A great rival to Sonic, Mario and Rayman
Jazz Jackrabbit is a name that might not have entered the platformer Hall of Fame alongside Rayman, Sonic and Mario, but on the basis of this game, he at least deserves a spot somewhere further down the list. Following on from the original Jazz Jackrabbit, this sequel continues the adventures of the gun-toting rabbit, only this time he's on a mission through time to recover the ring he intends to give to his beloved Eva and which has been stolen by his archnemesis, Devan Shell. In gameplay terms, this translates into a scrolling shooter/platformer, similar to its predecessor and which will be familiar to anyone who has played such games as Lion King, Ghosts & Goblins and the like, with enemies to be overcome, platforms to be jumped over and secrets to be discovered. However, adding to the variety is the option to play as one of several characters in a similar fashion to Super Mario Bros 2 and who each have their own unique abilities. For example, Jazz's brother can double-jump while his sister can dash across the screen to wipe out enemies with ease. Further adding to the interest are the power-ups for your gun and which provide various cool ammo types, like ice and flame bullets. While Jazz Jackrabbit isn't overly original, it scores a lot of points by simply doing most things very well. The levels are nicely designed and are highly striking visually, with lush environments and appealing sprites that are full of personality, while the audio is equally charming. The multi-player mode only serves to make a great game better so really, if you are a platforming fan, this has to be checked out.