Which Version of Bomb Jack Did I Rank No.1?

[@JustJamie1983]

More Arcade Port Rankings Here: kzbin.info/aero/PLJVdlhzi-kR9pLkunb1GD7Orc8zLw8VrH Please consider supporting my work: paypal.com/paypalme/justjamie1983

[@Franklin.Ellesmere]

I'm loving all the game port videos. Thanks very much Just Jamie 👍

[@JustJamie1983]

Glad you like them!

[@mikedanger2500]

I got the Atari ST power pack for Christmas in 1989, which included Bomb Jack, it was one of my favourite games. This brought back some memories. 😊

[@JustJamie1983]

Haha, it's was a great port. You got lucky.

[@colinbrydon7659]

Me too. Best Xmas ever when I was 15.

[@JoanOrfila]

Oh yeah, me too! When I discovered that Bomb Jack in my ST Power Pack it was a blast! My favourite game in that pack (2nd place for Xenon and Nebulus).

[@jthorpe4droid]

I spent so many hours playing the ZX version in the 80s.

[@JustJamie1983]

Superb port 😀

[@ezedjay]

Yes - my go to is the Speccy version for sure. Love it.

[@markharrison2315]

Looking back as a 52 year old gamer, back in the 1980s I was astounded by the speccy conversion. At the time I was blown away by how close to the arcade machine it was.

[@jd3d_cgi]

I loved the ST version, I wouldn't have said Bombjack would be my ideal game but it came in the ST Power Pack and I got addicted. Even now 36 years later I flinch when I see your videos because I learned the patterns of where the fused bombs are and have memorised the whole game... strange that those muscle memories are so deep.

[@Chris-HC]

Was very impressed when I got this for the 464 , if you collect the boms in the order they are lit you get a bigger bonus at the end of the stage... Good one this J

[@chrisspires9302]

Would love a review on Rick Dangerous...loved it back in the day

[@JustJamie1983]

Would love to but I have more Arcade games to bet through.

[@andyj34]

I'd played the Atari ST version not knowing it was based on an arcade game. Really good fun that I remember

[@Daniel189HLL]

C64 version had a Jean Michel Jarre tune for the music!

[@DetectiveAgent_DarkNut]

@@Daniel189HLL I'm a spec head...but man, those Hubbard tracks etc...the Ocean Loaders, Crazy Comets...the SID chip is a thing of beauty.

[@mortimore4030]

@@DetectiveAgent_DarkNut I've never liked the SID chip. It's too nasal and (for want of a better term) farty sounding.

[@DetectiveAgent_DarkNut]

@@mortimore4030 whhhha!!!! It was like surround sound compared to the 1 channel zx chip. That was truly the fartiest sound, ever. Like an old man's guff

[@reinhard3209]

Thanks for the video. 🙏👍Bomb Jack was my first game on the C64 back then together with Paperboy (what about a video about Paperboy-ports? 😉). I played BJ really a lot in those days and still like it today. The title music is such a great tune. About two years ago i gave the speccy port a try and i must admit that the playability of this version is really better. The CPC shines on this game because it requires no scrolling! 🤣

[@JustJamie1983]

My pleasure my friend. A classic for sure 👌

[@mjfeder]

Yay. I love this game so much I played in the arcade and on my speccy. I dug it out on my 48k machine last week and scored 100,000

[@JustJamie1983]

That's awesome!

[@shoveitman2662]

Spectrum royalty no question.

[@EpicLebaneseNerd]

Honestly i am so glad to have found this channel, also i played the gameboy version as a kid, i just need to say it, not a huge fan of the game, it didn't click with me back then, but it is a good game and i know a lot of people love it.

[@JustJamie1983]

Yup, I am kinda similar. I can take it or leave it. But I know it has a huge fan base.

[@KW-oe4lq]

The Gameboy version is my favorite. Even though the music isnt entirely faithful, I just love the way it sounds.

