Jazz Jackrabbit
- Jazz Jackrabbit (2002 on Game Boy Advance)
Description official descriptions
Jazz Jackrabbit is the PC world's answer to Sonic the Hedgehog. In this platform game, Jazz, the hero of the rabbit planet Carrotus, must rescue the beloved rabbit princess, Eva Earlong, and defeat the leader of the turtle terrorists, Devan Shell, traveling to different planets to gather clues concerning Eva's whereabouts while liberating them from Shell's tyranny.
The similarity to Sonic the Hedgehog manifests itself in Jazz's uncanny speed, and the fact it increases the more he runs. However, the rest of the gameplay mechanics are different. The game is primarily a shooter, meaning that in order to defeat his enemies, it's not enough for Jazz to jump over their heads. Jazz starts with a blaster, but during the course of the game acquires other weapons, such as grenade launcher, flamethrower, TNT, etc. Jazz can also pick up various power-ups, including a force shield, a hoverboard that allows him to float in the air, a bird that will fight on Jazz's side, and others.
Groups +
Screenshots
Promos
Credits (DOS version)
13 People
Design | |
Lead Programming | |
Animation | |
Additional Graphics / Artwork | |
Music | |
Sound | |
German Translations |
|
Producer | |
Manual Artwork, Cover and Comic Book | |
Manual Design and Typesetting | |
Beta Test Leader |
Reviews
Critics
Average score: 87% (based on 10 ratings)
Players
Average score: 3.7 out of 5 (based on 61 ratings with 6 reviews)
The best of the console-wannabe platformers for the PC.
The Good
Wow, I didn't think I'd ever see a PC game with such a speedy console feel. This would be right at home on the Super Nintendo or Genesis.
The Bad
The main character is so large, and the view around him is so small, that the game tends to play itself. The features are a conglomeration of bits from other platform games featuring animals with attitude. If you've played through Sonic the Hedgehod, you'll find yourself saying "Hey! I've seen this before!"
The Bottom Line
If you don't have access to a Genesis, then this is your best bet for a standard platformer on the PC.
DOS · by James Hague (10) · 2000
The Good
A cute shareware which was proof of Epic Megagames's clear interest in demo scene talents, Jazz Jackrabbit is a cute and fun platform game which wasn't really competing with Sonic the Hedgehog, but merely showed that the PC is a capable arcade platform.
This game has really good graphics, excellent music and sound effects and great replayability value (it's easy to just play it again and again as you never tire of it). The programming is amongst the best ever witnessed on the PC (demo power to the masses) and truly showed the capability of a mere 386.
And it was damn fun too!
The Bad
A bit repetitive, but then it's a platform game so no biggie.
The Bottom Line
A great platform game for the PC. Way to go!
DOS · by Tomer Gabel (4538) · 2000
The Good
Interesting twists. Jazz can ride a hoverboard thing (try seeing sonic do that!); plus he can actually kill with a variety of weapons (and he NEVER jumps on baddies to kill them). The levels are colourful, interesting and populated with a menagerie of different enemies.
The Bad
I must admit, I have fallen into a few pits and gotten eternally stuck.
The Bottom Line
Jazz is the ultimate rabbit super-hero, not that there are many contenders. This twist on the ol' side scroller certainly beats the separate consoles' own mascots. Great for a PC game.
DOS · by emmamomocat (29) · 2004
Trivia
Characters
CHARACTER PROFILES -- WHO'S WHO
==========================
Jazz Jackrabbit:
Height: 3'1"
Weight: 90 lbs.
Favorite Food: Carrot Pizza
Favorite Book: Watership Down
Motto: "When you're a little rabbit, carry a BIG gun!"
Devan Shell:
Height: 2'4"
Weight: 163 lbs.
Favorite Food: Asparagus
Favorite Book: How to Make Friends and Kill Rabbits
Motto: "Rabbits are lousy!"
Eva Earlong:
Height: 3'9"
Weight: Won't tell
Favorite Food: Turnip Ice Cream
Favorite Book: My Secret Carrot Garden
Motto: "Take your time, Jazz."
Arjan Brussee, programmer of Jazz:
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 150 lbs.
Favorite Food: Any Pizza and Beer
Favorite Book: Neuromancer
Motto: "Owww...What a headache. I hate hangovers."
Cliff Bleszinski, designer of Jazz:
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 135 lbs.
Favorite Food: McDonald's
Favorite Book: Games and how to make them. (By him, coming soon!)
Motto: "Wake me at 4 PM, will you?"
Nick Stadler, Jazz animator:
Height: 5'11"
Weight: One Hundred and something
Favorite Food: Anything in a cardboard container
Favorite Book: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Motto: "What?"
Robert Allen, musician:
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 165 lbs.
Favorite Food: If it's processed, he'll eat it.
Favorite Book: None. Prefers music to reading.
Motto: "Well, it HAS to be! No one likes my music!"
--- from "The Jazz Jackrabbit Manual".
Christmas
If you play the game during the Christmas period (September to early January) the game gets a Christmas theme, with snowflakes falling on the main menu and several new backgrounds.
References
- The cheat codes have a few references: apogee (16 bit colour mode) and doom (harder enemies). The Apogee code is not available in version 1.3.
- One of the game's weapons is the LFG-2000, which is obviously a spoof of DOOM's BFG-9000 weapon.
Release
Jazz Jackrabbit has six episodes with only the first episode in shareware version. You could buy Episodes 1-3 or Episodes 4-6 and both together. Registered versions has a color Jazz manual. Some also included a comic book and free bonus disk.
Those episode and stage titles:
Episode 1: Turtle Terror!
Stages - Diamondus, Tubelectric and Medivo.
Episode 2: Ballistic Bunny
Stages - Letni, Technoir and Orbitus.
Episode 3: Rabbit's Revenge
Stages - Fanolint, Scraparap and Devan's Megairbase.
Episode 4: Gene Machine
Stages - TurTemple, Nippius and JungRock.
Episode 5: The Chase is On!
Stages - Marbelara, Slugion and Dreempipes.
Episode 6: The Final Clash
Stages - Pez-Rox, Crysilis and Twin Mega Battleships.
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Related Sites +
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Download Jazz Jackrabbit
Free, legal download of the shareware version of Jazz Jackrabbit! -
Jazz Jackrabbit
Jazz Jackrabbit offical site.
Identifiers +
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Derrick 'Knight' Steele.
Additional contributors: Itay Brenner, Pseudo_Intellectual, Patrick Bregger.
Game added February 24, 2000. Last modified August 27, 2023.