There are many fighting games on the market, and crossover titles – fighting games that combine characters from multiple universes – have been popular for decades. One such game that made waves upon its release is Jump Force. This action-packed crossover fighting game caught the attention of anime fans around the globe when it first launched in February 2019. Since then, several Jump Force DLC packs have been released as well.
Jump Force brings together some of the most iconic characters from the manga and anime universes and places them in a dynamic and fast-paced combat environment. Players could create custom avatars and join forces with the likes of Goku, Luffy, Naruto, and many other legendary heroes and villains to save the world from an impending catastrophe. Unfortunately, the ill-fated game is discontinued, and its online services shut down as of 2022. Although it’s no longer available for purchase or playable through official channels, we’ll look at the Jump Force DLC released before the game’s untimely demise.
Jump Force Summary
Jump Force launched in 2019 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows, and came to the Nintendo Switch in 2020. Curiously, there was no release on the next-gen PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series S/X. Spike Chunsoft developed the crossover, with Bandai Namco Entertainment as the publisher. Its unique selling point was the extensive roster of characters from beloved anime and manga franchises, such as Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, and Hunter x Hunter.
The storyline revolved around the collision of the real world with the fictional universe, forming the titular organization known as the Jump Force. This group of heroes and villains comes together to combat a common threat, and players step into the shoes of their customized characters, embarking on a thrilling journey filled with epic battles and cinematic moments.
Jump Force gameplay follows a standard 1-v-1 fighting formula, where individual characters face each other in battles separated into rounds. Players can also switch out support characters during combat. Fighters can move around in 3D space, utilizing special attacks and combos to deplete their opponent’s health bar.
Jump Force DLC
After the game’s initial release of Jump Force, several DLC packs hit the market to expand upon the already extensive roster of characters and add extra layers to the gameplay. This downloadable content introduced new characters, outfits, stages, and storylines.
The DLC packs for Jump Force mainly came as Character Passes. In total, these added 14 new characters from various anime and manga series. This expanded roster allowed players to explore fresh combat strategies, encounter new challenges, and see their favorite characters in action.
Here’s a full list of the Jump Force DLC characters:
- Tōshirō Hitsugaya (Bleach)
- Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez (Bleach)
- Yoruichi Shihōin (Bleach)
- Majin Buu (Dragon Ball Z)
- Biscuit Krueger (Hunter x Hunter)
- Meruem (Hunter x Hunter)
- Giorno Giovanna (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
- All Might (My Hero Academia)
- Katsuki Bakugo (My Hero Academia)
- Shoto Todoroki (My Hero Academia)
- Madara Uchiha (Naruto)
- Trafalgar D. Water Law (One Piece)
- Seto Kaiba (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
- Hiei (YuYu Hakusho)
Is Jump Force DLC still available?
In November 2021, Bandai Namco announced that they were discontinuing Jump Force. The publisher removed all digital marketplace listings for the game and its associated DLCs in February 2022 and shut down the game’s online services in August. Unfortunately, players can no longer digitally purchase Jump Force or its DLC through official channels.
Most of the game’s multiplayer functionality was removed as well, except for basic online battles. Online lobbies, ranked matches, clans, leaderboards, and other multiplayer features are no longer available. This decision received backlash from fans who had enjoyed the crossover battles and adventures within Jump Force. Players were also understandably frustrated that they would no longer have access to features in a game they had already paid for.
Was the DLC worth it?
Overall, Jump Force received mixed feedback from fans and critics. It’s perhaps not a surprise that the game went offline, although it’s not common for titles to be completely deleted from digital stores as Jump Force was. However, players generally appreciated the DLC content for expanding the game’s character roster. The Character Passes offered more variety in combat and allowed players to immerse themselves further in the featured anime and manga universes.
However, some players found the cost of the DLCs to be somewhat steep, especially when considering the total price of acquiring all available DLCs. (The two Character Passes launched for $30 and $18, respectively.) Critics also raised concerns about the lack of depth in the game’s story mode and the repetitive nature of battles. While the game and DLC did feature storylines for the characters, some players were left wanting more in terms of narrative development.
Despite its lukewarm reception, Jump Force brought iconic manga and anime characters together in a unique crossover fighting game. The DLCs also offered players additional excitement and choice by adding more than a dozen new characters to the roster. However, the game’s discontinuation in 2022 undoubtedly left fans with a bittersweet memory of what could have been. While the game had its fans, the legacy of Jump Force is ultimately a reminder of the transient nature of the gaming industry.