Atari has today announced that it is bringing Graphite Lab and Heavy Horse Games' Mr. Run and Jump to Switch later on this year.
This is an action-platformer that seems to put the stress on 'action' (and on 'platformer', now that we think about it). You will play as the titular Mr. Run and Jump, a fluorescent stick man who embarks on a perilous journey through a neon-soaked world to defeat the evil Void and find his missing dog, Leap.
We were instantly reminded of the gravity-shifting platformer VVVVVV (albeit with a bit of a facelift) when we first saw the above trailer, and this one looks to apply similarly tight controls and interesting level designs to make the journey through the neon world that bit more entertaining.
For a little more information on some of the game's features and a look at some of that neon colour in action, check out the following from the publishers:
Dozens of unique levels within six distinct, vibrant, and beautifully illustrated worlds
- A variety of devious enemies, each with their own attack patterns and personalities
- 30+ hours of gameplay including Time Trials, hard-to-reach collectibles, achievements, and more
- Precise controls make Mr. Run and Jump’s platforming as smooth as butter
- An original story of a transformed world, a devouring Void, and all the wonders of the Realms of Color
We don't have an official release date for this one just yet outside of "this summer", but we will be sure to keep you updated as soon as we hear any more details.
What do you make of Mr. Run and Jump? Roll down to the comments and let us know.
Comments 22
That's not an "action-platformer", it's just a platformer. There was zero combat of any kind in the trailer.
Looks across between VVVVVV and Celeste. Soundtrack sounds great too. Yep, will definitely be checking this out once it releases
If nothing else, the trailer is pretty slick. It all seems lovely to look at, but I’ve largely had my fill of traditional 2D platformers. VVVVVV, though, is excellent.
I love how Atari is embracing their neon-drenched past but gd this game looks too stressful for my old, rickety hands.
Looks great. I'm diggin' the neon style.
Honestly, it looks pretty fun. I'd play it.
I like that Atari is trying to re-establish an entity as a neon-lights sensory overload frantic type of action packed gameplay.
@sketchturner I don't know I see a long of action happening on screen. The enemies are attacking the hero.
@N8tiveT3ch Sonic, Shovel Knight, and Ratchet and Clank are considered action platformers. Something like Super Meat Boy, VVVVVV, and Celeste are considered pure platformers. The key difference being whether you can attack enemies or not.
@sketchturner I don't know. Sounds like a stretch to me.
Looks ok, but I want Atari to bring back Super sprint, Gauntlet, Marble madness, Road blasters. All classics, but it worries me they would F**k em up with trying to make them to different. Its about time devs realised that if something ain't broke don't fix it. By all means refine but don't break what makes a game a classic!!
@sketchturner It's an interesting distinction. Nintendo has classified Mario games as "Action" pretty consistently (since the Super Mario Bros. NES box at least). Usually it's for games that require faster reflexes and hand-eye coordination. ~I don't know if they shy away from "platformer" because it's not really an English word, or what,~ but I usually use "action platformer" to also include the jumping/gravity component. (distinguishing it from action games that are top down, but might not have combat).
I'm curious in what circles are you seeing that distinction in heavy use, though. It's hard to keep up with these trends and I do like to stay current as I teach game design.
Edit: Well, I looked at Nintendo's official pages and they do include "platformer" as a genre descriptor now, which is good in my opinion. Super Mario Bros. U has the "Action" and "Platformer" genre tags and is described as "side-scrolling". Not that Nintendo has the final word on this, at all, just correcting my above statement.
@Axelay71 I think the rights are still divided and I forget which Atari rights are where, but I feel your pain. I do like that there are attempts being made at resurrecting it, and I'd like it to all be together, too.
This looks like an attempt to align a type of gaming with the Atari brand that makes some sense. I'd like to see more of this, for sure.
@sketchturner It's an action game by very old school standards in that you have to be very proactive when playing or else. This ain't no DnD campaign where you can take your time, for example.
@aaronsullivan yes know doubt your right mate, I expect the rights are owned by someone else.
Why doesn't he have a round head? I guess to show what direction you're facing?
I’m in. Even if this is average or okay I do feel like supporting the current Atari.
@sketchturner I agree that Ratchet is considered an action platformer but those games, especially the most recent, are straight up third person shooters with a tiny bit of mid platforming tacked on. It just gets called a platformer because of its cartoon aesthetic.
@RBRTMNZ In every Ratchet and Clank game I know of there are platforms that you jump between and the objective is not to fall in the gap. Sure they're more action-oriented but still very much fit the definition of a platformer.
@aaronsullivan It makes sense to say Mario is an action platformer because you are attacking, not just jumping. Whether it's stomping enemies or throwing fireballs, there is action involved, not simply platforming.
It has some platforming sure. It accounts for like <5% of the gameplay. Would you consider Returnal, Jedi Survivor, or Spiderman to be platformers because the platforming in all of those is more frequent and essential to completing the main path.
Morphing balls and thwomps, I see. It's a bit weird seeing Atari in basically the indie space, but it's probably the right move. Their history has been so different from that of Activision (founded by some original Atari designers) which has kept pace with changes in game design.
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