Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Online

I think Quickz’ new level needs to have more attention. I dunno why Emp reviews every level by Quickz, but whatever. Let’s go to the review!

Layout
The first thing you’ll notice when playing this level is that it’s pretty small. The layout is non-symmetrical, but it’s balanced. That’s always a good thing. There is one real way to each base, but you can get there in two ways. Near the bases are tubes that will lead you to the upper platform. The base placement is about the same as in Hydronificant! and Rainbow Hills. Maybe it’s time for a different placement, Quickz? ;p

There are tubes in the middle that will lead you to near the carrot. This is nice. That there’s a wall in the middle prevents you from running around at the bottom of the level without being stopped. It’s a good thing in my opinion. The area near the carrot has changed since I beta tested the level. You can run around there without being stopped, but there were small holes before. I personally like this more, because it makes it easier to hit someone who camps the carrot.

In the top middle there is a warp that will lead you to a Power-Up. This method has been used in Hydronificant! as well. The Warp Target, however, is closer to the left base than to the right base. Making it in the middle or putting two Warp Targets would solve this. It’s not a serious problem though.

It’s pretty hard to defend very well. There are lots of slopes near the bases so Seekers don’t really work to defend with. People can shoot Bouncers from above or they come from the other side and use Toaster or Bouncer. Seekers aren’t very good in this level I think. Some people can dodge them very well.

Other gameplay

As usual, there is quite good flow. The springs are pretty useful, but you might bump against a wall. Nothing to do about it I guess. Just keep it like this, as it’s not a major problem. The way to each base is pretty much to the left and the right, but with obstacles like the tubes in the middle. One Ways are used at the springs left/right from the carrot and to lead you to above by using the blue spring. There is one small dead end at the Toaster Power-Up. I don’t think it’s a problem, as it’s small and strategical.

Eye candy

The eye candy in the level is typical Swamps eye candy, but it’s logical. Lots of leaves in layer 5 and 4 and other stuff that’s used in lots of Swamps levels. There are also empty places to prevent the eye candy from being overused. I personally like lots of eye candy a lot, so if there’s eye cnady everywhere I like it more. Unless it’s extremely overused. In this level is isn’t. I appreciate the fact that people use Swamps properly because I had big problems with it when I tried to use it. The foreground layers aren’t used a lot. Probably because I don’t really like foreground eye candy with the Swamps tileset. But anyway. The background in the level is also pretty basic, it’s just what Swamps levels should have. Overall, the eye candy is pretty good, can’t say a lot more about it.

Carrot placement

The only carrot is a Full Energy carrot, which is enough for a level of this size. It’s placed in the middle and is easily campable. But you only want to camp it if you have 3h unless you are fast enough and you can get it before you die when you have 1h. RFs are good to use against a camper, and Toaster also works fine. A camper must be extremely skilled if he/she wants to survive with 1h while the carrot isn’t there.

Other placement
The placement of the level is pretty basic. The shapes of ammo are nice, the 3 × 3 group and the 2 × 4 group of Seekers are the only unoriginal ones. There are 3 more Seekers at the right side by the way. ;p

There are a few Fast Fires at the left and right sides of the tubes in the middle of the level. They can be useful for Bouncers in the level, but not for other weapons(as usual)

There are 3 Power-Ups in the level. Seeker, Toaster and Bouncer. These 3 are used a lot in levels. The Seeker Power-Up is in a warp, the Toaster Power-Up is in a small dead end and the Bouncer Power-Up is between some vines. I personally think that the Bouncy Power-Up and the Toaster Power-Up are the most useful in the level.

Originality

The music used for the level is a standard music from Jazz2. It’s better than Jungle.j2b, which has been used in other Swamps levels(like The Marshland of Evil) but Beach.j2b has been used in Santranigus V. Anyway, it fits the level even though there is no water or something in the level.

The level doesn’t have any original ideas, but it’s hard to make up something nowadays. The tileset used is pretty overused, but I don’t think that’s a problem. I can’t really find a nice underused tileset anyway.

Okay, now that I wrote all this stuff you probably want me to rate the level. Well, before I do that I’ll tell that it’s your best level so far(in my opinion) Hydronificant! looks a bit like this level, but I like this level more(because of the better eye candy probably) Rainbow Hills was also pretty basic in my opinion. This level doesn’t have anything special, but I like it.

Host this: Yes, sometimes. I’ll probably host it if Quickz allows me to. A 2v2 could be nice here too.

Download this: Yes, it’s a nice, small, new level. We don’t see a lot of new levels lately.

My final rating is an 8.0. This level is a very nice third level(although you made more, but this is the third release) and a very nice first level made for XLM. Have fun!

P.S. This was my longest review ever for one level. Hurray!