New Jill of the Jungle port brings the DOS platformer to Sega Master System

Jill of the Jungle is heading to the Sega Master System, and this isn’t just a title screen or a short technical demo. The project already includes playable levels, scrolling, enemies, weapons, water physics and proper progression between stages. It’s still being developed. Several major features remain unfinished. Even so, the current build shows how much work has gone into turning a 1992 MS-DOS platform game into something that feels at home on Sega’s 8-bit console.

This is a real conversion, not a mock-up

Moving Jill of the Jungle from PC to the Master System isn’t a simple case of shrinking the graphics and changing the controls. The two systems handle memory, graphics, sound and level data in very different ways.

The developer has built a new engine around the limits of the Sega hardware. It converts maps, tiles, sprites, objects, collision information and colours into formats the console can use. The current ROM comes in at 336 KB and uses 21 memory banks. That gives it enough space to include all nine maps from the first episode.

A custom conversion tool takes data from the shareware PC release and rebuilds it for the Master System. The levels keep their original layouts, but the new engine handles everything happening inside them. Movement, enemy contact, pickups and screen drawing all run through code written for Sega’s hardware. That’s the right way to approach a port like this.

The scrolling system does the heavy lifting

Scrolling is one of the project’s strongest areas. Early PC platform games often relied on hardware and memory arrangements that don’t translate neatly to an 8-bit console. Trying to redraw the full screen every time Jill moves would waste too much processing time.

Instead, the engine updates only the new parts of the level entering the screen. When Jill moves right, it draws the next column of tiles. When she moves vertically, it adds the next row. Simple idea. Smart result.

The system uses a ring buffer to keep the map moving smoothly while reducing the amount of work the console has to do. It also makes the game look far closer to a proper commercial platformer than a rough homebrew experiment.

Jill’s controls have been rebuilt as well. She accelerates, slows down, falls and responds to collisions through the new physics system. Her jump has variable height, so holding the button sends her higher while releasing it early gives you a shorter hop. That matters. Platform games live or die by their controls.

Combat, keys and level exits already work

The current build supports much more than running and jumping. Jill can collect food, gems, keys and her knife. Each item serves a purpose. Food restores health. Keys and jewels open the correct doors. Picking up the knife gives Jill a ranged attack, letting her throw blades at enemies. Foes can take damage and disappear when defeated, while touching them knocks Jill back and briefly makes her invulnerable.

The game also tracks health and lives. Jill can die, respawn and eventually reach a game-over screen. Checkpoints help place her correctly after moving between areas, while completed level exits return her to the overworld map. These systems aren’t flashy on their own. Together, they turn the build into an actual game rather than a collection of disconnected mechanics.

Vines and water add more variety

Version 0.0.2 expands the movement system with climbing and swimming. Jill can grab vines, move in four directions and jump away from them. Water changes the way she moves, slowing her down and adjusting her buoyancy. Swimming feels different from walking, which helps the converted stages keep more of their original structure.

The build also includes sound effects produced through the Master System’s PSG sound chip. Actions such as jumping, collecting objects, throwing the knife, taking damage and opening doors now have audio feedback. There’s no background music yet. That remains on the list.

Automated tests keep the build in check

The project also uses automated testing, which you don’t often see in early console ports. A small headless Master System emulator boots the real ROM, simulates button presses and checks what happens inside the game. Fourteen test scenarios cover movement, jumping, item collection, climbing, swimming, combat, damage, death, transitions and game over. The tests can also detect blank screens and other major failures.

That setup should make future updates easier to manage. When the developer changes movement, enemies or level handling, the tests can quickly reveal whether another part of the game has stopped working. It’s practical engineering, and it gives the project a solid base.

There’s still plenty left to build

The port isn’t finished. Jill’s animal transformations are missing, along with moving platforms, lifts, music, text boxes and the full interface. Enemy behaviour remains basic, and the scoring system still needs attention. Those are significant gaps.

Still, the project has already passed the proof-of-concept stage. It contains the full set of Episode 1 maps, a working movement system, combat, swimming, climbing, collectibles and level progression. The question is no longer whether Jill of the Jungle can run on the Sega Master System. She already does.