Mechanic · input & timing · platformer

Jump buffering

A short window in which a jump press made before landing remains available to start a jump once the character is grounded.

draftAlso: jump bufferUpdated 2026-10-22
On this page
  1. How it works
  2. Related
  3. Games
  4. References
  5. Sources

Jump buffering keeps a jump press available briefly after the player makes it, so the game can start the jump when the character becomes grounded. Coyote time keeps a jump available for a press made just after leaving the ground.

  • Update counterCeleste Classic (2015). A 4-update counter stores presses and counts down until a jump starts.1

#How it works

Celeste Classic stores a new press in jbuffer for 4 updates1 updates, then counts it down by one on each update without a new press1. A normal jump clears the counter when its grace counter is positive, and a wall jump clears it when the wall check succeeds1.

Kind of

Builds on

Combines with

  • Coyote time · forgives a jump press shortly before landing, where coyote time forgives one shortly after leaving a ledge

Mentioned in

Games

GameYearHowNote
Celeste Classic2015Update countera 4-update counter stores presses and counts down until a jump starts
Every claim about this mechanic, by game (1)
Celeste Classic 2015Celeste Classic stores a fresh jump press in jbuffer for 4 updates, counts it down by 1 on later updates, and clears it when a normal or wall jump starts.Code

References

  1. ^ abcdCeleste Classic stores a fresh jump press in jbuffer for 4 updates, counts it down by 1 on later updates, and clears it when a normal or wall jump starts.CodeNoelFB/Celeste
    How we know
    223                var jump = E.btn(G.k_jump) && !p_jump;
224                p_jump = E.btn(G.k_jump);
225                if (jump)
226                    jbuffer = 4;
227                else if (jbuffer > 0)
228                    jbuffer--;
    Source/PICO-8/Classic.cs lines 223–228 at 1b0ce45 · upstream ↗
    297                    if (jbuffer > 0)
⋮
299                        if (grace > 0)
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301                            // normal jump
⋮
303                            jbuffer = 0;
⋮
308                        else
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310                            // wall jump
⋮
312                            if (wall_dir != 0)
⋮
315                                jbuffer = 0;
    Source/PICO-8/Classic.cs lines 297–315 at 1b0ce45 · upstream ↗

    Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-22.

    Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-27.

    In the claim ledger

Sources

Code