Jerry Boy/SmartBall ( SNES )

[Leon Retro]

Format: Super Famicom/Nintendo

Year: 1991

Genre: Platformer


I came across this game by chance in 1992, after my Dad bought home just the cartridge, which he'd been given for a cheap price.

I didn't know what to expect, but fortunately, it turned out to be a great game.

You control Jerry, a boy who's been turned into a blue blob. Sticking to walls etc.. you traverse the colourful environments, dispatching a myriad of cute enemies, with the ultimate aim of turning back into a human boy.

I always thought the Japanese name was funny, because you'd think it was a translation mistake( it isn't though ) ... Anyway, the Western name "SmartBall" ... isn't as charming.

Overall, a nice looking game, with very catchy music. It's fun to play, and I highly recommend it.

[Hohum]

I played this years ago, it was quite fun Some of the music tracks were pretty good as I remember.

[Leon Retro]

I played this years ago, it was quite fun Some of the music tracks were pretty good as I remember.

Yeah... the music tracks take full advantage of the snes' soundchip.

It is a fun game, though some people find the controls a bit tricky, but once you take a few moments to get used to things, it's an easy game.

[Wil]

I got the Japanese version, on its release, from ACE consoles in London mainly for lack of anything else on offer at the time. I'd seen a few screenshots in a Japanese games mag called Super Hippon (and no, I haven't got a clue what that means) and at that time I was up for any game with that quirky Japanese touch (things haven't changed much) even if it was the era when you paid through the nose for the privilege.

Normally, this is the sort of thing I never get around to finishing but I did and really liked it. Relatively easy but with enough weirdness that I always wanted to see what would happen next.

I always thought the name was probably the usual japlish and it should have been 'Jelly' Boy so I'm glad to finally be put right. I've still got my original copy and it still gets put on every once in a while. Some good memories of an early SFC title.

[JazzFunk]

It's weird, I was always a sucker for the cheaper import SNES/SFC carts (Magic Sword, Darius Twin, Rushing Beat) but I never got round to buying this. Seems a shame, as it looks quite nice, with that 'bright' feeling I love in games.

[Leon Retro]

I always thought the name was probably the usual japlish and it should have been 'Jelly' Boy so I'm glad to finally be put right. I've still got my original copy and it still gets put on every once in a while. Some good memories of an early SFC title.

I thought it may be Engrish too, but then you realise that the boy is called Jerry( which was probably chosen because it rhymes with Jelly )

It is quite an easy game. I remember completing it fairly quick.

It's weird, I was always a sucker for the cheaper import SNES/SFC carts (Magic Sword, Darius Twin, Rushing Beat) but I never got round to buying this. Seems a shame, as it looks quite nice, with that 'bright' feeling I love in games.

I really like Magic Sword, Rushing Beat is rubbish, Darius is ok.

Jerry Boy is well worth buying. The only problem some people have with it, is the control system, which takes a little time to get used to. It's bright, colourful, and funny.

[Phar]

I remember playing this years ago, really nice little platformer although the unreleased sequel is a lot better imo. Wasn't there actually a game called Jellyboy on the snes as well, I think he looked like a jelly baby

[Grapple Convoy]

Jerry Boy's by Game Freak (y'know, they blessed this world with the gift of Pokemon) according to Wikipedia. Wow.

[Leon Retro]

I remember playing this years ago, really nice little platformer although the unreleased sequel is a lot better imo. Wasn't there actually a game called Jellyboy on the snes as well, I think he looked like a jelly baby

I didn't know about the sequel. I've just been playing it through an emulator, and it seems pretty nice. The music isn't as good, and I'm not sure if I like the graphics as much, but it did seem decent. One difference, is that you don't have to hold a button to move faster, the character moves fast already. ( Really fast )

Another thing, the game is called "Jelly Boy 2" ... but the kid who gets turned into the blue blob is called Jerry, so they probably only changed it because some people said it should be "Jelly" ... not "Jerry" ... totally missing the fact that it wasn't a mistake.


Jelly Boy was developed by Probe. It's your typical Western 16bit platformer, with the bonus of a character that has some interesting abilities. The graphics are bold, everything is ok, but it's not great.



I much prefer Jerry Boy

Jerry Boy's by Game Freak (y'know, they blessed this world with the gift of Pokemon) according to Wikipedia. Wow.

I think the art was done by someone who helped design Pokemon. There are some similar looking creatures( A red bird, which looks similar to one I saw in Pokemon) etc...

JB is a quality game, that doesn't get the respect it deserves. After looking around, some muppets think the game is impossible to play, even saying the first level is tough. "Hold the bloody run button" .... I say... It makes the game very easy.

[Phar]

Jelly Boy was developed by Probe. It's your typical Western 16bit platformer, with the bonus of a character that has some interesting abilities. The graphics are bold, everything is ok, but it's not great.



I much prefer Jerry Boy

Thats the one, never played it though, as it's by probe it's probably crap anyway.

Jerry Boy's by Game Freak (y'know, they blessed this world with the gift of Pokemon) according to Wikipedia. Wow.

I didn't know that, you'd think with it being by them it might of had a chance of being on the Virtual Console, shame the IP is probably owned by sony though, so no chance.

[Leon Retro]

Thats the one, never played it though, as it's by probe it's probably crap anyway.

I didn't own it back in the day, but I played a bit earlier, and it looks nice, moves well, the character is good, but it does seem a bit too generic, despite the character's abilities.

I might give it a longer go.

[Grapple Convoy]

Just remembered that I knew of a small tribute web page to this game. You can find it here.

[Leon Retro]

Just remembered that I knew of a small tribute web page to this game. You can find it here.

Someone really likes the game, and also needs to finish the page.