Jill of the Jungle
Encyclopedia
Jill of the Jungle is a trilogy of platform
computer games
released in 1992 by Epic MegaGames
. It was intended to rival computer games from other shareware
companies such as id Software
and Apogee Software, Ltd.
. The three games in the series were:
Though each game was initially released separately, the three were combined into Jill of the Jungle: The Complete Trilogy a year later.
Jill of the Jungle is a platform sidescroller which was released during the same period as the Commander Keen
and Duke Nukem series of games. Players play as an Amazon
woman who can use various types of weapons and enhancements as she progresses through levels slaying monsters and finding keys. The first game in the series contains 15 playable levels, including a bonus level, each of which can be entered from an overworld
resembling another level. The second game uses 20 sequential levels without an overworld. The third game's overworld is a top-down perspective, similar to Commander Keen
, changing back to the traditional platformer style when entering one of the 15 levels.
Various puzzles include keys, transforming into different creatures, and proper jump height among others. The other games in the series use the same graphics, except that Jill's costume is recolored in each game (green
in the first game, red
in the second, and blue
in the last). Every game has several unique music tracks and sound effects but some songs and sounds are shared between two different games. In some specific cases, a sound effect remains the same through the entire trilogy. The sound for picking up an apple is an example of this. Jill of the Jungle also offered a "noisemaker", acting as a sound test
, in which each sound effect in the game was mapped to each key of the keyboard. This was carried on by Epic's later game Kiloblaster
, which is advertised one time in the second game.
Between levels in the shareware version, the player encountered humorous messages that took a swipe at various popular game characters, such as Mario
, Commander Keen
and Duke Nukem. The messages usually described that they were retiring, supposedly due to being unable to compete with Jill.
The game does not contain any boss fights.
Jill of the Jungle provided market recognition and allowed Epic Megagames to produce future titles, such as Jazz Jackrabbit, One Must Fall: 2097
, and the very successful Unreal series
of games. The game Xargon
, a later creation of Epic, was very similar in terms of gameplay.
from the Bible
with Onesimus
as the protagonist. Interestingly, while it seems to be that Jill Saves the Prince (along with the rest of the trilogy) was developed first, references to Onesimus can be found in the string section and level code of the Jill games. However, the credits for Onesimus include a "thanks" to the Epic MegaGames staff, which suggests that Onesimus was developed either simultaneously with Jill of the Jungle 3 or developed immediately after it.
See also Christian video games
.
Epic Megagames' 1993 title Epic Pinball
featured a Jill-theme pinball game called "Jungle Pinball".
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
computer games
Computer Games
"Computer Games" is a single by New Zealand group, Mi-Sex released in 1979 in Australia and New Zealand and in 1981 throughout Europe. It was the single that launched the band, and was hugely popular, particularly in Australia and New Zealand...
released in 1992 by Epic MegaGames
Epic Games
Epic Games, Inc., also known as Epic and formerly Epic MegaGames, is an American video game development company based in Cary, North Carolina. Its most recent success has been the Gears of War series of games, although it is also known for its Unreal Engine technology. It is the parent company of...
. It was intended to rival computer games from other shareware
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
companies such as id Software
Id Software
Id Software is an American video game development company with its headquarters in Richardson, Texas. The company was founded in 1991 by four members of the computer company Softdisk: programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer Tom Hall, and artist Adrian Carmack...
and Apogee Software, Ltd.
3D Realms
3D Realms is a current video game publisher and former video game developer based in Garland, Texas, United States, established in 1987...
. The three games in the series were:
- Jill of the Jungle
- Jill Goes Underground
- Jill Saves the Prince
Though each game was initially released separately, the three were combined into Jill of the Jungle: The Complete Trilogy a year later.
Gameplay
Commander Keen
Commander Keen is a series of video games developed by id Software in the early 1990s. The series focuses on the adventures of Billy Blaze, an 8-year old boy who travels through space and assumes the identity "Commander Keen". The series was successful at replicating the side-scrolling action of...
and Duke Nukem series of games. Players play as an Amazon
Amazons
The Amazons are a nation of all-female warriors in Greek mythology and Classical antiquity. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatia...
woman who can use various types of weapons and enhancements as she progresses through levels slaying monsters and finding keys. The first game in the series contains 15 playable levels, including a bonus level, each of which can be entered from an overworld
Overworld
An overworld is, in a broad sense, an area within a video game that interconnects all its levels or locations. They are mostly common in role-playing games, though this does not exclude other video game genres....
resembling another level. The second game uses 20 sequential levels without an overworld. The third game's overworld is a top-down perspective, similar to Commander Keen
Commander Keen
Commander Keen is a series of video games developed by id Software in the early 1990s. The series focuses on the adventures of Billy Blaze, an 8-year old boy who travels through space and assumes the identity "Commander Keen". The series was successful at replicating the side-scrolling action of...
