Spark the Electric Jester

92%
Game Brain Score Based on 811 reviews
  • music
  • gameplay
  • story
Spark the Electric Jester Game Cover
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"Spark the Electric Jester" is a fast-paced 2D platformer game featuring a robot protagonist with electric abilities. Players navigate through levels filled with obstacles, enemies, and boss battles while upgrading Spark's abilities. The game offers a challenging experience with leaderboards and speedrun modes for replayability.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 811 reviews
music192 positive mentions
stability29 negative mentions
  • Engaging gameplay that combines elements of Sonic, Kirby, and Mega Man, offering a unique experience.
  • Fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience and is enjoyable to listen to outside of the game.
  • Well-designed levels with a good mix of speed and platforming challenges, providing a sense of exploration.
  • Technical issues such as frame rate drops and crashes when pausing the game can hinder the experience.
  • Some levels feel overly long and repetitive, which can lead to a drag in pacing.
  • The story and dialogue can be confusing and contain grammatical errors, detracting from the overall narrative experience.
  • music340 mentions

    The music in "Spark the Electric Jester" is universally praised, with many reviewers calling it the standout feature of the game. The soundtrack, composed by a talented team, is described as phenomenal, catchy, and fitting for each level, often evoking comparisons to classic Sonic games. Players frequently express a desire to listen to the soundtrack outside of the game, highlighting its high production quality and memorable tracks.

    • “The music is absolutely top-notch in this game.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing, the gameplay feels fun, and the characters and world are interesting.”
    • “The soundtrack is a masterpiece, with infectious takes on multiple genres.”
    • “The music is worth buying the soundtrack - twice - but the game's a little flawed.”
    • “I'm not sure why, it might be the coloring and resolution of some levels (not helped by the music eventually getting repetitive).”
    • “While soundtrack is indeed polished, the game itself lacks the shine quite noticeably and it extends further than mentioned technical difficulties.”
  • gameplay240 mentions

    The gameplay of "Spark the Electric Jester" is widely praised for its fast-paced, engaging mechanics that blend elements from classic titles like Sonic and Kirby, offering a unique platforming experience with a variety of power-ups and abilities. While the level design is generally well-received for its creativity and diversity, some players noted issues with stage length and occasional technical glitches, such as crashes when pausing the game. Overall, the game is recommended for fans of high-speed platformers, despite some minor flaws that may detract from the experience.

    • “The gameplay is fun, and it encourages weapon swapping a lot.”
    • “Absolutely fantastic for Sonic fans wanting to scratch that classic gameplay itch!”
    • “The gameplay is fast-paced and engaging, the music sets the mood perfectly, the environments are colorful and distinct, and the difficulty is challenging without being headache-inducing.”
    • “In the gameplay, rarely anything changes (yes even with the power-ups).”
    • “There's an unfortunate aspect that the parry mechanic isn't taught to you; there's just a side mention of it having an extended timing window with one of the power-ups (that's how I found out).”
    • “This isn't just annoying, it's completely game-breaking; it makes the game feel unresponsive and bad and makes it exceptionally difficult to properly time parries, a key gameplay mechanic.”
  • story233 mentions

    The story of "Spark the Electric Jester" is generally viewed as simplistic and often nonsensical, with many players noting that it lacks depth and coherence, making it feel secondary to the gameplay. While some appreciate its lighthearted and humorous tone, others find it meandering and forgettable, with significant gaps between story segments that can lead to confusion. Overall, the narrative serves primarily as a backdrop for the platforming action, with mixed opinions on its charm and execution.

    • “Baller soundtrack, charming story and characters.”
    • “With its amazing soundtrack, two unique and enjoyable characters, and a great story, this game is a must-have and one that anyone (especially those who are into platformers like Sonic) should definitely play and check out!”
    • “The story revolves around the titular jester, Spark, although he quickly starts to feel very much like the peanut gallery to the overall ongoing plot happening around him, with a robot uprising and his robot clone Fark, double-crossing all around; he just wants his job back.”
    • “The story is barely a factor and I was often left wondering why or where I was going, until around the last quarter or so of the game where you get a plot dump.”
    • “The story feels like something out of Newgrounds, which is whatever, but it's not exactly compelling.”
    • “The story is meandering and nonsensical and I honestly have no idea what's happening in it, at all.”
  • graphics73 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received largely positive feedback, with many reviewers praising the beautiful 16-bit pixel art, vibrant environments, and character designs that evoke nostalgia for classic platformers like Sonic. While some noted minor technical issues and a few less engaging stages, the overall aesthetic and attention to detail in level design were highlighted as standout features, contributing to an enjoyable visual experience. The combination of charming graphics and a compelling soundtrack enhances the game's appeal, making it a recommended choice for fans of the genre.