[@robbrownsell5581]

Worth pointing out that the ST version also supports midi and the Roland MT32 which makes the sound even better imo

[@JustJamie1983]

Ah, that'll be why.

[@figureheaduk]

That's "Magnetic Fields (Part 2)" by Jean-Michel Jarre playing on the C64 version...

[@CountScarlioni]

I heard that and was confused for a moment! I remember the game ripping off the Beatles, but not Jarre. Was it always on the game or was it a bit of piracy unique to the C64 version!?

[@figureheaduk]

@CountScarlioni I seem to remember a train-based C64 game that used JMJ's "Equinoxe IV", and a few Ocean games that used other Jarre tunes as loader music - I'm sure there was one that used the end section of "Magnetic Fields pt 1" and another that used pt 4 of the same album. Don't know if they were used under any sort of agreement though...

[@Holammer]

Lots of surprises in this one, Amstrad ahead of C64. Atari schooling the Amiga. SG1000 coming out with a steel chair.

[@crusader77_retro]

I love the CPC version, I played it a lot back in the day. There is a version for MSX 2 by Kralizec that is wonderful!

[@JustJamie1983]

Yup, its a after market release which i will cover in my sub series at some point.

[@tristanfletcher6621]

I used to play this for hours on my 48k Spectrum, even my dad loved playing it! I remember purchasing it from local computer shop “Capricorn Computers” in Olton, SolihullI, used to love how the Spectrum sound effects would get more and more distorted the busier the screen got. I also remember the massive disappointment when we got Bombjack 2 and found it was nothing like the original

[@CountScarlioni]

Great vid as always! ST version is a much deserved winner here, and I say that as a former Amiga kid! I remember playing it on the Game Boy as well which is a legit good port of the game but let down a lot by the hardware. The LCD smearing on it could be murderous, causing enemies to be borderline invisible.

[@davidbermudez7704]

Now the first time I played Bomb Jack was on NES port called Mighty Bomb Jack in the 80s. First I rented Mighty Bomb Jack at a video store one Friday evening and played it until I had to return the game. But it was difficult for me to beat! Later on, my late father took me and my older sister to the mall to buy toys at KayBees toy store and that’s when I saw Mighty Bomb Jack. When I got home I played the game for a long time until I went to sleep or beat the game. (It was Saturday afternoon so I stopped Sunday at 6 am) Great times growing up 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@JustJamie1983]

Ah right. Mighty Bomb Jack is great but to my knowledge was never an arcade game. Just a sequel released outside of the arcade.

[@joebristowtechnologicalbre2073]

Freaky, was just playing my bomb jack arcade machine earlier and whistling lady madonna!!

[@JustJamie1983]

Haha, classic, I was actually watching a Beatles tribute the other night - awesome stuff :)

[@glennshoemake4200]

Finally the Atari ST won at something 😊. I had the Atari 8 bit and was a huge fan but when I lived in Germany in 1990, everyone had an Amiga 500, so I bought one of those and never experienced the ST.

[@retroluzzer]

I wouldn't rank C64 so low. When you grew up with and learned to master this particular version, all the others feel "wrong" somehow. ;) Maybe you can include the inofficial port for Atari XL/XE in your next homebrew ports video, that one is really good.

[@JustJamie1983]

Noted 😀

[@Heaven-dy9lj]

yeah its a shame coders only got to understand and program the Atari xl yrs after the 80's 😔

[@retroluzzer]

@@Heaven-dy9lj That''s a different story... Bomb Jack on the A8 requires 320KB RAM and I wonder why. I could only test it recently because I decided to upgrade my 800XL.

[@Heaven-dy9lj]

@@retroluzzer yes Bomjack is massive, but many of the amazing recent homebrews only require 64k or 128k standard computers, albeit on cartridge. Space Harrier for instance.

[@JustJamie1983]

Hey, yes. It will be included. I am working on the next video hopefully releasing tomorrow. I have had the lurgy.

