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Giant Bomb Review

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Jungler Review

2
  • XBGS

Jungler's mix of shooting, snakes, and mazes gives you just enough variety to make Game Room's challenge system worthwhile.


 Who jungles the jungler?
 Who jungles the jungler?
Konami's Jungler is part maze game and part shooter, like some sort of weird mix of Exidy's Targ, Pac-Man, and Atari's Surround. But I'll stop loading you down with dumb references to other games you've probably never heard of. That's the key thing about Jungler: you've probably never seen it before. In a world where the same 25 arcade "classics" get released every few years, it's nice to have a little fresh blood on the scene. Microsoft's Game Room has set the stage for Jungler to see a fresh, digital release and it's a decent addition.

Jungler has its moments, but it's definitely not terrific. You play as a snake-looking "ship" that moves around a maze. There are up to four other snake/ships in the maze, as well, and you can fire shots at the enemy ships' tails to reduce their size. If a snake is smaller than yours, it turns green and can be eaten. If it's red, a head-to-head collision will kill you. You'll get the most points by shooting down the enemy snakes until there's nothing left, rather than eating them once they're short enough. Fruit occasionally appears in the maze, as well, which adds a segment to your snake when eaten. Once you've cleared enough snakes, the level ends and the game moves forward to the next level. There are multiple mazes.

Jungler fits into the Game Room challenge and leaderboard system pretty well. Like most arcade games of its era, it's a very score-focused game, and it gets tough after a few levels, giving you plenty of opportunities to set up late-game survival challenges that are actually challenging. But the simplistic nature of the game--and I'm talking about its simplicity compared to other Game Room releases here--makes it fall flat a little sooner than some of the other available games.

If you've managed to start a cult of hardcore Jungalos and you know you'll get a lot of hot and heavy challenge action out of them, Jungler's definitely worthwhile. But on its own, the game's appeal can be pretty short-lived.
Jeff Gerstmann on Google+

101 Comments

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AlcibiadesRex

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Just catching up on some classics. Hello from 2018!

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danpat177

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Edited By danpat177
@GalacticPunt said:
" WHOSE RESPONSIBLE THIS?  The Jungalo Ninjas are comin' for ya G-Man!  Protect ya neck!!! "
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megalowho

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Edited By megalowho

So good that there's always going to be an official review for Jungler on this site.

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gnarlycore

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Edited By gnarlycore

Love that a legit Jungler review has been posted by Jeff.  Bummer about the 2 stars though....

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lamegame621

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Edited By lamegame621

Latest review in history?

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MrSpaceMan

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Edited By MrSpaceMan

jungler!

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DukeTogo

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Edited By DukeTogo

The mention of Targ gets 5 stars.

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spacekatgal

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Edited By spacekatgal

Jungler is my favorite game ever! Gods, it's so awesome! 

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confideration

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Edited By confideration

I bet this would look better on the PS3

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Yasihiko

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Edited By Yasihiko

Keeping it real with some real Jungler action.  Wicked awesome.

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Two

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Edited By Two

Jungler. That is all.

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MrKlorox

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Edited By MrKlorox

So this game ain't for the fly-by-night Jungahoes?

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TwoOneFive

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Edited By TwoOneFive

Amazing review Jeff. I'm in fucking tears right now. 

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zanzibarbreeze

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Edited By zanzibarbreeze

Graphics 10
Story 10
Gameplay 10 
Sound 10
Lasting Appeal 10
 
Good game confirmed

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Termite

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Edited By Termite

Watch out Jeff, that fellow on the box-art might shoot off your tail and ram you if you keep talkin' like that.

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artofwar420

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Edited By artofwar420

The future is now and GB is at the forefront.

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Andorski

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Edited By Andorski

Other gaming websites have yet to review this game for some reason.  I've been thinking about picking it up, but I wanted to get some opinions on it first.  Thank you, Giant Bomb, for fulfilling that need and reviewing this game.  I can now make a decision on whether I will buy this game or not.

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Levio

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Edited By Levio

Sometimes I wake up in the morning and cry, because I know there will never be a greater game than Jungler.

