A lot of people are very fond of this game, but I've never viewed it as anything more than a slightly above-average platformer. I dig the mellow tunes and the silhouettes and the bonus rounds (I like seeing how many continues I can rack up), but the stage strips are too hit-or-miss to add up to a good experience on the whole.
The second level's lava section constitutes a fine example of the kind of action this game needed more of. You must contend with fire birds, flame serpents, eyeballs, rocks that crumble beneath your feet, guys who shake the ground with their staves, and guys who shoot fireballs, all while dealing with the actual platforming and avoiding the lava itself. But then comes Stage 3, in which you make a tedious ascent through the sky on slow-moving platforms while avoiding fat fish and other such nonsense. The ensuing rapids ride is also a mess.
This hit-or-miss style continues throughout the entire affair. The final stage features some nice ideas at work, but it also has lots of unnecessary platforming sequences that drag it out for what seems like an eternity. Playing through the game has its rewards, but the idea of making return trips is never very enticing, as the feeling of "wasted potential" lingers.
The silhouette combat looks really nice. I think an even cooler little touch is the bird that swoops down and snatches up a fish from the lake.
The bonus rounds are fun, simple ways to rack up continues and keep Jackie in good shape.
Lots of cool enemies reside in Stage 2's fiery caverns; but Stage 3, with its routine platforming and sloppy river ride, is a low point.
The giant pink cyclops is the game's signature villain. The enchanted frog is... not so memorable.
The final level has a few cool strips amid a lot of tedium.
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