Even though the jumping puzzles have been included since the release in Guild Wars 2, they remain a highlight for our author Alexander Leitsch to this day. Years later, he still visits them frequently and still struggles with some of them.
What are jumping puzzles? In Guild Wars 2, there are locations in many areas that are somewhat hidden or at a higher elevation. I can only reach them by following a specific path in a parkour style.
However, since the MMORPG does not have a climbing mechanic, I have to jump from tree to tree or from rock ledge to rock ledge in the mountains.
Jumping puzzles come in all shapes and lengths and even exist in the PvP areas.
Why do they fascinate me? Jumping puzzles, or in English Jumping Puzzles, are content from Guild Wars 2 that has fascinated me for years. The cool thing about it is that
- I can usually complete the puzzles alone and without the help of other players. They are therefore an ideal pastime while I wait for a group or a meta event.
- often, there are achievements and small reward chests waiting at the end.
- I often encounter panoramas within a puzzle. These are locations that activate a video sequence with a camera flight through the surroundings when interacted with.
- I can continually challenge myself to complete a puzzle without mistakes or particularly quickly.
Thanks to the various content and the differences in difficulty and construction, I always get my money’s worth, regardless of my mood and level of concentration.
Puzzles in different forms and difficulties
What kind of jumping puzzles are there? In Guild Wars 2, almost anything is possible with jumping puzzles:
- Sometimes it goes to lofty heights, where I climb a mountain along a specific path.
- Sometimes it’s a jumping puzzle in a cave that goes downward. Here, I have to be careful not to die from fall damage.
- But there are also jumping puzzles that utilize magic or technology. For the puzzle “Vexx Lab,” I activate platforms that are only available for a short time. Here, speed is also crucial.
- Nature also fights back in one or two puzzles. For example, there are winds that blow you off the platforms at regular intervals. Attention plays an important role in these puzzles.
What is the most difficult jumping puzzle? Guild Wars 2 has many puzzles, and some of them are quite difficult.
Personally, I struggle the most with “Bouncing Stones.” Here, you follow a path of geysers in the Southlight Cove, where platforms are pushed upwards for a short time. Speed is essential; not necessarily my strength.
The puzzle “Jump on the Volcano” is currently one of the longest and is therefore considered very difficult. However, there are checkpoints that you are teleported to if you die.
Even the Mad King’s Clock Tower, a special jumping puzzle that is only available during Halloween in the game, is described as very difficult. Here, speed and pressure to be accompanied by several players play a significant role.
The Super Adventure Box as the pinnacle of discipline
What is the Super Adventure Box? The SAB is a special content that originally appeared as an April Fool’s joke and now returns every year at the end of March.
The SAB is a game within a game. Your character takes on the role of a 16-bit character and must traverse an appropriately designed world. It is inspired by successful jump-and-run games from Nintendo, as you can also see in the accompanying trailer of Guild Wars 2:
What is special about the SAB? The SAB consists almost entirely of simple battles and complicated jumps. In the “ridiculously difficult” mode, invisible and unfair traps are added.
It is somewhat reminiscent of difficult games like “I Wanna Be the Guy.”
The jumping puzzles of 2020
Can you still have fun with the jumping puzzles today? Definitely yes! Although mounts and gliders have been introduced to the game as ways to trick the puzzles. However, in general, these two contents are disabled near the jumping puzzles. Additionally, you can actively refrain from using them if it is possible at all.
However, the rewards for the puzzles are minimal. If it’s only about the fun or achievement points, I can only recommend the jumping puzzles to everyone.
By now, you can also find many guides and videos for each puzzle. However, I recommend tackling the puzzles without assistance. It makes it more difficult, but also the sense of achievement greater.
If, in the end, you really can’t progress, you can even be taken to the end of a puzzle by other players via portal.
When was the last new puzzle released? The last jumping puzzle was released with the Grothmar Valley area in the prologue episode in September 2019. However, the puzzle belongs to the easier sort.
It is quite possible that a new puzzle will already be included in the upcoming episode of the Icebrood Saga.
Would I like to see such content in other MMORPGs? I can answer this question with Yes as well. I love jumping puzzles and consider them a great addition as long as the controls allow it. Some games also have similar content, but not on the scale and scope of GW2.
Guild Wars 2 combines the puzzles with cool elements like panoramas or magical effects, which makes the content unique and special. If you have never checked out jumping puzzles, you should definitely take a look!
For 2021, the developers have already announced a new expansion for Guild Wars 2. There is already a first trailer: Guild Wars 2 shows the first trailer for the third expansion “End of Dragons”
