Apparently, a sequel wasn’t always planned for Jammin’ Jars despite its success and overwhelmingly positive reception by the player community. What prompted Push to eventually give the project the green light?
Well, of course, we don’t always go into a game with a sequel already in mind, it obviously depends on its success and the demand from operators and players, but with the stellar performance of the original game, it was perhaps only a matter of time.
It was the idea that eventually became the Giga Jar feature that really got the ball rolling. We played around with the early concept – one which added wilds in the game - in one of our regular development meetings and the more it took shape, the more it became apparent that it would be a great fit for Jammin’ Jars’ style of play - and after further internal discussions, it was decided to earmark it for Jammin’ Jars 2.
Following that, the development of the game turned out to be more straightforward than you may think. Jammin’ Jars was a simpler game than the sequel we created, so it was easier to enhance it for the successor.
What are the main differences between the two games? What can players look forward to when playing the newly-released sequel?
While it retains much of the charm that made the original such a hit, Jammin’ Jars 2 has more features that offer even more excitement. It’s easy to make a sequel but making it great is the real test and we believe we’ve done that.
The base game is progressive, there’s a Fruit Blast feature, Instant Prizes and of course the Giga Jar feature! There’s a host of other changes too, such as the increase in maximum potential win from 20,000x to 50,000x, new visuals that see play take place in a club/disco with yet another funky soundtrack.
In terms of the gameplay engagement, there’s certainly more action in Jammin’ Jars 2 and a lot more cause for excitement. It’s the type of game where you need to focus on what is going on – players definitely won’t be able to leave the game running in the background.
What was the thinking behind the new features during development?
As I mentioned earlier, it’s easy to do a sequel, but doing it well is the trick. While we had a good head start because the original was relatively simple and we had a great platform to build on, we equally knew that there’s a large fan following for Jammin’ Jars out there in the community and expectations would rightly be high. Add to that our own exceptionally high standards and the project wasn’t for the faint-hearted!
The main initial thought with the features was “Is it fun? Will this keep players engaged?” We were confident with the introduction of the Giga Jar feature as we also stayed true to some of the features of the original with the Jumping Wilds that were very well received.
There was also a degree of pressure on us to ensure that the first one wouldn’t get forgotten while balancing that with neither game being replaced by the other. We wanted to make certain that fans of the original – which is still very much played today - didn’t feel as though it wasn’t worth playing anymore. We’re confident that both games offer something different while keeping the same mechanics and logic to gameplay.
With the IP proving so popular, can you see a further outing in the future for the Jars? Maybe a spinoff game?
We were really pleased with Jammin’ Jars when it was released back in 2018 and the public’s reaction was even more pleasing, but despite that, as I mentioned earlier, we didn’t plan nor expect there to be a sequel. After we came up with the feature that led to the sequel being confirmed, that’s when the excitement really started to grow. So who knows? Nothing’s certain, but we’re always working on new things and love a challenge, so we’ll see what the future holds.
Finally, to all those who haven't played the game, what is it that makes Jammin’ Jars 2 great and why should they play it?
If Jammin’ Jars 2 is anything, it’s an eventful game – there’s always something exciting occurring. Most importantly, it offers a fun experience for players throughout all facets of the game. Push Gaming’s tagline is ‘Players First’ so the entertainment factor is at the heart of every title we create.
It’s a fantastic looking game, with a colourful and inviting theme, appealing graphics and animation, and of course, the Jar characters we all know and love.
Importantly, reaching the max level is achievable, we didn’t want it to be a grind, and a chance of max win of 50,000x can be won at any level of the game. We’re happy that the game offers similar levels of engagement throughout, and not just in the Giga Jar feature. It’s also good to note that once players trigger the Giga Jar Feature, they never go back to level one. It’s either level two, three or four, which helps players feel their progress hasn't been lost .
Although not everyone will have exactly the same gameplay experience with Jammin’ Jars 2, ultimately its reason for existing is to provide entertainment and that’s an overall experience that we’re sure everyone will enjoy.
About the Expert:
- Interviewed Person: Amit Samji
- Company: Push Gaming
- Position: Senior Game Producer