[@LivyathanAD]

One of my all time favourite arcade games.

[@JustJamie1983]

Absolutely classic material 😀

[@DetectiveAgent_DarkNut]

Speccy lad! Couldn't afford the 16 bit machines, went round my mates to play ST and Amiga...loved Bombjack on the ST as well, good choice mucker!

[@JustJamie1983]

Nice one!

[@saturnman9129]

Speccy version was a joy to play , the new 128k AY music version is awesome

[@JustJamie1983]

Certianly is 😀

[@sirtonymayo1468]

I loved this in the arcade and then on my amstrad cpc464 then later on my amiga 500

[@matthewlukeman7092]

The Spectrum version I remember being so much better than the C64 version which was down right awful. The music off the C64 version is very much sounding like Magnetic Fields Part 2 by Jean-Michel Jarre.

[@JustJamie1983]

yup, wasn't particulary much to boost about. C64 could have done a hell of a lot better.

[@davidjames5043]

Awesome video, Super hang on next please.

[@JustJamie1983]

Hey, thanks, Hang on will be coming at some point. Stay tuned.

[@neothedog5769]

i can indeed confirm that as someone who only had a green screen monitor, seeing it jump out in such vibrant colours is indeed annoying

[@Cyberbrickmaster1986]

The homebrew Beer edition on the Commodore Amiga beats them all!

[@WarrentheGunner]

How about Power Drift next from Sega I believe. 👍🏼

[@ronm6585]

Thanks Jamie.

[@JustJamie1983]

My pleasure!

[@franckyrocky]

One of my first games on my Amstrad CPC. A good conversion. It was a lot of fun to play.

[@JustJamie1983]

A very nice release for the CPC.

[@IanWitts]

Great series, thank you! Random question, but is there a problem with your emulators / general setup? Controller issues, Amiga playing too fast (on several games now), ST playing too slow, etc. I’m surprised the Amstrad version was above the Speccy. It was colourful, but (imho) it was much more fun / playable on the Spectrum. Nice that everyone has their own opinion though without aggro! 😊

[@JustJamie1983]

Hey, no issues with Amiga emulators. I have done many guides for Amiga in the past this review which I reccomend for AmiKit. kzbin.info/www/bejne/raPThYZmZ56noZo

[@zaklyons2373]

Yay I had the amstrad version , it was very good though at th time I had a green screen😊

[@KasumiRINA]

3:36 WDYM, these colors are absolutely perfect, patriotic! And green for our support of Free Syria.

[@adamphillip5305]

My favourite version other than the arcade was the mobile phone version in the early 00's

[@JustJamie1983]

Yup

[@NorthWay_no]

Still hoping the new C= 64 version will come out as it looks proper!

[@Edgel-in6bs]

Pretty fair. The c16 was a fair effoet all things considered!

[@shadowside8433]

Working with limited tools. Didn't say much for the +4 capabilities.

[@delsarcade]

I finally scored over 1 million yesterday in the Arcade version of Bomb Jack. I own 3 PCBs. It is a top 10 for me. Arcade version IMHO is the greatest one. Period.

[@JustJamie1983]

of course, its a great game for its time.

[@dlads79]

Never had this game on anything, i always saw it but never bought it, i was just into others. Got it on MAME, will maybe give it a go, i'm still tweaking this CRT to get 240p and it's killing me, TV just wants to sit in 640p constantly. Anyway, good video as always buddy

[@shadowside8433]

I really liked it on the Spectrum- it played really well. Does it hold up today? Only someone with no preconditions could tell us!

[@LuluManager2]

I played the ATARI ST 🥰

[@willrobinson7599]

Wow i guessed bomb jack . Great game on most systems

[@JustJamie1983]

Absolutely.

[@ninjaalex-yf5io]

Amstrad CPC should have ranked number #1, looks better than Atari ST and Amiga and plays much better.

