Jazz Jackrabbit 2: holiday hare

Jazz Jackrabbit 2, released by Epic MegaGames in 1998, was the sequel to the studio's beloved 1994 mascot platformer, and it arrived just as Epic was beginning its transformation into the powerhouse behind Unreal. The green rabbit and his brawnier brother Spaz return to battle the villainous turtle Devan Shell, and this time the presentation is dramatically more polished — bright, high-resolution 2D art, catchy music, and a real sense of craft in every stage.

The core is still fast run-and-gun platforming, blasting enemies while collecting gems and dashing through colourful, secret-filled worlds, but the sequel broadened the package considerably. You could play as either Jazz or the wilder-jumping Spaz, tackle bonus stages, and — a real highlight for the time — enjoy robust multiplayer including split-screen battles and network play. That competitive side gave the game a long shelf life among friends long after the single-player campaign was done.

It's widely regarded as one of the finest 2D platformers on the PC, a genre the format rarely excelled at compared with consoles. The action is a touch frantic and the levels can feel maze-like, but the sheer speed, charm and generosity of content make Jazz Jackrabbit 2 a high point of late-90s DOS-era gaming that still plays wonderfully.