HARE-RAISING SPEED
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Jazz Jackrabbit is a 2D-sidescrolling platformer that was a rare
DOS-exclusive in 1994. Back then, the sophisticated PC was generally not
highly regarded as a platform for platforming fun. That prerogative was for
the SEGA-, Nintendo- and, to some extent, Amiga-crowd. For a PC-exclusive platform game,
Jazz Jackrabbit is surprisingly good, although it sports a few annoying design decisions that were kinda typical of the
times. It combines large sprites, a narrow field of vision and breakneck
speed.
That sounds like a recipe for disaster - how are you supposed to avoid
oncoming enemies when the screen is scrolling like crazy and the camera is zoomed in? Well, sometimes you just can't,
but Epic Megagames inserted a few workarounds to reduce the
impact. Thanks to a forgiving nature they managed to get a playable and,
mostly, enjoyable sidescrolling platformer out of a poor setup.
Jazz Jackrabbit was no console killer, but presented a
surprisingly technically apt experience. The green-furred rabbit is a fine mascot, worthy of the console competition. He looks cuter than he strives
to be, rocking a Rambo-esque look with a versatile gun and a super-cool red bandana. His mission is
to rescue his bunny girlfriend, Eva Earlong, from the evil turtle, Devan
Shell. I suppose the "Hare and the Tortoise"-inspired story glorifies speed and vilifies sluggishness.
True to the shareware zeitgeist of the 1990:s, you control Jazz through six
episodes, each one handled like a separate game. Each episode contains six levels
of different themes - jungle, crystal cave, snowy mountain, etc. - as you
fly from planet to planet. The game is brimming with enemies, trampolines,
secrets, pickups and traps. Every episode ends with a dedicated boss level.
The character sprites are detailed and varied, but the levels and
backgrounds look rather primitive. It's often hard to determine if a wall is
an obstacle or belongs to the background.
The music, on the other hand, is undoubtedly in the foreground - of the audio department, that is. The tunes are catchy, almost on par with the Amiga contemporaries, but lack the raw, distorted oomph of the best of those classics. The sound effects are gently brushed aside to not interfere with the composer's hard work. The only one I can recall is the distinct clacking of a bouncing grenade on the floor.
The game's crazy speed sets you up to fail, but not without a chance to
repair the damage done. I chose to play it safe by moving slowly, gently
tapping the control keys rather than pressing them. Otherwise, I'd often enough run
straight into enemies and lose one quarter of my health. Inspired by games
like Sonic the Hedgehog and Zool (which I hate), Jazz Jackrabbit can be hard, but it at least allows players to continue where they left off
or died. Its episodic format lets you jump into any chapter of the story,
and a save-feature can be used to create your own mid-episode bookmark.
The level design is mostly open and exciting, as well as labyrinthine, with
branching paths both vertically and horizontally. To beat the stage you only need to reach the goalpost. It can get rather tense
when you're down to your last chunk of health, and haven't seen a checkpoint
in ages. Arrows in the background point out the direction towards the goal, but you can defy the directions to explore optional parts of the
level. In the long run, it can be worthwhile.
I appreciate the useful pickups, like timed invincibility, an auto-attacking
parrot companion and rapid fire. The different ammo-pickups don't do much,
although the bouncing grenades are a lifesaver on the later stages, where
enemies swarm below your position. But the smart bombs, that kill every
monster on the screen, are way too rare. I also hate the inability to aim
upwards. In fact, the
"up"-direction is dreadfully underutilized.
The welcome ability to scroll the screen slightly up and down - after a
frustrating delay of a couple of seconds - keeps you from landing on spikes
or jumping into enemies. The game also kindly provides a mid-level
checkpoint and plenty of well-distributed healing carrots. One level has a
decent underwater section, where you proceed by raising the water level, and
some sections provide you with a hoverboard. A fun, 3D-scrolling bonus
level every now and then challenges you to collect gems for an extra life.
As a mascot, Jazz is likeable, and his game fits the one-episode-a-day mold.
The hit detection can feel a bit unforgiving, and some enemies and hazards
are just frustrating. Why, o why do you have to shoot those bouncing mines
on the last stage TEN times to destroy them? It doesn't make the game
harder, only more tedious. And the bosses are, quite frankly, a joke. Most
of them you can defeat by standing in a safe spot and shoot whenever they
pass by. Their movement pattern is extremely limited.
Jazz Jackrabbit is a product of its time; shallow, cute and innocent fun. You play it, you feel it, you forget it - but you don't regret it. Had it been released today, no-one
would have given it a second glance. But in spite of some shortcomings, it's
a solid 2D platformer. I fumed at it a couple of times,
particularly towards the end, where the platforming segments became very
tough. But my feelings only betrayed that I cared about seeing it through to
the end. And I never found the game unfair, nor brutal - only a decent
challenge.
It also rekindled my appreciation for keyboard controls, something I've not
dabbled with since my ZX Spectrum-days. Keyboard controls improved my
reflexes by a mile and helped me through this game without too much hassle.
Oh, and I should also mention this: I played GOG:s
Jazz Jackrabbit CD-ROM version, which contains a bunch of extra
episodes, but I skipped those. I figured the main campaign was enough
finger-exercise for a while. But I guess I'll have to return and try them
one day - when jackrabbits fly.
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