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LordAndrew

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Edited By LordAndrew
@Meptron said:
" lol at these responses... half these nerds have only even heard of the game because Jeff brought it up on the podcast, now the truth comes out and they get all butthurt because they commited to the bandwagon too hard. "
I actually played the demo, and I should hope most other people did the same. I liked it. It's better than some of the other games I played in Game Room. I would have bought it if I wasn't broke, because I think it's a legitimately decent game.
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SleepyDoughnut

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Edited By SleepyDoughnut

Aaaahhhh make the box art go away!!!

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Claude

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Edited By Claude

I haven't played the game and didn't read the review. I just wanted to get in on the fun of hatin'. 
 
Hey Jeff what kind of car do you drive? 
 
Must be a 6000 SUX because you sux. 
 
  
   
 
 
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stinky

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Edited By stinky

a sneaky snake game that has caterpillars. 
 
didnt anyone realize that when making that poster?

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Getz

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Edited By Getz

I laughed so hard at Jungalos.

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TheHT

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Edited By TheHT
@Lambert said:
" I don't get how you guys are going to review these old ass games with the same score system you give other retail games on the site.   I guess people will have more fun with this game than Final Fantasy 13, I guess. "
Well, if people used their noggins they'd see that comparing this and Final Fantasy 13 just because the same site reviewed them is about as dumb a comparison you could make.
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monster9999

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Edited By monster9999

Awwww ya and the reviews begin

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deadmonkeys

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Edited By deadmonkeys

 Jungler better than Tony Hawk RIDE. Film at 11.

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buzz_killington

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Edited By buzz_killington

yo jeff, don't u b dissin ma gaem dawg
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Lambert

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Edited By Lambert

I don't get how you guys are going to review these old ass games with the same score system you give other retail games on the site.
 
I guess people will have more fun with this game than Final Fantasy 13, I guess.

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Sil3n7

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Edited By Sil3n7

 Jungalos represent!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Capum15

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Edited By Capum15

Rofl.

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Stinkins

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Edited By Stinkins

Jungalos baby!  The GB staff come up with some funny-ass inside jokes.  Brad needs to work "banana mouth" into one of his reviews.
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meptron

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Edited By meptron

lol at these responses... half these nerds have only even heard of the game because Jeff brought it up on the podcast, now the truth comes out and they get all butthurt because they commited to the bandwagon too hard.

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Belonpopo

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Edited By Belonpopo

'bout damn time.

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cowswithguns

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Edited By cowswithguns

Jeff you were talkin this game up like crazy on the podcast.  I'm really disappointed with the score. lol

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deactivated-5e49e9175da37

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Jeff Gerstmann, you used to keep it hood.  Now me and the Jungalos are gonna have to shoot off your tail and ram you.

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ajamafalous

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Edited By ajamafalous

That box art is terrifying.

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Dustpan

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Edited By Dustpan

I didn't see one Jungle in this game. Disappointing.

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ahoodedfigure

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Edited By ahoodedfigure

I had never even heard of this game before the quick-look.  Blew my damn mind.

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Erkenbrand

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Edited By Erkenbrand
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Brunchies

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Edited By Brunchies

THIS IS GAME OF THE YEAR, how dare you Jeff Gerstmann! 

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august

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Edited By august

And thus the jungalo/giant bomb beef was born.

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damnboyadvance

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Edited By damnboyadvance

The graphics suck! It doesn't even deserve 1 star!

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landon

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Edited By landon

This review is a joke. Jeff, I thought you was a Jungalo. You shame us. First it was 8.8 Twilight Princess now its this.

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heat

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Edited By heat

This is a 5 star game GOD DAMN IT!

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GalacticPunt

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Edited By GalacticPunt

WHOSE RESPONSIBLE THIS?
 
The Jungalo Ninjas are comin' for ya G-Man!  Protect ya neck!!!

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ScottishGamer

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Edited By ScottishGamer

HAHA! Been waiting for this review... soooo .... definitely up for game of the year then!?  
 
Nice Work Jeff :)

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Shaolin_Munkeh

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Edited By Shaolin_Munkeh

Even Jeff agrees that Jungler is bad.

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KowalskiManDown

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Edited By KowalskiManDown

JUNGLER!!!!!

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deactivated-6418ef3727cdd

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Whiskey Media is going to fire Jeff for giving Jungler a bad review.

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TheBigBopper

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Edited By TheBigBopper
@Schizoid said:
" It's Kane & Lynch all over again. "
awesome