Spark the Electric Jester 2
Developer(s)Feperd Games
Publisher(s)Feperd Games
Designer(s)Felipe Daneluz
Composer(s)
  • James Landino
  • Falk Au Yeong
  • Paul Bethers
  • Andy Tunstall
  • Funk Fiction
  • Michael Staple
EngineUnity
Platform(s)
Release
  • Windows
  • May 16, 2019
  • Xbox One
  • September 7, 2020
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Spark the Electric Jester 2 (or simply Spark 2) is a 2019 platform game created by Brazilian developer Felipe Daneluz. It is a 3D sequel to Daneluz's previous 2D game Spark the Electric Jester, released in 2017. Players take control of Spark's robotic counterpart, Fark, on his quest to learn his true identity and find Doctor Armstrong. Fark must be guided through various levels and may engage enemies in melee combat. While fast-paced platforming is emphasized, levels are approachable in multiple ways.

Development of Spark 2 began after the first game's release. Daneluz utilized his own unofficial 3D Sonic the Hedgehog game engine in its creation. With the exception of music composition, the game was developed by him mostly alone and was released in May 2019. Critics believed the game would appeal to players who enjoyed the Sonic Adventure titles and complimented its controls and level design. However, the combat elements and certain level sections were criticized. A sequel, Spark the Electric Jester 3, was released on August 14, 2022.

Gameplay

Fark engages an enemy in combat. Its red glare indicates an imminent attack.

Departing from its 2D predecessor, Spark the Electric Jester 2 is a 3D platform game with melee elements.[1] The player controls Spark's robotic counterpart, Fark,[2] through various levels interspersed with boss fights and cutscenes.[3] As Fark, the player is equipped with a dash,[4] double jump,[5] wall jump,[2] and the "Jester Dash", enabling him to home in on nearby enemies.[6] He can gain a greater amount of speed through the use of a charged dash,[7] and is capable of running on walls, ceilings,[8] and through vertical loops.[9] The levels, while emphasizing fast-paced platforming,[10] are approachable in multiple ways.[2] They are populated by enemies of varying strength, of which engagement is typically optional. Fark is able to bounce off of smaller enemies by homing in on them, but must deal multiple attacks to defeat larger ones.[10] Attacking enemies will build up an energy gauge, which when full allows the player to release a special attack.[11][12] A shield can be activated for a few seconds to parry enemy attacks and level hazards.[10][13] Parries executed just before an enemy attack lands will earn extra energy and stun the enemy.[14] Boss fights take place in arenas and revolve around parrying and reacting to attack cues.[2][10]

The player can pick up melee weapons, giving Fark unique special moves,[1] as well as collectible pieces of concept art.[10] These may also be purchased through a shop in exchange for Bits.[15][16] For each level, two different types of medals can be earned measuring the player's score and time respectively.[2]

Plot

After the defeat of Freom, Fark is in the care of Doctor Armstrong. Wanting to learn Fark's real name, Armstrong prepares to examine his code but is abruptly kidnapped by a grey look-alike of Fark. Fark encounters the look-alike, E.J, at the city outskirts. E.J reveals he has hidden Armstrong somewhere and has orders from Freom to kill Fark. After defeating a mech under E.J's command, Fark runs into a robotic mage named Romalo. At his advice, Fark sets off for Technoria City in pursuit of E.J, with Romalo and a formie named Astra intending to observe him. Elsewhere, E.J reconvenes with a group of robotic renegades, Flint, Double, and Float, who are also working with Freom to kill Fark.

Fark kills Float atop an abandoned castle and arrives at Technoria City. There, he is disrupted by a voice named Clarity. Introducing themselves as an artificial intelligence Armstrong created, Clarity pleads for Fark's help in stopping Freom. After defeating E.J, Fark encounters Flint, Double, and Freom. Freom reveals that Armstrong is dead and Fark's real name is Unit-2, being the creation of Freom (Unit-1). Fark subsequently defeats Double and later Flint, with the latter telling Fark not to trust Clarity.

