Anniversary Bash 22 approaches! - March 28th 2020
Source: JCF
The Anniversary Bash, one of the biggest events in the JJ2 calendar, is returning for its 22nd iteration from Friday 10th to Monday 13th April!
For those not in the know, the Anniversary Bash is an annual event celebrating the full release of Jazz Jackrabbit 2, where a dedicated multiplayer server is run for a few days with a pre-prepared levellist of Battle and CTF levels.
This tends to be the largest gathering of JJ2 players, and often retired veteran players are known to resurface during the course of the event. More information can be found in the JCF thread.
To join the server, you will need to apply the JJ2+ patch to your registered version of JJ2 if you haven’t already.
I hope to see you all there! Stay stafe, stay indoors and play some JJ2!
Video Games by Community Members - March 14th 2020
It seems like just yesterday that et (gameplay programming) and EvilMike (level design) released their gorgeous metroidvania Ori and the Blind Forest, but it was actually five years ago. Now they’ve done it again, with the the sequel Ori and the Will of the Wisps, which is already garnering very positive reactions!
Meanwhile, Olsen is part of a team that has just released Wunderling, a great new puzzle-platformer where you only turn left or right when bouncing off a wall, and your only means of controlling yourself (initially) is jumping! Olsen did all the programming and some of the level design too… chat about it here!
Finally, Roobar just put out the latest update to his game closely inspired by our old frenemies the Commander Keen series: Planet Cloudius IX! You may even find some references to JJ2 graphics if you dig deep enough. Forum thread here!
Book on history Guerrilla Games / Jazz Jackrabbit - February 22nd 2020
Source: https://sites.google.com/view/karel-van-mander-academy/gamegeschiedenis-van-nederland
The Karel van Mander Academy (The Netherlands) released my book on the history of Guerrilla Games: https://bit.ly/gamegeschiedenis
The book starts with all the predecessors of Guerrilla Games, so there’s a huge deal about Orange Games and Jazz Jackrabbit 1/2 in the book as wel.
Community JJ1 Maps Now Playable in Your Browser - January 20th 2020
Source: JCF Thread
Yo, remember the first Jazz Jackrabbit?
Remember how young you were when you first played it?
Remember how you felt very depressed about the inevitable passage of time, and how scared of the future you were in that moment? wanted to relive old memories, only to find that a game from 1994 isn’t so easy to run on modern systems? Me too!
But regardless of whether you’re tech savvy or not, you will certainly appreciate the fact that our resident hackerman Violet CLM has found a way to run Jazz 1 in your browser:
Thanks to the js-dos library, though, I’ve implemented a mod loader for JJ1 that you can play in your web browser. Play any custom JJ1 level/s uploaded to J2O (or the JJ1 shareware demo) without needing to download files, install emulators, or spend money.
You can now Escape from Nippius, Explore Letni, visit the Foreseeable Future, and give yourself a Flashback to the Lost Ages with the original shareware demo – all one click away.
Go on, click that link, you know you want to.
New 3D Jazz model available for download - December 20th 2019
Source: Patreon
3D Modeler J.C. Thornton has just created a 3D model of Jazz Jackrabbit (based on the JJ2 dimensions) and made it available for free download. Features include:
- Moveable eyelids, eyeballs, tounge and teeth
- Facial Flexes
- Removable backpack, arm bands and bandana
- Bonus model: Laser gun
UNniversary Bash 4 confirmed for 7th of December! - November 10th 2019
Source: JCF post
Missed Anniversary Bash 21? Just want more time to celebrate and chill? Well you’re in luck, because UNniversary bash 4 is starting soon – and you have the power to vote on a hand-picked selection of maps!
The start date itself coincides with the GOG re-release of Jazz2. As my final self-founded bash, lets go out with a bang!
Judge curation is in progress at the time of this newspost. Be sure to check back on the thread every now and then, or use the special #ub4_input channel at the Jazz Discord.
Jazz Jackrabbit 2 be featured at Marathons! - August 30th 2019
Source: JCF thread
Ever wanted to get your fix of watching Jazz Jackrabbit 2 gameplay, but done fast with all the tech and trivia explained live? Well you have not one, but two chances…and most likely even more in the future!
