Forgotten Gaming Mascots #14: Jazz Jackrabbit

On 02/16/2021 at 08:16 AM by The Last Ninja

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Games: Jazz Jackrabbit (DOS/1994), Jazz Jackrabbit 2 (Win, Mac OS/1998), Jazz Jackrabbit (GBA/2002)

Mascot for: Epic MegaGames

As you can see, Jazz has enjoyed moderate success as a mascot, although two of his games were released only for computers. Jazz can run (gaining momentum a 'la Sonic), jump, and use some major awesome weapons (launcher grenades, flame bullets, bi-missile projectiles, and TNT). Believe it or not, Jazz was actually inspired by the Amiga game Zool (you can learn more about Zool here). A third Jazz game for PS2 and PC was canceled, which is a shame because it was going to be a third person shooter and would have used Unreal Engine. Apparently the game was canceled because they couldn't find a publisher. The GBA game was actually a reboot of the original game.

What happened: This one's easy. Epic went on to bigger and better things. Not only did they create Unreal Engine, but they also made Gears of War and a little game called Fortnite (ever heard of it?). Yeah. So, sad to say, Jazz has been left behind amid such incredible success. Hopefully some day soon they will bring him back and give him the 3D game he deserves.

Super Step Contributing Writer

02/16/2021 at 03:32 PM

Jazz Jackrabbit I do remember. Played this one on the neighbors' computer.

The Last Ninja

02/17/2021 at 12:37 AM

Cool. And what are your thoughts about it?

02/17/2021 at 02:24 AM

I liked it fine ... it's been too long to say anything specific, sorry. I remember thinking of it as a Sonic knockoff, but it was ok.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

02/16/2021 at 05:44 PM

definitely forgettable.

02/17/2021 at 12:39 AM

C'mon, he could be worse (like, he could be a squirrel named "Mr. Nutz" lol)

KnightDriver

02/16/2021 at 06:24 PM

Darn, Jazz even looks like Cliffy B.

02/17/2021 at 12:40 AM

He also looks a bit like Bucky O'Hare

bucky

Cary Woodham

02/16/2021 at 08:03 PM

Awww yeah! Jazz Jackrabbit! I loved these games. The first one came out when consoles and PCs were neck and neck in power, and sometimes consoles would surpass PCs in some areas. Consoles definitely had an edge on 2-D platformers for a time, so seeing this running as well on a PC was amazing. This was also when shareware was a big way to do PC gaming. Oh how different things were back then! I also liked the music. Especially the Tubelectric and Medievo planets.

I played a lot of Jazz Jackrabbit 2 when I was in college. While I felt the first game played like a cross between Sonic and Mega Man, the second game to me felt more like a cross between Sonic and Earthworm Jim. Still a fun game, though, and same goes for the music.

I have the GBA Jazz Jackrabbit game. To me it doesn't feel like a remake of the first. For one, it plays more like a cross between Earthworm Jim and the SNES Duck Dodgers game instead of Sonic. And it's called Jazz Jackrabbit 3 and Spaz is in it and he says he's retired from the last game. I couldn't get into the GBA game as much as the others, though.

I didn't make the connection that the Jazz developers now do Fornite. If they put Jazz Jackrabbit in it, I MIGHT be tempted to play it. I'd love a Jazz Jackrabbit collection on the Switch or PS4 or something like that.

02/17/2021 at 12:43 AM

I would definitely buy a Jazz collection if they ever put it out. I'm thinking Epic is so busy with Fortnite that they've forgotten about Jazz (sad), but hey, you never know, they might include him in Fortnite (that would be awesome).

PixlBit