Console gaming on your PC
In 1994, Epic MegaGames (who would
later be known simply as Epic) released a cutesy, high speed platform game for
DOS in an attempt to a bring console quality run & jump action to the PC.
It was clear that Jazz Jackrabbit was taking its inspiration from Sega's blue
hedgehog, as the game was exciting, fast paced and, above all, heaps of fun.
Four years later Epic saw fit to release a sequel, this time leaving the
archaic DOS format behind in favour of Windows. The plot in the original
title involved, yep, you guessed it, saving your girlfriend. Eva was rescued
from the nefarious clutches of your arch nemesis, Devan Shell, in a play on the
classic fable The Tortoise & the Hare. Once she was safely at home she and
our hero decided to get hitched, but before they get down the alter, the ring
is stolen. Devan is clearly up to his old tricks again.
Joining Jazz this time around is his
brother, the rather unfortunately (and very politically incorrect) named,
Spazz. You can choose to play as either, before setting off on a high velocity
cartoon adventure spanning multiple colourful and varied environments. The stages
are split into five separate episodes and come with silly names and amusing
images that parody 80's pop-culture. The graphics are a treat, with well
animated cartoon sprites and vibrant backdrops awash with colour and detail.
There are plenty of graphical options too, with the ability to play in lovely
640 x 480 resolution – a large improvement over the original's low resolution
visuals. The only downside is some occasionally jerky scrolling, though this
could be down to playing the game on a modern system it was never designed for.
An amusing animated intro, quirky sound effects, and a varied and well produced
soundtrack that spans techno and dance to psychedelic rock, enhances the
experience and lends the game the feel of a Saturday morning kids cartoon.
Jazz 2 shines in the gameplay
department, with fast and fluid movement coupled with tight and precise
jumping. It’s a big step up from the DOS platformers that came before it, but
you would expect this from a game released in 1998. As you explore the large
stages, you use your blaster to incinerate a plethora of enemies, from the
recurring turtle foes, to rats, bugs, robots and more. Fruit and coins can be
collected along the way, with the currency used to purchase bonus items from
the occasional market stall you stumble across. Levels contain a large number
of secrets, usually behind hidden walls, rewarding exploration and maintaining
your interest. Destructible crates award you with jewels or weapon upgrades
such as rockets, spread fire, bouncing explosives and a flame thrower, many of
which allow certain types of blocks to be destroyed (or melted), granting
access to new areas.
Holding down the run button causes Jazz
(or Spazz) to run at ludicrous speed, enough to leave Sonic behind in his dust.
It's impressive to see a PC platformer running at such a pace, but I found this
intense velocity usually resulted in powering straight into an enemy or hazard,
so I preferred to stick to the standard, more enjoyable, running speed. Jazz
comes with the handy ability to spin his ears like a helicopter, allowing him
to float for a short distant, while his brother has a double jump. Both offer a
different way of playing, which adds some variety to proceedings. There are
even a few vehicles on offer allowing you to take to the skies for short
periods, most prominent of which is the Silver Surfer style flying board that
the two jackrabbits can obtain. Unfortunately, the game contains several bugs
that put a dampener on proceedings. Jazz often gets caught or, more annoyingly,
completely stuck in the background, often requiring a level restart. The action
can also get slightly repetitive after a while, so is best enjoyed in short
bursts, but this complaint can be levelled at most old school platform games. At
least the aforementioned hoverboard and some neat underwater sections break up
the constant running and jumping.
Jazz Jackrabbit certainly isn't original
- it unashamedly 'borrows' a large number of ideas from Sonic The Hedgehog - but
it doesn't matter as it's an enjoyable romp. It’s certainly one of the better
old school platformers on the PC, and shows that the system could hold its own
in a genre usually dominated by Sega, Nintendo and Sony. As a bonus, Jazz
Jackrabbit 2 also comes with the ability to load user made episodes and levels
from the world select screen, meaning the game has potentially limitless
entertainment value. A quick look online shows an active community, with new
stages being uploaded in 2014, some 16 years after its original release.
Title : Jazz Jackrabbit 2
Developer : Orange Games & Epic MegaGames
Year : 1998
System : PC
Genre : Platformer
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