Jack Bros.

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Jack Bros. is a maze game developed and published by Atlus for the Virtual Boy, released in 1995 in Japan and North America. It’s a Megami Tensei spin-off and the first Atlus title from the series to reach outside Japan. You choose one of the three Jack brothers—Jack Frost, Jack Lantern, or Jack Skelton (Pixie can be unlocked as a playable character)—and must return to the fairy world before the Halloween portal closes.

The game has six areas, each with several floors. On each floor you must find and collect all keys using a radar that shows their locations; once you have all keys, you can go down to the next floor. After reaching the bottom of an area, you face a boss to move on. Time is limited: taking damage or hitting traps costs time, and if the clock hits zero it’s game over (you can restart the current area). Enemies are defeated with character-specific standard attacks (Frost throws snowballs, Lantern fires fireballs, Skelton stabs with a knife) and special attacks that cost Special Attack Stars. You start with three stars and can gain more, which carry over between areas.

Special attacks differ by character, and can freeze enemies, deal big damage to all enemies, or defeat all visible enemies. The game’s visuals are red-and-black 3D on the Virtual Boy, using parallax scrolling; it requires an extra accessory to recreate the 3D effect.

Reception was generally positive for gameplay and pacing but criticized for a lack of puzzle elements and limited use of 3D. Nintendo Power praised the graphics and pacing but noted weak in-game text; Famitsu gave mixed scores. In retrospective reviews, Jack Bros. is often called one of the better Virtual Boy games, though some wish it had more variety or expansion to other platforms; fans also praise its soundtrack. The game is regarded as relatively rare in North America, and its music, especially the Grim Reaper’s Cavern track, is frequently highlighted.

In 2026, Jack Bros. will be added to Nintendo Classics, with an option to buy an accessory that recreates the original 3D effect (available as a plastic mount or cardboard sleeve).