Making Decisions in Magikarp Jump

Most random events in the Pokémon mobile game Magikarp Jump are straightforward and/or automatic; they proceed without player input and the results can be quickly seen by tapping the "Skip" button. However, quite a few of them do require player input, in which case this is presented during the event's progression or after tapping "Skip". When that happens, the player is forced to make decisions of what to do. These decisions have repercussions for the player and the Magikarp, not all of them good.

In the case of a decision, the player is presented with two buttons representing the possible options that can be taken. The button on the left is the "safe" option, which is always good, but the outcome may seem mediocre. The button on the right is the "risky" option, which may result in a really good outcome, but also some really bad ones - in fact, even "fatal" ones, and in the case that the outcome may be "fatal", a confirmation needs to be made with a second set of buttons, allowing the player to back out if the need arises and in some cases preventing an accidental misstep into a wrong decision. After making the decision, the event proceeds without further input and with the respective outcomes.

Personally, I make my decisions based on practicality and circumstances. For the "All That Glitters" random event, for example, I always choose the "risky" option, because it is one of the few ways I can stand to earn Diamonds without purchasing them, and I consider the bad outcome negligible. For "Slacker Magikarp", I'm ambivalent and tend to choose by how I feel at that moment. As for the possibly "fatal" events like "Out of Nowhere", I take the "safe" option if I have a really good Magikarp or it's late in the raising cycle, preferring to raise Magikarp until maxed out; otherwise I may risk the "fatal" outcome if I'm not satisfied with my Magikarp. The only one which I may risk more often is "Macho Karp", which with a good outcome lets me have a chance to get ahead. These are, of course, my own preferences in doing things, and other players can choose to do or not do the same.

The random events in Magikarp Jump may seem simple, but when it comes time to make decisions, that's where things get a little complicated. All the same, it gives the game a dynamic quality in its progression, one that players can take advantage (or not) in order to progress. It's up to them to determine how dynamic things should go with the random event decisions, which may allow a departure from the usual overall straightforward quality of the game.

One year ago: Pokémon Wrapping Paper