Jazz Jackrabbit Collection

I've wanted to love this game since, well, forever. It’s one of Epic MegaGames' earlier attempts at game development, and it sure does come with all the bells and whistles. For a DOS game, this platformer actually stands out quite nicely! The main issue, though? It's like trying to run through a hallway made for hamsters, way too cramped! You can't see anything ahead, so you're constantly smacking into enemies you didn't even know were there. Thankfully, OpenJazz came to the rescue, letting you crank the resolution up to 4K. Now the game’s way more playable (even if Jazz is only couple of pixels on screen).

I played Jazz Jackrabbit's shareware version as a kid, and I remember liking it very much, so I was excited to jump on the nostalgia train and play it again. But I have to say this was quite a frustrating experience. First, the music is freaking awesome ("Tubelectric's" beats are still engraved in my mind 22 years later). This is that kind of soundtrack that I can listen to all day, and you should too. Easily the best part of the game. The graphics is colorful and cute, and looks good for the time. But the gameplay is something else. Jazz is a wanna-be Sonic, so he runs fast as hell, but the only problem that I cannot see a feet from me, so its very hard to avoid enemies and projectiles. If I want to survive, I have to inch my way through the levels, and that's not very fun. Isn't that the whole point is to run like lightning, blasting my way through enemies? I simply cannot do that here, because I die very quickly - I have 4 health points, and I go back to the beginning of the level in case of a death (or to a checkpoint if I found one). And top of that, I lose all my weapons! So if I die (which happens in a matter of minutes), I am back to using my basic weapon, which seriously sucks rabbit balls. So I have less chance now to beat the level. Fucking great. The controls are slippery and very sensitive, so it's even harder to avoid getting hit by enemies. Speaking of enemies, most of them are annoying, but that would be fine, if I even see them! But no, because the camera is so zoomed on Jazz, so I have to be in the enemies face if I want to see them (therefore shoot them, because if an enemy is not on the screen, it doesn't exists... 90's video game logic). To give credit, where credit is due, GoG did a great job with this collection - it contains all official levels, and runs great. I got this game for a buck, so cannot complain about the price, either. So it's not terrible, but the sequel is much better. I recommend playing that game instead of this.

Epic has finally taken the time to put this classic up for digital download, and it's definitely worth buying. It's basically a combination of Sonic and Turrican, you run really fast and shoot around the level until you reach the end. It's gameplay seen in many other games, but it's still very fun. Also, the music is outstanding, the graphics are fluid for a game this old, and the cinematics are charming. Overall, considering this was a DOS game in the early 90s, it's very well-designed, and I recommend it to fans of these more obscure retro games.

Back in the early 90's, videogame consoles reigned supreme when it came to home entertainment. With their action-packed sidescrollers, it seemed like PC gaming would never catch up to the likes of Super Mario Bros and Sonic the Hedgehog. The PC generally suffered from the inability to show smoothly scrolling playfields in the way that consoles could. Many attempts were made with games like Commander Keen and Duke Nukem being notable examples, however no developer seemed to be able to replicate the smooth console experience. But then in the summer of 1994, Epic Megagames surprised everyone when they released Jazz jackrabbit to great acclaim. The first thing noticeable about Jazz Jackrabbit in addition to how smooth the playfield scrolls is the speed at which it does so. Perhaps even a bit faster than the original Sonic The Hedgehog games, Jazz moves along at an impressive clip. Don't try to jump on your foes or you'll just get hurt, Jazz isn't packing that gun just for show. There are plenty of gun upgrades to pick up along the way, providing Jazz with a serious arsenal. Now, as great as the graphics and gameplay are, the soundtrack is another amazing element of Jazz Jackrabbit. Done in a streamed Amiga Tracker style format, the soundscape is vast and impressive, with each world having it's own particular theme music. Speaking of the worlds, there is one helluva lot of variety in this game. The version on offer at GoG is the second release of the CD-ROM version, which has 9 complete episodes, as well as bonus Christmas levels in an episode known as Holiday Hare. Kudos to Epic Games and GoG for working together to bring Jazz back, as for years there has been no legal way of obtaining this amazing game. Now with the re-release of this masterpiece, gamers can and definitely should check out this classic.

Jazz Jackrabbit was a beacon of light for PC gamers who wanted to play Sonic the Hedgehog but didn't have a Genesis. As the creators themselves have said, the gameplay is Sonic with a gun: you run swiftly though levels and then leap from platforms all while shooting everything in sight. Its very simple but very enjoyable, having a similar feel to Sonic's running with the addition of firing various unique weaponry. Each level feels different from the last with its own style and dangers and plenty of cool secrets ranging from power-ups to whole new levels. The graphics and music are also of top quality, the sprite work is excellent and the music is probably some of the best music in a platformer I have ever heard! So why am I giving this a 3 outta 5? This game sounds extremely fun! And it is... Sometimes. More often than not though it is a test of patience and the worst of twitch reflexes. Jazz is a bit slippery and goes from 0 to 100 miles an hour way too quickly, so when the game decides to be more precise with its platforming (which is surprisingly often) it becomes a clunky nightmare. The game's biggest flaw though is its camera: it is WAAAY too zoomed in! I lost track of the amount of times I got hit by an enemy I could never have seen in time at the speed the game wants you to go at, forcing me to lightly tap the movement keys in order to avoid being destroyed by frequently cheap enemy placement. Also get ready for a sore hand, unless you find the rapid-fire item (which you lose when you die) you have to mash the fire button for every shot you take! I assure you Jazz Jackrabbit is a classic, but just like "2001: A Space Odyssey" its not a classic that has aged well at all. I do think the game is just good enough to overlook its severe shortcomings, but even then its not easy to do without a heavy amount of DOS nostalgia. Frankly: just get the sequel, It fixes all this game's problems and has a ton of epic new content from co-op to a level editor.