Full Review

For some, Jazz music is nothing but a cacophony of sound that thinks it's somehow clever for all of its solo jams and dueling instruments... to others it's a divine form of music filled with rich unique textures and a bold sense of life that's always changing. JAZZ: Trump's journey by EggBall Games and Bulkypix embodies the second viewpoint by creating a platformer rich in appearance, bold in its musical aesthetic and always ready to throw a new challenge in your path.

You control Trump in the recollection of his youth as an up and coming jazz musician. In order to become a successful artist, Trump will need to be guided through a world that can be manipulated by music. Anything with a musical note on it can be frozen in time thanks to the power of Trump's music, allowing him to traverse hazards such as large pits with ease.

The platforming itself is not about hyper speed, pin-point precision or intricate timing so much as it is a light combination of all three. Players could easily ignore side-objectives such as collecting notes and hidden images, but depriving yourself of the challenge of exploring each stage would be a shame as it lends small touches to the game's charming storyline.

Much like the game itself, the controls keep things simple by only showing the ability to move left/right, jump and 'halt time' during most sections in the game, however standing near a ladder or rope will activate a secondary up/down set of buttons, while a 'use' button remains hidden until you stand next to an interactive object.

Everything about the games presentation feels flawless, from its catchy jazz rhythm to its beautiful cartoonish style that takes a swing at emulating iconic animations of the era. Much like these cartoons the world feels alive despite its predominantly static nature, making it easy on the eye while not not being cluttered or too complex. Of special note the game does a lot to do away with clinical 'menu' screens, opting to allow the player to interact 'behind the scenes' directly (the credits were particularly amusing to play through).

'Trump's journey' is the sort of game that seems to only come around once in a blue moon and while it may not be the 'challenge' based title people have come to expect of the genre, it reminds us that all the elements that make up a game can work in harmony to create something unforgettable.

App Store Info