JackHammer is a future sport where robots toss a ‘MurderBall’ around an arena and generally try to turn each other into scrap. Battles are frenetic and players can jump and boost their way across the arena aided by their jetpacks and wall-jumping skills.
Unfortunately these robots are less like millionaire athletes and more like enslaved gladiators forced to live out their brief lives fighting for baying crowds until they inevitably end up in the junk pile. So actually it’s incredibly depressing. But, again, it does have jetpacks.
Becoming a steel Spartacus and starting a robotic revolution doesn’t look like it’s on the cards, lamentably. Instead you’ll be working your way through the online rankings and customising your personal sportsbot with robotic armour. When you’re spilling oil, however, don’t forget that you’re fighting for the bad guys.
If Robot Wars has taught me anything, it’s that the perfect design for a murderbot is a sort of wedge shape. Like a doorstop. Or some cheese. And none of JackHammer’s robots even remotely resemble wedges. I’m not sure if this will work at all, but you can sign up for the closed alpha and see for yourself. The first US and EU alpha is underway now, with a second one planned for more regions.