Jazz Jackrabbit 2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Jazz Jackrabbit | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Epic MegaGames |
| Series | Jazz Jackrabbit |
| Release date(s) | 1998 |
| Genre(s) | Side-scrolling platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player or Multiplayer |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows & Apple Mac OS |
| Media | CD-ROM |
| Input | Keyboard |
Jazz Jackrabbit 2 is a platform game produced by Epic MegaGames, now known as Epic Games. It was released in 1998 for the PC, and later for the Macintosh. It is the sequel to Jazz Jackrabbit.
Jazz has to chase Devan Shell through time, in order to retrieve the ring with which he planned to wed Eva. Jazz's brother, Spaz, and in later versions Jazz's cousin Lori, are introduced as playable characters. The game features multiplayer options, including the ability to play over a LAN or the internet.
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[edit] Production team
- Lead programmer: Arjan Brussee
- Programming: Michiel Ouwehand
- Art, animation, design: Nick Stadler
- Design, co-producer: Cliff Bleszinski
- Music: Alexander Brandon
- Cinematic animation: Dean Dodrill
- Sound effects: Nando Eweg
- Additional level design: Jon MacLellan
- Producer, additional music: Robert A. Allen
- Sound engine programmer: Carlo Vogelsang
- Additional music: Sean Hiler
[edit] Publishing Team Project 2 Interactive
- Managing Director Robert Ercevic
- Head of Acquisition Martin Jansen
- Marketing Bianca Wiebinga
- PR Eric Schreuder
- Sales Piet Dekker
[edit] Episodes
- Formerly A Prince
- Jazz escapes from a castle dungeon, and fights his way across the Carrotus countryside and through a devastated laboratory.
- Jazz in Time
- Jazz travels back to a colonial era, a psychedelic world similar to Alice in Wonderland, and a beach.
- Flashback
- Based on the original and popular Jazz Jackrabbit Shareware Edition. He goes back to Diamondus, Tubelectric and Medivo, but this time it's tougher for him!
- Funky Monkeys
- Jazz does battle in a jungle, then fights his way to the very pits of hell where he needs to search to Devan's hiding place.
Players could also play the Jazz Jackrabbit 2: Shareware Edition levels, and custom-made levels.
[edit] References to other Games
- The Medivo boss, Bolly, looks like the Eggmobile vehicle used by Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik in the Sonic the Hedgehog games.
- A sign in Diamondus reads "Spaz ate the Dopefish".
- The episode select screen for the shareware episode is a spoof of the title screen from Doom II, and the "Shareware DEMO" lettering resembles the Doom logo.
- the world INFERNO is designed after Planet Heck from the Earthworm Jim series
[edit] Jazz Creation Station
This is the game's level editor, often shorted to JCS. Players can use this to create and play their own levels and share them online, which increases the game's replaying value. Even today, new levels continue to be produced by fans. See the external links section, below. JCS is not available for Mac users.
[edit] Spin-offs
[edit] Jazz Jackrabbit 2: Shareware Edition
Released in 1998, this is a promotional shareware game. It featured three single-player levels and two multiplayer levels.
The Mac shareware version can be found here. http://www.macfreegames.com/Lespages/JeuxPlateform.html
[edit] Jazz Jackrabbit 2: Holiday Hare '98
This Christmas edition was released in 1998 for the PC, but only in North America. Unlike the previous holiday editions, this game is commercial rather than shareware. It includes three single-player levels (considered by fans to be quite tough) as well as a new boss and additional multiplayer levels.
[edit] Jazz Jackrabbit 2: The Secret Files
This Easter edition was released in 1999 for the PC, but only in Europe. This game introduces Jazz's cousin Lori as another playable character. It also adds an extra episode to the original Jazz Jackrabbit 2, called "The Secret Files". This episode consists of three different zones, each one with three levels. New tiles are also added to JCS, most of them from the first Jazz Jackrabbit.
[edit] Jazz Jackrabbit 2: The Secret Files Shareware Edition
Released in 1999, this is a shareware game to promote The Secret Files. It is identical to the standard shareware version, but it includes the ability to play as Lori, as well as two new single-player levels in addition to the standard shareware version's levels.
[edit] Jazz Jackrabbit 2: The Christmas Chronicles
This Christmas edition is an enhanced version of Holiday Hare '98, featuring Lori as a playable character. It was going to be released in 1999 for the PC, across Europe. However the publisher, Project 2, went bankrupt before the release date. It was eventually released in Poland in 2000. A limited European release followed shortly after. This version based of the engine of TSF.
[edit] Trivia
- At one point in development, Epic considered changing Spaz's name in case it was deemed offensive.
- The original Jazz game was heavily influenced by Sonic, while Jazz 2 is more influenced by the Earthworm Jim series. A few similarities include the uncanny likeness of some of the levels, particularly "hell" and "labrat". Jazz's "helicopter ears" and Spaz's gun are also taken directly from the Earthworm Jim games.
- Spaz originally appeared (as a background object) in the previous Jazz installment Holiday Hare '95.
- JCS' original name was MLLE. (multi-layer level editor)
- A thorough exploration of JCS reveals several items which were cut from the final game, including shields, powerups and bosses. Some of these items are functionable, but most are not. Most interestingly, it includes a difficult boss (named Bilsy) who does not appear anywhere in game but is fully functionable. Bilsy however appears in Holiday Hare '98.
[edit] External links
- Jazz 2 Online (J2O), the hub of the Jazz Jackrabbit community
- JazzJackrabbit Community Forums (JCF), the message board associated with Jazz 2 Online
- Earlong Royal Encyclopedia (ERE), the wiki associated with Jazz 2 Online
- Haze's Hideout JJ2 website
- Lori Central, the only website all about Lori Jackrabbit.
- JazzJackrabbit.net, the home of Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Multiplayer
- JazzJackrabbiti.com archived, a list of archived versions of the official website (because the actual site has been taken down)
- Jazz Jackrabbit 2 at MobyGames
- Holiday Hare 98 at MobyGames
- The Secret Files at MobyGames