For a marathon coming up very soon, there’s the main campaign to be ran at Speed Stuff 4 Charity 6, happening from the 30th of August to the 2nd of September. And there’s a bid-war whether I get to play Jazz or Lori! Check out when I run here, localised to your own timezone.
Further down the line for October, there’s Speedrun Ragnarok . I’ll be running Lori episodes 1-4, and a brand-new Spaz Tool-assisted-speedrun as a donation incentive. Currently the schedule is only in the average american timezone, but localised times will be added near the beginning of the marathon.
As always – time schedules may shift so be sure to keep an eye on them.
If you want to know all the marathons Jazz gets featured in the future, keep check of this thread – more than just the main campaign!
Let's talk about Guardians - August 9th 2019
| DragonFlies |  6 votes (25%) |
| DogWalkers |  1 vote (4%) |
| Donuts |  12 votes (50%) |
| Radical Heights |  5 votes (20%) |
| Total votes: 24 | |
Next up, as part of our celebration of Jazz Jackrabbit’s 25th anniversary, it’s time for a JJ1 poll! When we asked about the best JJ1 episode overall, Ballistic Bunny was the winner. But what if we’re just talking about Guardians, or “bosses” as some may call them? Who’s your favorite? Here’s a refresher video if you need one.
And while we’re on the subject, check out the Silver Jubilee CTF Contest! cooba is giving you until September 1st to create a large CTF level using a JJ1 conversion tileset. Click through to read the rest of the rules and get yourself jazzed up to participate!
25 Years of Jazz Jackrabbit - August 1st 2019
Source: Epic MegaNews #3
Fasten your seatbelts for the ride of your life! JAZZ JACKRABBIT is coming towards you at light speed, and this little bunny carries a big gun. The evil turtle emperor Devan Shell has rabbitnapped the beloved princess Eva Earlong. Now he’s swiping all the goodies in the galaxy to support his plot of Galactic Rabbit Destruction! Lead the speedy Jazz on a wild treasure hunt spanning enormous areas jam-packed with major danger!
Jazz features ULTRA-FAST scrolling 256 color graphics, ROCKING Digital Audio with Surround Sound, and WHITE-HOT action from Epic MegaGames! Look out Sonic, this is one tough little bunny!
It’s been 25 years since the release of Jazz Jackrabbit 1 by Epic MegaGames (later Epic Games). 25 years ago today, we learned that when crisis strikes, the universe turns to one supehero… one of great strength and moral character… quick wit and inventiveness… incredible speed and flexibility… but most importantly… floppy ears and a big gun!!!
It’s time to party! Play some Jazz 1! Read some community history! Bake a cake in the shape of a rabbit! This is our day, and there are no wrong answers.
Downloads and other links:
Jazz Jackrabbit shareware
Holiday Hare 1994 Freeware
Holiday Hare 1995 Freeware
Jazz 1 emulated in your browser
Open-Source remake of Jazz 1 for lots of platforms
AngelScript-based remake of Jazz 1 in JJ2+
Usermade Jazz 1 levels
Jazz 1 editing utilities: J1E, JJ1MOD, J1LES
Jazz 1 tilesets converted for use in Jazz 2
Jazz 1 shareware ported to Jazz 2
Jazz 1 shareware recreated from scratch using normal Jazz 2 tilesets
Unfinished, more extreme version of the same
Use most Jazz 1 enemies in your Jazz 2 levels
People are putting Jazz in things - July 16th 2019
While we wait for more information about JDC Season 30, Jazz Jackrabbit has been making some surprising appearances across the internet:
Jazz is in Doom
AlanjWeh89 has created a custom .wad file for Doom that lets you play as Jazz in several familiar locales, fighting familiar enemies with familiar weapons. You can read about it and download it now.
Jazz is in anime
Shaddow Black0 would like you to watch Jazz Jackrabbit The Movie Mini Trailer Fanmade (Jazz With Muscles)!
Jazz is in ultra high resolution
Magnifai has upscaled the Jazz 2 intro animation (as well as the Epic Megagames and Orange Games logo sequences) to 1920×1440, working frame by frame using different neural networks. Check it out here!