E.J encounters Fark aboard a fleet of spaceships and denies killing Armstrong. E.J is then impaled by Astra, who engages Fark in battle as she suspects he plans to replace Freom. As Astra dies, she reveals herself to be a robot and an agent of Clarity to Romalo. Fark then encounters Freom inside a spacecraft, who tells him that Armstrong built Megaraph to create Clarity. Despite her intended purpose of protecting all life, Clarity plans to exterminate both people and robots. Freom intends to direct the spacecraft into the planet, causing a mass extinction that destroys Clarity and all life. Afterwards, he plans to rebuild the world for robots alongside Fark. Fark rejects Freom's offer and fights a remote body of Freom's. After their battle, Fark is told he is a copy of Freom's fundamental data, as Freom was incapable of transferring his own consciousness to a different body. Freom provokes Fark into transforming into a more powerful body at will, an ability Freom lacks, and tests him in one final fight. Fark then obliterates Freom's host body while Flint and Armstrong watch from the surface below.

Development and release

Like the first Spark the Electric Jester, Spark the Electric Jester 2 was created by Felipe Daneluz.[17] Development began after the 2017 release of its predecessor using Hedge Physics,[18][19] an unofficial 3D Sonic the Hedgehog game engine made by Daneluz in Unity. He had begun to dabble in the creation of a 3D Sonic engine as he familiarized himself with Unity in college, believing that there were no similar publicly released engines at the time.[20]: 24:59–25:53  Hedge Physics' release, assisted by programmer Héctor Barreiro-Cabrera,[21][22] gave Daneluz the motivation to produce an original title utilizing the technology.[20]: 24:59–25:53  Although a sequel to Spark the Electric Jester had not been planned, he chose to develop a game about Fark due to positive reception of the character.[23]: 16:25-16:49  Daneluz also felt that fast-paced 3D platformers were scarce, in demand, and a type of game he wanted to create.[23]: 27:42–28:12  Spark 2 was formally announced as Fark the Electric Jester on September 12, 2017, through a trailer published on Daneluz's YouTube channel.[24] He decided on the final name of Spark the Electric Jester 2 because it was a direct sequel to the first game.[20]: 50:46–51:14 

Daneluz felt that a problem with Spark the Electric Jester was that enemies could easily be bypassed. While believing this issue was worse in Spark 2, Daneluz tried to incentivize enemy engagement through various rewards and the scoring system, likening the latter to that of the Sonic Adventure games.[20]: 43:53–45:24  Besides Sonic the Hedgehog, Spark 2 was influenced by the Kirby and Mega Man series, as well as Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.[19] Daneluz developed the game mostly alone, being responsible for its 3D models, textures, levels, and, with some assistance, programming.[20]: 27:29–28:20  The soundtrack was composed by the same musicians as Spark the Electric Jester: James Landino, Falk Au Yeong, Paul Bethers, Andy Tunstall, Funk Fiction (Pejman Roozbeh), and Michael Staple.[25][26] Tunstall in particular also designed Astra and created artwork used in the game's menus.[27]

Spark 2 was released through Steam on May 16, 2019,[10] and for the Xbox One on September 7, 2020.[18] Daneluz submitted the game to Nintendo for a Nintendo Switch release but was turned down, which he speculated was because of his geographical location, Brazil.[23]: 28:26-29:47 

Reception

Destructoid's Dan Roemer and Rock Paper Shotgun's Dave Irwin believed that players who enjoyed the Sonic Adventure games would also find enjoyment in Spark 2.[2][9] However, in a different Rock Paper Shotgun article penned by Dominic Tarason, he felt Spark 2 would elicit mixed reactions due to the divisive nature of 3D Sonic titles, and expressed hesitation in recommending it. Notwithstanding, he remarked that the controls were superior to those of the Adventure games,[10] with Roemer also referring to them as tight and responsive.[2] While Roemer believed the levels were open-ended and enabled experimentation, he found some of their layouts to be initially confusing, which he partially attributed to the camera system.[2] Tarason thought of the levels as well-designed, making note of their large size and complex structures.[10]

