No matter if MMORPG, shooter or beat ’em up, jumping is one of the core mechanics in many games and even established a whole genre. But what was the first game in which one could jump?
Hardly any mechanic is as important across genres and used so versatilely as jumping. We jump in shooters, in MMORPGs, in beat ’em ups, and even in some sports games.
Jumping is not only used in different titles to overcome obstacles or similar but is also often a significant part of movement in battles against AI or even against other players.
But the fact that we can jump in video games today is thanks to a cartoon hero that probably most of you know.
A gorilla revolutionizes gaming
What was the first game in which one could jump? The internet has been in agreement for years that Donkey Kong from 1981 was the first game in which one could really jump. But was it also the first game that had a jumping mechanic?
Donkey Kong is, alongside Super Mario, Pikachu, Crash Bandicoot, and Zelda, one of the biggest icons in video game history and to this day one of the most successful arcade games. On the journey to help a young woman in distress, the player must climb different levels of the obstacle course and jump over barrels that Donkey Kong throws at us, which then roll along the play area.
When it comes to pure jumping, that is the movement where one pushes off the ground with their legs, Steeplechase is the first game in which one could jump.
Steeplechase is a game that was released on Atari in 1975. However, in Steeplechase, you can neither jump freely nor determine the direction. You race along a straight horse racing track as if on rails and press the button that triggers the jump.
Which game had a greater influence on today’s jumping? In Donkey Kong, jumping is more elaborated. It is no longer just a button press; it feels like a real mechanic. We jump in different directions and use the motion to master the level.
The influence of the iconic gorilla on the jumping mechanic can therefore be considered greater than that of Steeplechase – at least when we look at subsequent titles such as Super Mario Bros. or Crash Bandicoot.
But even though it is significantly limited in executing a jump, Steeplechase still deserves mention among the games that established jumping in the world of video games. Which title was ultimately more decisive for jumping remains uncertain.
For anyone wanting to get nostalgic and watch “Donkey Kong” gameplay, we embed a video from the YouTube channel Carls493. The version shown there is an emulation of the game from Japanese arcade machines.
Jumping evolves further and establishes a whole genre
Which genre emerged through jumping? The world of video games offers a wide variety of different genres. Many are influenced by the jumping mechanic, but one relies on it: the “Jump ‘n’ Run” games.
In “Jump ‘n’ Run” games, you have to do exactly what the title implies – jump and run. Particularly, one game emerged within this genre and established the most well-known franchise in the video game industry: the “Super Mario” franchise originated around Super Mario Bros.
The legendary platformer Super Mario Bros. was released in 1985 and took jumping in video games to a whole new level. Not only that: Super Mario began its journey there and went on to become the protagonist of numerous games.
Lost Ark, Rainbow Six and Co. – Games that do without jumping
Which games do without jumping? Some of the biggest games in the world use the jumping mechanic that is favored by players and sometimes used excessively. This includes huge shooter franchises such as Call of Duty and Battlefield, but also MMORPGs like World of Warcraft and beat ’em ups such as Street Fighter. But there are also examples of successful games that completely dispense with jumping.
Among the MMORPGs, Lost Ark is probably currently the largest game in which players cannot jump. The same goes for Diablo Immortal.
But there is also a long-standing successful spin-off among shooters in which no jumping mechanic has been built: Rainbow Six Siege.
Ubisoft’s tactical shooter allows you to jump over objects and even pull yourself up onto a roof by rope, but you cannot stand in an open area and simply bounce into the air or jump forward when there is no obstacle nearby.
What do you think about the jumping mechanic in games? Do you think shooters like CoD or MMORPGs like WoW could do without jumping, as you consider it unnecessary, or is jumping a mechanic that you do not want to miss?
If you’re interested in more interesting trivia about gaming and technology, MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann tells you where the mouse on the PC actually got its name.