    • “This game is dripping with genuine love and adoration for the aesthetics and level design of the Sonic franchise.”
    • “The presentation is simply beautiful, very comparable to Sonic Mania in that regard, with stellar graphics and a soundtrack that goes hard.”
    • “The graphics are fantastic, as is the soundtrack, and the costumes/powers are a fun idea, but the zones just aren't that engaging.”
    • “Due to too many technical problems that have never been patched, later levels having enemy spam akin to Mario Maker levels, occasional seizure-inducing visuals (level 15b in particular), a nonsensical story riddled with typos, and unmemorable zones and bosses, I cannot recommend this game.”
    • “This fast-paced 2D action-platformer is pretty rough though, with low-res graphics, excellent but buggy music that won't loop when reaching the end of the track and a spammy combat system that can be nearly ignored because of unbalanced transformations (hello fire jester) and the character's extensive lifebar.”
    • “It's weird to see the in-game graphics look so competent and then see the poor art pop in when it tells the story.”
  • humor30 mentions

    The humor in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it genuinely funny and capable of eliciting laughs through witty dialogue and amusing character interactions. However, others feel that many jokes fall flat or come off as cringy, with issues like typos and forced humor detracting from the experience. Overall, while the game has its humorous moments and a lighthearted tone, its comedic effectiveness varies significantly among players.

    • “The humor is fun sometimes; it got a good few chuckles out of me.”
    • “Amazing art direction, stellar gameplay, the actually decent story, and that funny rocket cutscene make this the best use of 5 pounds.”
    • “I enjoy this game's sense of humor and the wide variety of ideas it implements.”
    • “Most of the dialogues feel like they were supposed to be funny gags, but they all fell flat.”
    • “I wanted to try to like it, but I don't know why this game is not funny and feels boring to me. Go play Freedom Planet or Sonic; they're much better!”
  • stability29 mentions

    The game is frequently described as buggy and unpolished, with numerous glitches, frame drops, and occasional crashes that detract from the overall experience. Players have reported issues such as non-functional pause menus, controller disconnects, and inventory management bugs, which can lead to frustrating gameplay moments. Despite these technical problems, many still find enjoyment in the game, suggesting that it has potential if the stability issues are addressed.

    • “There are some unfortunate glitches; the controller was a hassle to set up, and the pause menu just straight up did not exist for a particular level.”
    • “Adding insult to injury, for having a Ryzen 5 and a GTX 3060, there were multiple times I experienced frame drops, freezes, and occasional controller disconnects, something I found surprising considering how many years it's been since its release.”
    • “It is a fantastic game, but there are tons of glitches that have or have not been resolved.”
  • replayability27 mentions

    The game is praised for its high replayability, offering a variety of modes, power-ups, and branching paths that encourage experimentation and speedrunning. While some reviews note it may not be as replayable as its sequels, the diverse gameplay and multiple character campaigns provide ample content for players to enjoy. Overall, it strikes a balance with a manageable playtime of 4-6 hours, making it an engaging experience for fans of classic platformers.

    • “From fast-paced gameplay to a wide array of power-ups, and tons of replayability through various modes and challenges, Spark the Electric Jester will not disappoint any fans of classic 90s video games, and is sure to satisfy your nostalgia hunger.”
    • “Spark Tej is not a perfect game by any means, but the sheer fun factor and replayability you get from the huge levels, coupled with power-ups that each have their own strength and use, puts it above so many other platformers for me.”
    • “The fact that there are multiple characters and many different modes makes it so there is a surprising amount of replay value.”
    • “The wide variety of abilities definitely gives this game replayability, and the option for taking different paths in the various levels is also a treat.”
    • “This is where the game loses some replayability.”
  • optimization27 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance issues such as frame drops, crashes, and lag, particularly on modern hardware. While some users have found workarounds through mods, the underlying problems persist, leading to a frustrating experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment. Many reviewers express a desire for a remake or substantial updates to improve performance and fully realize the game's potential.