[@MySamurai77]

There is a version of this for the MSX 2 by Kralizec it's by far the best version ever made.

[@JustJamie1983]

Yup. That's an after market. Will likely be covered in the sub series i do.

[@ncf1]

I loved this on the C64.. but this was a case where I had yet to play the arcade version. And of course when you do its night and day. But its funny, it looks now a rather poor conversion but at the time I loved it as a kid. But what a cracking, classic arcade game it is.

[@JustJamie1983]

Yup. Definitely not the best.

[@TheLemminkainen]

Amiga beer edition,MSX2 Bombjack and C64 Bombjack DX fixed bad orginals. MSX1 port is really similar to counterpart SEGA SG-X port

[@JustJamie1983]

Yes, will be covered in my sub series.

[@retroluzzer]

@@JustJamie1983 If only Bomb Jack DX for C64 will ever be released.... this is a running gag for almost a decade now.

[@DEVILTAZ35]

Thankfully there is a new version for the Amiga to replace the awful arcade conversion back in the day 🙂 I cannot believe how badly they messed it up.

[@JustJamie1983]

Yup. It's in my sub series for unofficial ports.

[@V3ntilator]

I played this for many hours. Commodore 64 had the best music, but i prefer arcade version perhaps for the gameplay.

[@JustJamie1983]

Yeah, arcade versions will 99% be the best.

[@V3ntilator]

@@JustJamie1983 Yep. As good as all computer versions were usually downgraded from Arcade. Arcade always had that special feeling too missing on home games in general.

[@Daniel189HLL]

Originally by Tekhan. C64 was terrible but it's available on ps4 via arcade archives in Japan and the US only unfortunately. I'm gutted, I loved this game.

[@JustJamie1983]

Yes originally.

[@robsmall6466]

Bomb Jack is an all time classic on Amstrad. Just missing the diagonal jump ( so I have read ). I wasn't a big fan of the sequel. A new version coded in New Zealand is on it's way to the Amstrad soon

[@alanharrison2726]

Where is the Master System homebrew port Jamie ?

[@JustJamie1983]

You are watching a completely different series so that's why it's not here Alan.

[@alanharrison2726]

@JustJamie1983 Was it you who covered the port ? Yes think it was your video's i was going through.! Didn't know it existed on homebrew on MS ! Looked a good port !

[@spartan.falbion2761]

I had the speccy version. It used to be one of my favourites. I don't know how good I was at the time, but I just can't get the hang of this game now. The overpowered jumping does not feel right!

[@JustJamie1983]

Yup, i can see what you are saying.

[@Nockalates]

You have to press fire again to make him hover. It improves the game massively and you don’t seem to realise it does that when you play it in ypur video. Its key to the game. You dont just jump around!!!!! if you repeatedly tap fire you can collect at lot more bombs and its wayyyyy more fun. I think you should review it again. The speccy game is brilliant BUT YOU HAVE TO HOVER!!!!! It does it in alllll versions. There is no way you will get a super high score if you don’t learn to hover and mover very slowly laterally. Try it.

[@consty715]

Before watching this the spectrum better be higher than the poxy c64 version 😂

[@consty715]

Well done👍

[@JustJamie1983]

Haha, I aim to please :)

[@beagsx3]

And I was one of those green screen CPC users 😄

[@JustJamie1983]

Ah, you loved it once.

[@KasumiRINA]

Is this the "violent 80s arcade game" the community post comments predicted? xD

[@JustJamie1983]

Absolutely, Bomb Jack is savage lol

[@KasumiRINA]

@@JustJamie1983 The three big games scaring parents worldwide: Mortal Kombat, Doom, and... Bomb Jack! xD

[@Markr7855]

MSx2 version?

[@JustJamie1983]

After market release.

[@AnachronyX]

Why was my comment about 8-bit Atari version deleted? Strange...

[@JustJamie1983]

No links allowed.