Regarding the boss fights, Tarason disliked their emphasis on parrying and Roemer described them as "a bit samey".[2][10] Roemer considered the combat to be the game's weakest aspect and argued that attacks lacked impact.[2] Critics also experienced difficulty navigating through certain high-speed and vertical loop sections.[2][9][10] Roemer and Irwin felt that comparable sections in 3D Sonic titles were less frustrating due to their reliance on scripting.[2][9] In comparison to Spark the Electric Jester, Tarason thought Spark 2 suffered from an identity crisis but regarded it as "a good time".[10] Roemer also summarized the game as "a solid experience overall" but felt it was less polished than its predecessor.[2]

Sequel

Concurrent with Spark 2's Xbox One release was the announcement of Spark the Electric Jester 3.[18][28] Similar to Spark 2, Spark 3 is a 3D platformer. The game was released on August 14, 2022, via Steam.[29] Later that November, all of Spark 2's levels were made playable in Spark 3 through a free update.[30]

References

  1. 1 2 Tarason, Dominic (May 3, 2019). "Spark The Electric Jester 2 speeds towards a May 16th launch". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Roemer, Dan (May 26, 2019). "Review: Spark the Electric Jester 2". Destructoid. Archived from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  3. ↑ Jacquier, Clotaire (May 4, 2019). "Spark the Electric Jester 2 : une bande-annonce aux airs de Sonic Adventure" [Spark the Electric Jester 2: a trailer to the tune of Sonic Adventure]. Gamekult (in French). Archived from the original on August 15, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  4. ↑ Feperd Games (May 16, 2019). Spark the Electric Jester 2 (Windows) (1.3 ed.). Level/area: Fark School. On-screen message: DASH UP THE HILL! Press [RT] or [R2] or [ZR] To Dash (Shift on keyboard)
  5. ↑ Feperd Games (May 16, 2019). Spark the Electric Jester 2 (Windows) (1.3 ed.). Level/area: Fark School. On-screen message: GET TO THE GOAL! Move, Jump, Double Jump
  6. ↑ Feperd Games (May 16, 2019). Spark the Electric Jester 2 (Windows) (1.3 ed.). Level/area: Fark School. On-screen message: HOP! Press [B] or [Circle] or [A] to do a JESTER DASH and home in the closest enemy (R on keyboard)
  7. ↑ Feperd Games (May 16, 2019). Spark the Electric Jester 2 (Windows) (1.3 ed.). Level/area: Fark School. On-screen message: PASS THROUGH THE GATE AT A GREATHER [sic] SPEED! Use a charged jester dash! Hold [LT] or [L2] or [ZL] + [B] or [Circle] or [A] (Ctrl (or mouse wheel button) + C on Keyboard)
  8. ↑ "Spark the Electric Jester 2 - Encyklopedia Gier" [Spark the Electric Jester 2 - Games Encyclopedia]. Gry-Online (in Polish). Archived from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Irwin, Dave (May 12, 2020). "Have You Played... Spark The Electric Jester 2?". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on July 20, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Tarason, Dominic (May 16, 2019). "Spark The Electric Jester 2 is out now and very fast indeed". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  11. ↑ Feperd Games (May 16, 2019). Spark the Electric Jester 2 (Windows) (1.3 ed.). Level/area: Fark School. On-screen message (before filling energy gauge): ATTACK THE ENEMY! And build up energy!
  12. ↑ Feperd Games (May 16, 2019). Spark the Electric Jester 2 (Windows) (1.3 ed.). Level/area: Fark School. On-screen message (after filling energy gauge): DO YOUR SPECIAL ATTACK. Hold the heavy attack button [Y] or [Triangle] or [X] and release after it's charged (Hold Left Ctrl (or mouse wheel button) + right click On Keyboard)
