In 1994, Epic MegaGames released a DOS platformer so fast and colorful it genuinely felt like playing a Sega Genesis on a PC. Jazz Jackrabbit is a high-speed side-scrolling platformer starring a gun-toting green rabbit on a mission to rescue his girlfriend from a villainous tortoise. It sounds absurd — and it absolutely is, in the best possible way. The shareware episode is free.
About the Game
Jazz Jackrabbit was Epic’s answer to Sonic the Hedgehog — a blistering-speed platformer designed to prove that PCs could compete with consoles. The story follows Jazz, a mercenary rabbit hired to rescue Eva Earlong from the clutches of Devan Shell, leader of the Turtle Terrorist organization. It is pure Saturday morning cartoon energy, and the game leans into it completely.
The shareware version includes the first episode, Holidaius, with six full levels set across a holiday-themed alien planet. It is a complete and polished experience that shows off everything the game has to offer.
Gameplay Features
Jazz Jackrabbit is built for speed. Levels scroll at a blistering pace, with Jazz dashing, sliding, and shooting his way through vibrant alien environments. The blaster Jazz carries can be upgraded with power-ups found throughout each level — bouncing shots, flamethrowers, and other weapons add variety to the combat.
The level design rewards exploration and speed equally. You can blast through levels in minutes if you stay on the main path, or slow down to find hidden areas filled with bonus points and power-ups. The game also features a two-player mode for local competitive play, a rarity for platformers of the era.
Why It’s Worth Playing Today
Jazz Jackrabbit is joyful. The music by Robert Allen is energetic and catchy, the visuals are bright and colorful, and the sheer speed of the game is exhilarating. It holds up far better than many platformers of its era, and it is a reminder that the PC gaming world had its own answer to console platformers — and it was a pretty great one.
Download Jazz Jackrabbit for Free
How to Run with DOSBox
- Install DOSBox if you haven’t already.
- Extract the files to a folder like
C:JAZZ. - In DOSBox:
mount c C:JAZZ→c:→jazz.