, changing back to the traditional platformer style when entering one of the 15 levels.
Various puzzles include keys, transforming into different creatures, and proper jump height among others. The other games in the series use the same graphics, except that Jill's costume is recolored in each game (green
Green
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
in the first game, red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
in the second, and blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
in the last). Every game has several unique music tracks and sound effects but some songs and sounds are shared between two different games. In some specific cases, a sound effect remains the same through the entire trilogy. The sound for picking up an apple is an example of this. Jill of the Jungle also offered a "noisemaker", acting as a sound test
Sound test
A sound test is a function built into the options screen of many video games.This function was originally meant to test whether the game's music and sounds would function correctly, as well as giving the player the ability to compare samples played in Monaural, Stereophonic and later Surround...
, in which each sound effect in the game was mapped to each key of the keyboard. This was carried on by Epic's later game Kiloblaster
Kiloblaster
Kiloblaster is a Space Shooter Video Game Trilogy written by Allen Pilgrim and published by Epic MegaGames in the early 1990s. It is based on the classic Galaxian game, with a few differences such as allowing greater player movement , much faster enemy movement, power-ups, enemies that take more...
, which is advertised one time in the second game.
Between levels in the shareware version, the player encountered humorous messages that took a swipe at various popular game characters, such as Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
, Commander Keen
Commander Keen
Commander Keen is a series of video games developed by id Software in the early 1990s. The series focuses on the adventures of Billy Blaze, an 8-year old boy who travels through space and assumes the identity "Commander Keen". The series was successful at replicating the side-scrolling action of...
and Duke Nukem. The messages usually described that they were retiring, supposedly due to being unable to compete with Jill.
The game does not contain any boss fights.
Jill of the Jungle provided market recognition and allowed Epic Megagames to produce future titles, such as Jazz Jackrabbit, One Must Fall: 2097
One Must Fall
One Must Fall is a fighting game series for the IBM PC compatible, programmed by Diversions Entertainment.-One Must Fall:...
, and the very successful Unreal series
Unreal series
Unreal is a series of first-person shooter video games developed by Epic Games. The series is also known for its exhibition of the Unreal Engine that powers the games and is available for other developers to license...
of games. The game Xargon
Xargon
Xargon is a 1993 video game trilogy produced by Epic MegaGames for PCs running MS-DOS. It was programmed by Allen Pilgrim. The graphics were created by Joe Hitchens, who also contributed to Epic Pinball and Jill of the Jungle. The game is a side-scrolling platform game very similar to Jill of the...
, a later creation of Epic, was very similar in terms of gameplay.
Derivatives
The engine of Jill Saves the Prince was licensed to a company called ArK Multimedia Publishing and used for a Christian-themed game called Onesimus: A Quest for Freedom. Most of the graphics and many level designs from the original game were recycled into Onesimus, which is also known as Escape From Rome, though some text and enemies such as the Demon creatures were replaced. The plot follows the story of Paul the Apostle's Epistle to PhilemonEpistle to Philemon
Paul's Epistle to Philemon, usually referred to simply as Philemon, is a prison letter to Philemon from Paul of Tarsus. Philemon was a leader in the Colossian church. This letter, which is one of the books of the New Testament, deals with forgiveness.Philemon was a wealthy Christian of the house...
from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
with Onesimus
Onesimus
Saint Onesimus |churches]]) was a slave to Philemon of Colossae, a man of Christian faith. Eventually, Onesimus transgressed against Philemon and fled to the site of Paul the Apostle's imprisonment to escape punishment for a theft he was said to have committed, there, he heard the Gospel from...
as the protagonist. Interestingly, while it seems to be that Jill Saves the Prince (along with the rest of the trilogy) was developed first, references to Onesimus can be found in the string section and level code of the Jill games. However, the credits for Onesimus include a "thanks" to the Epic MegaGames staff, which suggests that Onesimus was developed either simultaneously with Jill of the Jungle 3 or developed immediately after it.
See also Christian video games
Christian video games
Christian video games were first marketed successfully by BibleBytes in the early 1980s on several different microcomputer platforms and in the late 1980s for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Wisdom Tree. Now they are made by many different developers...
.
Epic Megagames' 1993 title Epic Pinball
Epic Pinball
Epic Pinball is a 1993 pinball video game developed by James Schmalz and published by Epic MegaGames . The initial release pre-dated Schmalz' Digital Extremes name. The game is played seen from a 2D top-down view within a scrollable window with plain raster graphics in 320x240. The music is created...
featured a Jill-theme pinball game called "Jungle Pinball".