Fixing a Player Jumping Higher Than Expected in Unity 2D

Fixing a Player Jumping Higher Than Expected in Unity 2D 

When making a 2D platformer in Unity, you may notice the player character sometimes jumps higher than expected. There are a few common reasons why this can happen:

Multiple Jumps

If you call the jump function multiple times such as by holding the jump button, the character can accumulate vertical velocity and jump higher. 

Prevent this by using a boolean like canJump to allow one jump, set it to false on jump, and reset when landing.

Physics Layers 

Make sure the player and ground are on different physics layers so collisions are registered. If they are on the same layer, the player may fall through and jump again.

Rigidbody Interpolation

If using Rigidbodies for movement, ensure Rigidbody Interpolation is set to Interpolate for most accurate collision response. Extrapolation can cause missed collisions.

Grounded Check

Only allow jumping when grounded. Use a Raycast pointed downwards to check for ground below the player. This prevents coyote time double jumps.

Gravity Scale

A lower Gravity Scale results in higher jumps. Fine tune this to get the exact jump height desired. Combine with the jump force.

Time Scale

If manipulating Time.timeScale like for slow motion, this affects gravity and jump height. Compensate by adjusting the jump force.

Odd Collisions

Sometimes complex collisions can launch the player upwards. Try simplifying colliders to basic boxes and test on flat planes.

Take the time to isolate the exact cause of unintended super jumps. Slowly build the platforming mechanics back up while testing jumps regularly. This will result in precise and responsive 2D platformer controls.