Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Plus brings new features and levels to GOG

Jazz Jackrabbit 2 has just become easier to run with one of its biggest fan-made upgrades. Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Plus, usually shortened to JJ2+, is now available on GOG as a free one-click mod for anyone who owns Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Collection. That changes the setup quite a bit. Until now, installing JJ2+ usually meant downloading files separately, finding the right game folder and handling the installation yourself. It wasn’t especially difficult, but it wasn’t exactly convenient either. GOG now treats the mod much more like a normal add-on. Install it, launch the game and you’re ready to go. JJ2+ isn’t just a small compatibility patch, either. It fixes bugs, expands multiplayer, adds scripting tools, improves graphics support and includes extra single-player levels.

A quick look back at Jazz Jackrabbit 2

Jazz Jackrabbit 2 originally launched for Windows in 1998. Epic MegaGames developed it together with Orange Games, following the first Jazz Jackrabbit from 1994. The basic idea didn’t change much. You run fast, jump across platforms, shoot enemies and work your way through colourful side-scrolling levels. The sequel simply did more with that formula.

Players could choose between Jazz and his brother Spaz, while later releases also introduced Lori as a playable character. The game offered larger levels, better multiplayer support and more room for experimentation than its DOS predecessor. One feature became especially important later on: Jazz Creation Station.

Usually called JCS, this level editor let players build their own stages using the game’s existing graphics, objects and mechanics. It gave Jazz Jackrabbit 2 a level-building system that went far beyond simply playing through the original campaign. That foundation is a big part of why JJ2+ can do so much.

What JJ2+ actually changes

JJ2+ has been developed since 2008. Rather than rebuilding Jazz Jackrabbit 2 from scratch, it works directly with the original game and expands what’s already there. It fixes bugs across the campaign, multiplayer and level editor. That’s the basic part. Then things get much more interesting.

JJ2+ adds scripting support, which lets level designers create behaviour that the original editor couldn’t handle on its own. Custom stages can use more advanced mechanics, events and interactions instead of sticking entirely to the standard tools shipped with the game.

It also adds support for features such as 32-bit graphics, textured backgrounds and MP3 music in custom levels. For anyone building maps, that’s a significant jump from what Jazz Jackrabbit 2 originally offered in 1998.

Multiplayer gets a much bigger toolkit

Multiplayer is where JJ2+ really stretches the original game. Jazz Jackrabbit 2 already included modes such as Battle, Capture the Flag, Treasure Hunt and Race. JJ2+ adds another eleven modes, including Last Rabbit Standing, Team Battle, Jailbreak, Domination and Head Hunters.

There’s more behind the scenes as well. Server hosts get extra administration tools, match statistics, chat logging, spectator support and anti-cheat features. Mouse aiming is also supported. JJ2+ includes around 200 console commands, giving server operators much more control over how matches work. They can adjust game rules, weapons and other settings without rebuilding maps every time they want to change something. That makes the multiplayer side of Jazz Jackrabbit 2 considerably more flexible than the original release.

There’s extra single-player content too

JJ2+ isn’t only for multiplayer servers and map creators. The package also includes around 25 extra single-player levels. You can access them through the Home Cooked Levels menu inside the game.

Some are more ambitious than others. Two larger episodes use their own graphics, while several levels make use of the scripting features added by JJ2+. So you’re not just installing technical fixes. There’s actual new content to play.

From DOS to GOG

The first Jazz Jackrabbit appeared on DOS in 1994 and became one of Epic MegaGames’ early PC platformers. Jazz Jackrabbit 2 followed four years later, moving the series to Windows and placing a much stronger focus on multiplayer and user-created levels.

The sequel has since returned through digital releases, including Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Collection on GOG. JJ2+ builds on that version without trying to turn the game into something completely different. It’s still Jazz Jackrabbit 2. The movement, weapons, levels and basic structure remain familiar. What changes is everything around them.

There are more multiplayer options, better tools for custom levels, extra graphics support, bug fixes and additional campaign content. And now, getting all of that running doesn’t require digging through folders or manually copying files. If you already own Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Collection on GOG, JJ2+ is now simply another install.

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A quick look back at Jazz Jackrabbit 2

What JJ2+ actually changes

Multiplayer gets a much bigger toolkit

There’s extra single-player content too

From DOS to GOG

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