Jazz2Online news for December 2014
True origin of Carrotus - December 24th 2014
Source: "Devs Play" on YouTube
Double Fine’s new YouTube series, Devs Play, builds its inaugural episode around the 1994 Lion King game, complete with commentary from one of the developers. At around the half hour mark they get to the Hakuna Matata level, and Louis Castle reveals that it was based on official Disney plates, storyboards, etc. that were initially developed for the original Lion King movie but were cut for story reasons.
Why do we care? Well, it’s a nineties platformer, but more importantly, Hakuna Matata was the inspiration for Carrotus. Before it was thought to have been invented specifically for the Lion King game, but nope, it originated in-house at Disney. (Just like Pride Rock, the inspiration for Damn.)
LGR plays Jazz Jackrabbit Holiday Hare '94 - December 16th 2014
Source: YouTube
We have seen Lazy Game Reviews in the past before with his Jazz Jackrabbit 1 and Jazz Jackrabbit 2 reviews. So naturally LGR would play JJ Holiday Hare ’94 at some day during the Holiday season! Enjoy watching.
Twenty Years of Holiday Hare - December 15th 2014
Source: Epic MegaNews #6
A cool winter setting with ice caves and snow-covered pines.
All of your favorite Christmas tunes played to a rocking electric guitar beat!
Total arcade mayhem as Jazz goes up against ice monkeys, bulldogs, demons, and much more!
Released December 15, 1994, Holiday Hare ’94 took place entirely on a single planet—Holidaius—but with a different palette for each level, a technique that JJ1 hadn’t used before (although JJ2 would run it into the ground). It also used a different set of enemies in each level, with the unfortunate side effect of showing the Now Approaching screen three times more than necessary.
HH94’s festive remix soundtrack and its free distribution have given it some life of its own outside of the Jazz Jackrabbit series, among people throwing together lists of Christmas-themed video games, and it featured the series’ only ingame-sprite-based cutscene (until JJA). Unfortunately, it also brought back the hand enemies from Stonar, but nothing’s perfect…
With Hanukkah to begin in about 24 hours (adjust for time zone), this twentieth anniversary seems as good a time as any to wish you all a Happy Holidays from J2O. And if you don’t have HH94 yet, download it free today!
Twenty Years of Jazz 1 CD - December 3rd 2014
Source: Epic MegaNews #5
twenty years and a few days, but the admin tools were broken until now
November 28, 1994 marked the unveiling of Jazz Jackrabbit CD, with its… well, I’ll let Epic do the enumerating:
Original 6 episodes, plus 3 new episodes!
Original 6 ending animations, plus 3 new ones.
9 new Bonus Stages, for a grand total of 27.
27 new levels, for a grand total of 81 (WOW!)
New BONUS option to play just the 3D bonus stages!
I’m sure there’s room for disagreement, but the CD planets include some of my favorites in the game, particularly Industrius. These later tilesets are more detailed, and the levels have more advanced use of the engine. Does that make the overall looks or layouts better? You tell me.
We’ve got another twenty year mark coming up in just under two weeks, but for now, JJ1CD is the game of the land! Fire up those DOSBoxes, mates.