White Men Can’t Jump (Atari Jaguar)
Often hailed as the worst Jaguar game… How bad could it be?
It’s been criticized, slammed and carries the distinction of being one of the worst Atari Jaguar games of all time… Not an easy achievement considering the stiff competition on the Atari Jaguar but it got me interested.
This is my first ever sports game review (hitting the bottom of the barrel?) and I personally couldn’t think of anything more fitting for the show. Severely 90’s and full of rad attitude. This isn’t your average street basketball game> White Men Can’t Jump is very unique and in my opinion, under-appreciated.
I initially picked up White Men Can’t Jump because it’s one of those Atari Jaguar titles you can’t play via emulator. I truly wanted to give it a chance, experience what it had to offer and see how bad an Atari Jaguar game could get.
Is this really the worst Atari Jaguar game?
Honestly, it wasn’t that bad. The frame-rate was choppy, sprites were pixelated and the tournament mode is a joke but I wouldn’t consider White Men Can’t Jump broken or unplayable.
Despite the bad wrap this game gets, I’ve given it a mention in my top 5 Atari Jaguar games video. It’s a unique, multi-player experience and it’s a great opportunity for someone curious in the console to dip their toes into the deep end.
See my list for the top 5 Atari Jaguar Games
I was after a unique experience on the Atari Jaguar and White Men Can’t Jump certainly delivered it. One thing people might remember is WMCJ is actually one of the few Jaguar games that supported the multi-tap. In fact, this game came packaged with one.
Is it worth playing White Men Can’t Jump in Multiplayer?
I saved money on shipping by not getting the Jaguar Multi-Tap. I wasn’t going to use it. The Multi-Tap always felt like a cruel joke. Finding one person to play Jaguar with can be difficult. But setting up a four-player match sounds near impossible! At least the multi-tap could be used for the better, NBA Jam game for the Atari Jaguar.
Even though the NBA Jam is a far better game, there’s better ways to play it. White Men Can’t Jump is an exclusive title.
“Not an underdog, more of a Dagwood Dog. Crusty and mysterious.”
For a sports games on the Atari Jaguar, White Men Can’t Jump shows off the gameplay the Jaguar was infamous for. It works. It’s unbalanced, easy to cheat your way to the end… But it works. If you’re after some good multiplayer games for the Atari Jaguar, I recommend Brutal Sports Football.
The game is based off the movie of the same name starring Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson. Despite the title of the game, the movie tie-in isn’t mentioned in the manual or the storyline.
If you’re after plot (why are you playing a sports game!?), White Men Can’t Jump has a backstory for each team. We also get a special moves list for each of the players. That’s one of the best reasons to pick up a copy with a manual but if you’ve got a loose cart (or you’re just curious, AtariAge have scans, boxart and more reviews).