[@pjcnet]

They did an excellent job on the Atari ST using it's Yamaha YM2149 sound chip which was well inferior to even the C64 SID chip, but there's absolutely no excuse for the Amiga version not to be at least as good with far superior sound that could pump out even digital 4 channel stereo music. Also not sure why the Amiga version ran so slow, even using an ST port it would only run slightly slower, but it's much slower, makes no sense and there's no way Bomb Jack should even start to push an Amiga using hardware sprites / the Blitter, it's like they just set the speed badly wrong and it could perhaps be fixed with a hack.

[@ginesgarrido9219]

PC88 version is awful.

[@LevelUpWithJeffrey]

Says Atari ST plays really well when a little before saying the controller failed to its job and research said its the controller.. Really? 😂 Kidding. I like the C64 version because I grew up with it and the Arcade version of course holds a soft spot, but I had a lot of fun with a modern release on the ZX Spectrum Next and it was coded in basic of all things even.. Crazy stuff!

[@bowplane]

Surprise you not mention the original Xbox version (Compilation Tecmo arcade classics)with lady Madonna music being replaced because of copyright issues!

[@JustJamie1983]

was that an emulated port?

[@bowplane]

@ I don’t think so I put a KZbin link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJzao6aupaaifZosi=9XQ_WWQ4oLpeONfq

[@JustJamie1983]

I can't find any background info on it. I am guessing it's a direct arcade emulation-based version. I could be wrong though.

[@marknorville9611]

Shock horror, another violent game, bombs and a terrorist, all the while killing innocent creatures ;) One of my favourite games in the arcades, and I would have to go for the speccy simply for memories sake. The Atari ST back in the day was like the VHS and Betamax war against the Amiga. The ST was the better computer and the sound chip was used by professional musicians, however the Amiga won the race. I had the pleasure of using both computers, but I was an Amiga man simply because all my mates had Amiga's as well.

[@djhaynes99]

The Amiga was better, people only used the ST for music because it had MIDI.

[@seraphinberktold7087]

Gameplay may be okay but otherwise I severely disagree with the 2nd and 3rd rank. I would put them firmly behind the C64 version. Just my thoughts though...😉

[@JustJamie1983]

Thanks for your feedback.

[@ZXFrankie]

ZX Spectrum only at seventh, seriously? 😂

[@shoveitman2662]

Tricky one to grade. None of the conversions really got it all right - even the ST had great music but other issues. It's still way better than the sequel.

[@JustJamie1983]

Yup, some of these ports could be tricky to rank like this one was.

[@fatbelly2438]

why is the amstrad games always way to colourful

[@JustJamie1983]

Depends which mode the developer used. I agree though. Some can be a little too bright.

[@twankistevenson3884]

had BombJack 1 & 2 on the speccy 128 so when I had the chance to grab BombJack for the C64 as well I leapt at it (actual purchase too not on a "completely legitimate compilation tape honest (TM) " and oh dear.... Sprites were way too big and made playing it outlandishly hard. Was a huge disappointment

[@JustJamie1983]

Exactly what I thought. Very disappointing.

[@psprog]

I much preferred Bombo on the C64, mainly for the amazing Ben Daglish soundtrack...

[@JustJamie1983]

Ah, Bombo. I remember that one.

[@CountScarlioni]

Oh bloody hell, that's a memory that's been buried in my head for 35 years! Wow! Gonna go find a YT vid of it now and re-listen the music!

[@mortimore4030]

The Atari ST version had better music. The C64 sounds nasal and farty compared.

[@psprog]

@mortimore4030 I'll have to check it out!.I love the rich bass.. One of the biggest disappointments of switching from the C64 to ST was the worse sound and scrolling (we were duped by Goldrunner which was perfect and faster than anything we'd seen on the C64)

[@ivarfiske1913]

It's a little bit funny this feeling inside when 64 user cry about their marvelous SID music but wants to die (because of lack of gameplay) I want my MTV and 50 000 bonus points for every level and would rank the Spectrum and Amstrad higher. Can anybody find me somebody that knows how to play Bomb Jack and at least can get a high score of 400 000

[@JustJamie1983]

Naa, not really, because crying over a better version of a 41 year old game, or any game for the matter is strange.

