Episode 74: Jet Set Radio

From the very moment Jet Set Radio released, it wowed its audience. It blew people away with its at the time revolutionary cell shaded graphics, and boasts an undeniably funky soundtrack, with bangers like Yellow Bream and Recipe for the Perfect Afro. Adding graffiti tagging to the gameplay of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater? It seemed like a match made in heaven, and all done in incredible style.

But have the sands of time been kind to Jet Set Radio, or just the opposite? We have seen endless iteration in the skating genre, and today we tend to demand tighter control. Does Jet Set Radio provide a gameplay experience that matches its swagger, or is it simply a case of style over substance?

On this episode, we discuss:

• In what ways does Jet Set Radio establish its identity as a 90’s punk themed graffiti skater? Is it consistent in tone and execution, or is it just skin deep?
• How fun is it to skate around the streets of Neo-Tokyo? Does it provide a fast and fluid experience like Tony Hawk’s, or does it play more like a stop and start platformer?
• How enjoyable is it to battle and skirt around the foes in your way? Do the police, military and rival gangs add to the fun of skating and tagging, or are they just annoying nuisances?

We answer these questions and many more on the 74th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Jet Set Radio OST: Hideki Naganuma, Various Artists

Is Jet Set Radio Future (or Sunset Overdrive) worth playing, or is the original the best? Are the controls something that takes time to master, or are they intrinsically flawed? And are these truly the worst half pipes in the history of gaming? Come let us know what you think on our community discord server!