Game Card
Jackass: The Game (PSP)
- Publisher:
- Empire Interactive
- Developer:
- Sidhe Interactive
- US Release:
- 12.10.2007
- EU Release:
- n/a
- Number of players:
- n/a
- Age:
- Modern Times
- Extra:
- Alternative
- Type:
- Action
Review
We play Jackass: The Game...
Anyone under the age of 18 will probably be very familiar with Jackass. The ultimate stunt show, it's spawned copycat creations on either side of the Atlantic that have tried to capture and record the insane amount of enthusiasm for hurting each other – with varying degrees of success. The main series may have ended in 2002, but that's not stopped the movies rolling out, with the third feature film allegedly being shot right now. It seems odd, though, that a game has been released now, rather than at the height of Jackass' popularity at the turn of the millenium.
In keeping with the TV show, the game revolves around a selection of stunts – these manifest themselves as a selection of party games, tied together with the loose storyline of you stepping in to direct the latest series of the show after the director's injured. Cue seven episodes, each with five stunts for you to complete.
Each stunt – they're a mix of famous follies from the series and ideas that haven't yet made the screen – nets you a grade, and you have to complete them with a bronze or better to complete it and move on. Satisfactorily finishing a stunt gets you a step closer to wrapping that episode and unlocks the stunt to play whenever you like.
If you're a fan of the series, then you'll recognise plenty from the TV show: golf cart driving, party boy dancing and roof-top shopping cart braking. There's plenty more, too, that are just too dangerous to be included in the show: zorbing on top of a skyscraper springs to mind. For the first few levels, at least, there's some variety in the gameplay – but it's definitely frustrating once you get a few episodes into the 'series' and find that some stunts are, in fact, being repeated.
The initial variety comes from the stunts themselves. One involves rolling down a snowy mountain, collecting skiers and snowploughs, and another revolves around beating Wee Man about the head. Yet more ask you to run around in a junkyard full of vicious dogs, fall down a mountain or take control of Party Boy in a beatmania-style game.
The minigames themselves are all pretty well implemented, although there's never any indication of what to do beforehand – even though the controls are simple, you have to wait until you begin the challenge to find out what they are, somewhat scuppering your first attempt at every stunt. Success at each challenge revolves around goals – like collecting golf flags, or running over attendants – and injuries: the more pain you inflict on your character, the better – and they're recognisable, because most of the Jackasses have lent their likenesses and voices to the title.
Graphically, it's a fine example of what the PSP is capable of – nothing spectacular, perhaps, but the large variety of stunts and environments are all rendered commendably, with no glitches or bugs to report. There's a director mode, too, that ties in with the whole ethos of the Jackass game – you're the replacement director – but is really no more than a replay editor.
Fans of the show will be the people who get the most out of the Jackass game – it's crammed with references to the show and the puerile humour that they're so fond of. For the uninitiated, it has limited appeal, as the minigames are well designed but unspectacular unless you're familiar with the shows. It's hard not to think, though, that by waiting until 2007 to produce a game that it's somewhat missed the Jackass bandwagon.
Top Game Moment: Getting huge high scores simply by pushing a bloke off a mountain and steering him through cactuses on the way down.
In keeping with the TV show, the game revolves around a selection of stunts – these manifest themselves as a selection of party games, tied together with the loose storyline of you stepping in to direct the latest series of the show after the director's injured. Cue seven episodes, each with five stunts for you to complete.
 |
 |
|
| This might end badly. |
Classy. You score points for better diving. |
Each stunt – they're a mix of famous follies from the series and ideas that haven't yet made the screen – nets you a grade, and you have to complete them with a bronze or better to complete it and move on. Satisfactorily finishing a stunt gets you a step closer to wrapping that episode and unlocks the stunt to play whenever you like.
If you're a fan of the series, then you'll recognise plenty from the TV show: golf cart driving, party boy dancing and roof-top shopping cart braking. There's plenty more, too, that are just too dangerous to be included in the show: zorbing on top of a skyscraper springs to mind. For the first few levels, at least, there's some variety in the gameplay – but it's definitely frustrating once you get a few episodes into the 'series' and find that some stunts are, in fact, being repeated.
The initial variety comes from the stunts themselves. One involves rolling down a snowy mountain, collecting skiers and snowploughs, and another revolves around beating Wee Man about the head. Yet more ask you to run around in a junkyard full of vicious dogs, fall down a mountain or take control of Party Boy in a beatmania-style game.
 |
 |
|
| Points if you hit him in the balls! |
That's not a pretty sight. |
The minigames themselves are all pretty well implemented, although there's never any indication of what to do beforehand – even though the controls are simple, you have to wait until you begin the challenge to find out what they are, somewhat scuppering your first attempt at every stunt. Success at each challenge revolves around goals – like collecting golf flags, or running over attendants – and injuries: the more pain you inflict on your character, the better – and they're recognisable, because most of the Jackasses have lent their likenesses and voices to the title.
Graphically, it's a fine example of what the PSP is capable of – nothing spectacular, perhaps, but the large variety of stunts and environments are all rendered commendably, with no glitches or bugs to report. There's a director mode, too, that ties in with the whole ethos of the Jackass game – you're the replacement director – but is really no more than a replay editor.
Fans of the show will be the people who get the most out of the Jackass game – it's crammed with references to the show and the puerile humour that they're so fond of. For the uninitiated, it has limited appeal, as the minigames are well designed but unspectacular unless you're familiar with the shows. It's hard not to think, though, that by waiting until 2007 to produce a game that it's somewhat missed the Jackass bandwagon.
 |
 |
|
| A proverbial shower of shite. |
It's a long way down from there. |
Top Game Moment: Getting huge high scores simply by pushing a bloke off a mountain and steering him through cactuses on the way down.
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Official Trailer
Posted 13.02.08
Length 00:38 Views 581