[@SpaceFractal-g2o]

if you ask me, im have allways fell Amiga and Atari is crap. Graphics might looks nice, but rest feels wrong. Amiga even got a direct slow Atari ST port. Im newer liked the sound either in that version. I So clearly the worst of them all for me (also personly meant). There also presenst a Amiga homebrew port that is 1000% better than the official crap called beer edition and you see why. Im have not played Amstrad version (im should do really), but im do like how its is done here. Much much better effort like above, and looks fast and fun. SFX is fun too. This is how a good Spectrum to Amsttrad port should been. For me the best version is for GameBoy. IM allways loved the cool music in that game and plays and also blow out the Amiga/Atari out of the water. Yep im had that game as original of the 4 games im have for it. Music is lovable for that game.

[@JustJamie1983]

The problem is with arcade ports is that many really were rushed to earn a quick buck. The Amiga and ST are much better with exclusives - where people didn't have stupid deadlines. Lion Heart on Amiga for example or Ruff N Tumble, absolute console perfect in every way.

[@SpaceFractal-g2o]

@@JustJamie1983 im actuelly diddent like Lion Heart, dispite the graphics is so nice. But that is absolutte totally taste in mind. Nothing else. Same could been saw with Shadow of the Beast. which im liked. Im do still feel the 8 bit ports is much better than the crappy 16 bit port you sat as the winner. hihi. But its a personal taste. There is some good ports of course when done right. This is not one of them.

[@JustJamie1983]

@SpaceFractal-g2o that's cool 😎

[@drewsie007]

You rated the NEC version higher because it sounds better? Eh??? Gameplay looks slow and jerky and to be fair doesn’t look that great. Sorry, just my opinion.

[@JustJamie1983]

And you are welcome to have an opinion..we are democratic here.

[@Evilkingus]

Your ranking is way off. The PC-8800 is unplayably jerky, the Amstrad version is waaaay too slow. C64 should be ranked much higher.

[@JustJamie1983]

No, its not way off, thats my own views.

[@Daniel189HLL]

C64 version was turd fella

[@Speccymemories]

Jamie: My favourite milk shake is banana Comments guy: you are wrong! It’s chocolate!

[@darthnagus5457]

​@@SpeccymemoriesI take my Milkshake shaken not stired

[@SeanONeill-ef5vb]

@@Daniel189HLL not to me it wasn’t

[@CraigGrannell]

Amazed to see people defending the trash C64 conversion. I hated it at the time. The sprites are far too large and it ruins the game.

[@JustJamie1983]

Each to their own. I try not to let nostalgia get in the way.

[@lunarvvolf9606]

Fairly sure this came about due to the homebrews video but hey giving coverage to those micro computers someone has to do it.🤣

[@JustJamie1983]

Micro computers is my preference over consoles. This one has been requested loads in the past and just got around to it.

[@lunarvvolf9606]

@@JustJamie1983 I'm enjoying the peep show into something not very common here. But back in the day those early 80s arcades did have one console that seems to outshine most give the Colecovision a try with Tapper or Zaxxon another being Gorf.

[@lunarvvolf9606]

@@JustJamie1983 Its an interesting window into what it must have been like in Europe with the micros glad they're getting some love I think largely the reason micros never got a foothold here is because the video game industry crash of 1983-1984 that claimed the life of Colecovision as a competitor in the console market a system that had more to give if it had the chance..

[@owenjnelson-fb9mg]

ZX Speccy version all the way! I always thought that Sega version was one of the worst looking video games ever!! Although the CBM versions are a close contender. I prefer speccy version over the arcade, although I am biased having played the speccy version since I was 7 years old!!