History VideoGame / JazzJackrabbit

Developed by Epic Megagames, who would eventually rise to further fame as just Creator/EpicGames and go on to develop games like the ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}'' and ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar'' series plus the ever-so-popular ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'', these games starred the titular rabbit hero with quick feet and a big gun, crossing galaxies to butt heads with the evil Devan Shell and to free the captured princess of his home planet. Once considered PC gamers' response to the likes of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'', the Jazz games sold on fast-paced RunAndGun action (with bonus levels surprisingly similar to Sonic's) and the titular MascotWithAttitude. The first two games in the series received many expansion sets, including Christmas-themed ones, [[{{Vaporware}} and the franchise ground to a halt when the third game failed to ship]]. Surprisingly the games still maintain an active online community, and ''Jazz 2'' is still actively played online by the proud and the few to this day.

* TubeTravel: They appear appear mostly in the Tubelectric stages (hence, the planet's name), but other stages such as Labrat from the second game have these as well. The former example is the page image.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Jazz_Jackrabbit_1265.jpg]]

* SmoochOfVictory: [[spoiler: Jazz and Eva share a BIG one at the end of the final episode of the first game.]]

* StationaryEnemy: : One of the few enemies that never move are the small dragons from the second game. Instead, they shoot flames larger than itself.

Remember {{A|nAesop}}esop's ''Literature/TheTortoiseAndTheHare''? Imagine that same struggle, only 2,000 years into the future with both participants as [[FunnyAnimal anthrophomorphic animals]], armed to the teeth and out for each others' blood.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' plus ''ComicBook/BuckyOHareAndTheToadWars'' equals Jazz Jackrabbit. But Bucky O'Hare minus Jazz Jackrabbit equals VideoGame/StarFox.

* Haunted Castle: Planet Medivo.

* DummiedOut: Tons in Jazz Jackrabbit 2, due to rushed production. Everything from secret levels (at least three, including two complete levels) to bosses (one complete and only used in a later bonus pack, another with no attacks and a third that's invisible despite having sprites) to minor enemies (some functional, others not) and powerups ([[FrickinLaserBeams Frickin' Laser Shield]]!). There's a bunch of unused sprites in the animation file, too, including '3D' views a-la the 3D Bonus Stages in the first game. A complete list can be found [[https://tcrf.net/Jazz_Jackrabbit_2 here]].

* FrickinLaserBeams: The cheat-code-access-only Laser Shield, although oddly enough its lasers mostly obey physics and are instantaneous.

* OminousLatinChanting: The final world in the first game's first episode - Medivo. The track during the level fits well for both the music and overall atmospheric components. Though part of the shareware content, that accessibility actually helped to increase the level set's popularity, rather than leaving players tired of it. Cue remixes still popping up almost 15 years later and you likely have NotableOriginalMusic as well.

%%* {{Jerkass}}: Devan Shell.

%%* MadScientist: Devan Shell.

* HomingProjectile: The Missile Launcher fires heat-seeking missiles which change their flight paths to hit the nearest enemy. It's especially useful against the type of enemies that [[GoddamnBats chase and attack the player]] when he gets too close to them, such as bees.

Developed by Epic Megagames, who would eventually rise to further fame as just Creator/EpicGames and go on to develop games like the ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}'' and ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar'' series, these games starred the titular rabbit hero with quick feet and a big gun, crossing galaxies to butt heads with the evil Devan Shell and to free the captured princess of his home planet. Once considered PC gamers' response to the likes of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'', the Jazz games sold on fast-paced RunAndGun action (with bonus levels surprisingly similar to Sonic's) and the titular MascotWithAttitude. The first two games in the series received many expansion sets, including Christmas-themed ones, [[{{Vaporware}} and the franchise ground to a halt when the third game failed to ship]]. Surprisingly the games still maintain an active online community, and ''Jazz 2'' is still actively played online by the proud and the few to this day.

* BonusStage: In the first game, every level has a bonus stage which you can enter if you collect a special ruby.

* MascotWithAttitude: Jazz is a classic version, though the comics sometimes [[AffectionateParody made fun of this]]. He also did well for a character of this type.

* TimedMission: In the first game, there is a timer counting down from 10, 8, 6, or 4 minutes depending on the difficulty. On Easy and Medium modes, running out of time carries no penalty other than not being able to collect a time bonus. On Hard and Turbo modes, however, instant death at 0:00.0 is in force. You can get an extra minute if you collect an hourglass, but you can't go over 10 minutes.

* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses: Princess Eva Earlong, although she's not your typical DamselInDistress.

** Also, Princess Eva is basically [[SuperMarioBros Princess Peach]] if she were turned into a blue anthropomorphic rabbit.

* MixAndMatchCritters: Chuck, the the caged bird the player encounters in most of the levels, is described as being half-pheasent, half-eagle.