(first time using an account - is this how it works? ahem)
Finally got around to playing this yesterday. Pretty good stuff! I think one of the reasons it appealed to me is because of its roots and how it almost felt like a new GC game. I don't mean it as an insult, don't worry - I mean it feels like playing a game on a version of GC from a distant future where the app never stopped getting updates. Almost surreal, in a way.
Anyway, with that aside, the game is pretty fun. I like the axe mechanics and how you build the levels around it. The axe throw was a good idea and I think the way it was implemented can open the path for a lot of level design ideas. That kind of thing is always good to have because it allows for a wide range of different levels with varying levels of difficulty - I'm thinking about games like Super Meat Boy and Celeste which are built around simple controls and manage to include easier levels as well as very difficult ones. The characters usually don't get any upgrades in those games, with the environmental gimmicks being different from level to level instead, so the player has to get better. Lumberjump obviously isn't leaning towards the "die and retry" concept as much as those games, but the simple gameplay and the potential for "easy to play, high skill ceiling" are there and I thought it would still make for an interesting comparison.
It does make the ground attack look a bit worse though... I'm not saying it has to be some super flashy mechanic, its existence has a simple point and can get the job done, but it can feel a bit awkward to use. I believe it has to do with its slowness and (I think) the cooldown between attacks that is activated even when you cancel the attack, rendering you incapable of hitting enemies for a short moment. I feel it could use some tweaks: make the attack faster, reduce the cooldown (those go hand in hand), maybe even allow the player to attack while moving? That last one is just my idea, but really, I think there are a good amount of ways it could be improved to make the controls feel just that bit better.
Small other things that I wanted to say: I like the Sonic CD-like naming scheme of the levels (same initials). Music's pretty good and fits with the level themes (by the way, are you still using BoscaCeoil?). Staying in line with what I said about level gimmicks and building the game around PJ's actions, Stellar Skyline seems like it'll be a fun level to play and I look forward to it.
All in all, I see good potential here. That's pretty much all I have to say. I visited your channel recently, which is how I learnt about the new GC update with Lumbercrush (didn't even recognize the app at first, music editor update is godly and Candy Crush in GC is bonkers). After messing around with 1.0.69, I figured that with the latest Lumberjump update I'd actually give that a try and stop by here to say hi. Hi, and good luck with the game!
Nont