  13. ↑ Feperd Games (May 16, 2019). Spark the Electric Jester 2 (Windows) (1.3 ed.). Level/area: Ryno Dyno. On-screen message: Parrying attacks with your shield is the best way to fight bosses! You can hold your shield for a couple seconds by holding the shield button. [E] or [LB] or [L1]
  14. ↑ Feperd Games (May 16, 2019). Spark the Electric Jester 2 (Windows) (1.3 ed.). Level/area: Fark School. On-screen message: BLOCK HIS ATTACK. Hold or Tap [LB] or [L1] or [L] To block an attack (E on keyboard). Hold for too long and you'll overheat. Block just before you get hit to get a lot of energy and stun your enemies.
  15. ↑ Feperd Games (May 16, 2019). Spark the Electric Jester 2 (Windows) (1.3 ed.). Level/area: Shop Menu. Hammer Jester - 100 Bits: Press [JUMP] to buy this power, it will add this power to the right slot, beware that it will replace the right slot if you already have a power in there.
  16. ↑ Feperd Games (May 16, 2019). Spark the Electric Jester 2 (Windows) (1.3 ed.). Level/area: Shop Menu. Random Art - 250 Bits: Press [JUMP] to buy one piece of concept art that can be viewed later in the gallery.
  17. ↑ Tarason, Dominic (September 5, 2022). "Spark The Electric Jester 3 refines Sonic-style 3D platforming to an art". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  18. 1 2 3 Romano, Sal (September 7, 2020). "Spark the Electric Jester 2 now available for Xbox One". Gematsu. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  19. 1 2 "高速3Dアクション『Spark the Electric Jester 2』「壁やループ、天井を走ったりと、360度どこにでも行くことができます」【注目インディーミニ問答】" [High-speed 3D action "Spark the Electric Jester 2" "You can go anywhere in 360 degrees, including running on walls, loops, and ceilings" [Featured Indie Mini Q&A]]. GameSpark (in Japanese). June 2, 2019. Archived from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 "Interview with the Creator of 'Spark The Electric Jester 2' (LakeFeperd)". May 26, 2019. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022 – via YouTube.
  21. ↑ "[1.0 Final] Hedge Physics - 3D Sonic Engine on Unity. - Sonic and Sega Retro Forums". Sonic Retro. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  22. ↑ Feperd Games (April 10, 2017). Spark the Electric Jester (Windows) (1.5 ed.). Scene: Credits. Base coding by: Héctor "Damizean" Barreiro-Cabrera
  23. 1 2 3 "LakeFeperd (Spark the Electric Jester)" (Podcast). Pixel Pizza Productions. June 30, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2024 – via Spotify for Podcasters.
  24. ↑ LakeFeperd (September 12, 2017). "Fark the Electric Jester - Announcement Trailer". Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022 – via YouTube.
  25. ↑ "Spark: The Electric Jester (Original Game Soundtrack)". Rare Drop. April 25, 2017. Archived from the original on August 22, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022 – via Bandcamp.
  26. ↑ "Spark The Electric Jester 2: Original Soundtrack". Rare Drop. August 14, 2020. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022 – via Bandcamp.
  27. ↑ Feperd Games (May 16, 2019). Spark the Electric Jester 2 (Windows) (1.3 ed.). Scene: Credits. Main Menu Art and Astra's Design By: Andy Tunstall
  28. ↑ Bashir, Dale (September 8, 2020). "Spark The Electric Jester 3 Brings Refinement to High-Speed Action Platforming". IGN. Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  29. ↑ Cunningham, James (August 14, 2022). "Gotta Go Even Faster For Spark the Electric Jester 3 Launch". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on August 27, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  30. ↑ Feperd Games (November 17, 2022). "All Spark TEJ 2 Stages are now available in Spark TEJ 3!". Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022 – via Steam.
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