    • “Would love to see a remake just where things under the hood are optimized better so that the game can truly shine.”
    • “Overall the game is great but I'd like it to be more optimized so that people can enjoy looking at the background while running fast at the speed of sound whenever you have a wind power-up to roll so that you can go fast, to even spam air dash to stay high in the air as possible for fast time on the level.”
    • “8/10 but easily a 9 with just performance fixes.”
    • “But the performance problems still linger on in 2023.”
    • “It has massive, seemingly unexplainable, performance issues that have it running at a constant choppy crawl of less than 20fps.”
    • “The big elephant in the room is that the game's framerate and general performance may or may not be completely abysmal for you based on some totally arcane factors not well understood.”
  • character development10 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by the solid design of the main character, Spark, who showcases a variety of unique power-ups that enhance both abilities and aesthetics. While the overall character and environment designs are praised for their creativity and polish, some reviews note a lack of depth in boss character designs, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite mixed feelings about Spark's design, the engaging dialogue and vibrant pixel art contribute positively to the game's charm.

    • “Spark's character design is solid and is a perfect canvas for the long list of unique power-ups to find that give Spark new abilities and a new look.”
    • “Plus all the character designs from players to enemies and bosses are way more creative and interesting here.”
    • “The game has wonderful environment and character design (even if the pixel art can vary in quality at times), and the music is phenomenal.”
    • “There's a good core of a platforming game character design that is seriously let down by the complete shallowness of the boss designs; it's a real shame.”
    • “I'm not much of a huge fan of Spark's overall character design, but I can deal.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    Players have expressed that the game evokes strong emotions, with some even experiencing tears during pivotal moments, reminiscent of the emotional depth found in titles like Mega Man X. The gameplay mechanics, particularly the unique enemy interactions and power management, contribute to a strategic yet sometimes frustrating experience, enhancing the emotional stakes as players navigate challenges. Overall, the combination of impactful storytelling and engaging combat creates a memorable emotional journey.

    • “It's truly amazing how this game made me feel the same way as I did running through the later stages of Sonic and Knuckles.”
    • “Also, this game made me cry like two times.”
    • “If I were to compare it to a Mega Man game, I'd compare it to Mega Man X; a surprisingly emotional story, with much more emotional ones to come, and deep, satisfying combat.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with long levels and poor power-up balancing contributing to a frustrating experience. While some power-ups are enjoyable, the overall design leads to a significant difficulty spike and a lack of engaging gameplay, particularly in later stages. The grind for challenges can feel excessive, detracting from the fun and making the game feel more like a chore.

    • “The power-ups are a nice gimmick that isn't too tedious and fun to master, even if a few of them are not great.”
    • “Bosses aren't as tedious as in previous installments.”
    • “The repetitive game design, the poor balancing in the power-ups, the levels going on so long that they stop being fun and start being tedious, the immense difficulty spike in the level design in stage 15 (as opposed to the game difficulty progressively ramping up over time), the final stage being just absolutely anti-climactic, the levels in general being just forgettable overall, the list goes on.”
    • “I spent a huge amount of time grinding out the hours of challenges this game threw at me.”
    • “It does, however, get very tedious if you happen to not have any good offensive powers on you, which can sometimes manage to happen if you're unlucky enough.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its well-designed levels that create a diverse and immersive experience, blending calm melodies with energetic beats. Players appreciate the variety in environments, from vibrant, neon-lit parks to intense, action-packed settings, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

    • “The OST offers a lot of variety, mixing calm atmospheric melodies with fast-strung guitar action and groovy techno funk.”
    • “The levels are well built, with a good atmosphere in design and feel, and they also complement sparks' different abilities well.”
    • “In my favorite level, Technology Tree Zone, you experience a paradise similar to Chemical Plant, but without the metropolitan atmosphere, resembling a soothing walk in the park filled with neon lights.”
    • “My biggest complaint with the game is in two key areas: combat and atmosphere.”
    • “In one level you'll find yourself getting quite hyper off of sugar, serving as a speed boost to get you to new heights, in another level you'll find yourself with a fire shield, allowing you to swim through molten lava with ease, and my favorite level, technology tree zone, this takes you to a paradise, much like chemical plant, but without the metropolitan atmosphere, and more comparable to a soothing walk in the park filled with neon lights.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is subtly integrated, with a noticeable emphasis on environmental assets dedicated to advertising, which some players find distracting. This focus on advertising seems to overshadow other elements, such as the game's narrative and world-building.

    • “Where so little is talked about, there are some aspects that catch my eye while playing the game, namely the amount of environmental assets dedicated to advertising.”
    • “Advertising and weathering the sand for far longer than any building, despite the collapse of that settlement, it outlasted everything.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

2hMedian play time
2hAverage play time
2-2hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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