’s got everything a good game needs to be fun for all ages.
- Theme (5/5) – Jetpack Jinx has a colorful palette and a theme that catches the eye and will appeal to young ones.
- Overall (5/5) – I really enjoyed playing Jetpack Jinx and I’m sure you and the kids will and – even if you don’t have kids, this game is addictive.
Pros
- Super simple controls make it truly easy to pick up and play, whenever and for whoever.
- Colorful theme will appeal to all and it’s certainly eye-catching.
- Power-ups are great fun and help to keep the game fresh.
- Parents have nothing to fear with in-app purchases as the PIN takes care of things for them.
Cons
- Changing the gem layout each time you play a level could be confusing but, it does keep the challenge alive.
- Earning more coins through playing might get me to buy an upgrade more willingly.
Conclusion: Now, I don’t have any kids – a little early for that – and I couldn’t find a relative on hand either so, I had to review the game myself and I really enjoyed it, it plays a lot better than some other Android games and I genuinely struggled to put it down. For those of you out there that have children, you’ll know just how good they’ve become with technology and keeping them entertained through games is a good way to keep their brain active and keep them quiet. In-app purchases are something that can cause headaches but there’s little risk of that here as the PIN system stops it. The game is built with a high level of polish and it worked flawlessly throughout my testing. Besides that, kids games are some of the most addictive and with Jetpack Jinx you might find yourself taking the phone away from the kids, not the other way round.