TimeWasters is a column highlighting many of the excellent, free Web-based/lightweight downloadable titles that you can dive into and finish in the space of a lunch break. This week, Chris Gampat explores Jetpack Attack.

While you’re waiting for Dark Void to come out, Capcom would like you to try  Jetpack Attack, a simple  and relatively fun version of the game. You’re still playing as Will, Dark Void‘s protagonist, but you’re basically using your jetpack to go around shooting baddies of all random sorts while collecting power-ups, destroying things, destroying more things, and facing a giant mech boss that looks like something out of Star Wars.

Jetpack Attack is a 2D version of Dark Void that exists just to get you more excited for the 3D game. It allows you explore the world just a tiny bit, and you’ll spend a fair amount of time exchanging gunfire at close proximity. The controls, by the way, are laid out perfectly plain and simple:

In truth, if you just press the “W” button you’ll be flying as well. Will can walk too but as you’ll see when playing, it’s not really as useful.

When I say that the audio is the best thing about this game I mean, “ZOMG JEFF PLEASE DON’T TAKE OUT ZEE EPICNUSS DAT IS TEH AWESUM SOUNDZ WHILE EDITINGZ!!!” Seriously though, you’ll actually quite enjoy the sound in this game, so if you’re at work, turn the speakers on during your break or use headphones.

The sound of Will’s jetpack is pretty cool as well as the noise he makes when you just stop pressing “W” and let him fall to the ground. The blasters sound almost like those old school FX you’d hear on Game Boy color or some other old school console game (that you can play for free by reading our previous posting) and is not so shamelessly plugged by me in this sentence.

In addition, you can also create your own levels. Various websites are also holding contests for the best custom levels. For the full list of websites, head on over to Capcom-Unity.

For once, I’d love to say that this type of game would probably not work so well in the mobile space. As much as I love my T-Mobile G1 and think that Doom was ported to it very well, I don’t see justice being done to this game if ported to an Android device or the iPhone unless you take serious advantage of the gyrometer and accelerometer technology.

Check out the game, and let us know your opinions and thoughts in the comments below. Further, if you’ve got a TimeWaster you’d like to recommend, email me at ChrisGampat[at]gmail.com.