Jazz Jackrabbit (computer game)
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| Jazz Jackrabbit | |
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| Developer(s) | Epic MegaGames |
| Publisher(s) | Epic MegaGames |
| Designer(s) | Cliff Bleszinski |
| Series | Jazz Jackrabbit |
| Release date(s) | 3 May 1994 |
| Genre(s) | Side-scrolling platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Platform(s) | MS-DOS |
| Media | Floppy disk/CD-ROM |
| System requirements | 386 Computer (486 or higher recommended) |
| Input | Keyboard, Joystick |
Jazz Jackrabbit is a platform game produced by Epic MegaGames (currently known as Epic Games). It was released in 1994 for the PC.
Jazz Jackrabbit was created by Cliff Bleszinski and Arjan Brussee, and inspired by classic console games such as Super Mario Bros., Mega Man, and especially the fast-paced Sonic the Hedgehog. At its release, Jazz Jackrabbit's vibrant graphics and speedy gameplay were a novelty to the PC.[specify][citation needed] PC Format magazine named Jazz Jackrabbit "Arcade Game of the Year", and it was popular enough to have a sequel, Jazz Jackrabbit 2, released in 1998.
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[edit] Storyline
Three thousand years after the events of Aesop's "The Tortoise and the Hare", the enmity between tortoises and hares continues. Jazz Jackrabbit visits various planets to save Princess Eva Earlong and Carrotus from the Turtle Terrorists, led by the megalomaniacal Devan Shell.
[edit] Gameplay
Jazz Jackrabbit is similar in gameplay to the Sonic the Hedgehog games. The game features six episodes, each comprising three worlds and one boss level. Each episode consists of three worlds with two levels and a 3D bonus level that can be reached by finding a special gem. Levels can usually be ran through at high speed. Unlike Sonic, Jazz has a life bar; he loses health when he comes in contact with enemies, and, conversely, gains health from carrots. If his health falls to zero, he turns to ash and the level restarts from the last checkpoint.
Originally, the game was sold on floppy disks; one could purchase the first three episodes, the final three episodes, or all six at once. A special CD-ROM version was later released that contained all six original episodes, three completely new episodes, and the 1994 Christmas edition (retitled Holiday Hare).
[edit] Shareware releases
Jazz Jackrabbit has a shareware release that contains the first episode. In December 1994, Holiday Hare, a Christmas episode, was released. This standalone game could be played without downloading the first shareware release. In 1995, a second Holiday Hare with all-new worlds was released; like the previous Christmas game, it was also standalone.
[edit] Other releases
OpenJazz is a game engine recreation of Jazz Jackrabbit created by Alister Thomson. Work was started on August 23, 2005, made public on November 28 of the same year, and had its source code released on Christmas Day. It is available for Microsoft Windows and Linux, and there are ports to the Sega Dreamcast, the GP2X, the GP32, the PlayStation Portable, and windows mobile Based pocket PC/PDA devices.
JCS'94 is a Level editor for Jazz Jackrabbit. It was started more than two years before the OpenJazz project. Its latest proposed release date was November 2005.[citation needed] The makers of JCS'94 helped resolve some issues in the development of OpenJazz.
[edit] External links
- Jazz Jackrabbit at the gameinfo wiki
- 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 JJ1 page
- DOS Games Archive | Jazz Jackrabbit
- OpenJazz JCF thread
- OpenJazz website
- JCS'94 website
- Jazz Jackrabbit at MobyGames
