Jill of the Jungle was one of the first games I ever played when I was young and my family still had a DOS-based PC. It may not be as well known as Super Mario Bros., but it's still a classic platformer.
The levels are well-designed and have good variety, both in terms of setting (jungles, caves, castles and so forth) and layout. Some are relatively linear, while others will force you to explore and find the keys you need to proceed. There are also places you can explore to grab powerups or items to boost your score, and the first and third episodes have optional levels.
Jill has a surprising number of abilities. In addition to her ability to throw daggers and spinning blades, each of which flies through the air differently, she can transform into other creatures- a phoenix, a fish and a frog. Her transformations have specific abilities, and can be used to solve various puzzles. This is a relatively novel mechanic that helps set the game apart from others of the same time period.
The soundtrack is fairly good, and generally fits the tone of each area; my favorite is the castle area soundtrack. One downside, though, is that the songs don't properly loop, and generally start from the beginning when the song ends.
One somewhat annoying aspect of the game is that the mechanics can occasionally vary from episode to episode. For example, the red demons can be killed in Episode 2, but not in Episode 3. Similarly, the statues in the first episode will cut Jill in half if she tries to pass by them without switching them off, but they randomly swing their axes in the third episode.
The game is quite short, and I was able to complete all three episodes in a total of roughly three hours. Nevertheless, it's well worth your time if you're a fan of old side scrollers, especially since it can be downloaded for free on GOG.com.
VideoGame Classic sidescrolling fun
Jill of the Jungle was one of the first games I ever played when I was young and my family still had a DOS-based PC. It may not be as well known as Super Mario Bros., but it's still a classic platformer.
The plot is threadbare even by the Excuse Plot standards of the early 90s. In the first episode, Jill aimlessly wanders the jungle, in the second, explores an underground area, and in the third, she suddenly has to save a previously unmentioned prince. By comparison, many games of this time period at least had a consistent goal to work towards. Nevertheless, the game doesn't take itself too seriously, especially when taking potshots at some of its competitors, so the lack of a story isn't really a problem.
The levels are well-designed and have good variety, both in terms of setting (jungles, caves, castles and so forth) and layout. Some are relatively linear, while others will force you to explore and find the keys you need to proceed. There are also places you can explore to grab powerups or items to boost your score, and the first and third episodes have optional levels.
Jill has a surprising number of abilities. In addition to her ability to throw daggers and spinning blades, each of which flies through the air differently, she can transform into other creatures- a phoenix, a fish and a frog. Her transformations have specific abilities, and can be used to solve various puzzles. This is a relatively novel mechanic that helps set the game apart from others of the same time period.
The soundtrack is fairly good, and generally fits the tone of each area; my favorite is the castle area soundtrack. One downside, though, is that the songs don't properly loop, and generally start from the beginning when the song ends.
One somewhat annoying aspect of the game is that the mechanics can occasionally vary from episode to episode. For example, the red demons can be killed in Episode 2, but not in Episode 3. Similarly, the statues in the first episode will cut Jill in half if she tries to pass by them without switching them off, but they randomly swing their axes in the third episode.
The game is quite short, and I was able to complete all three episodes in a total of roughly three hours. Nevertheless, it's well worth your time if you're a fan of old side scrollers, especially since it can be downloaded for free on GOG.com.