Jazz Jackrabbit is a popular side-scrolling shooter/platformer developed by Epic MegaGames and released in 1994 for the PC. The game was named Arcade Game of the Year by PC Format.
It is based on the Aesop's Fable “The Tortoise and The Hare”. Three thousand years after the story, tortoises and hares are still mortal enemies. An evil tortoise named Devan Shell begins conquering planets. The hare planet of Carrotus puts up a resistance and fends off Shell. For revenge, Shell kidnaps the princess, Eva Earlong. The king of Carrotus sends Jazz Jackrabbit to find and rescue the princess. Throughout the game's six episodes, Jazz gains new weapons and fights new enemies.
This is a game with an incredible amount of content. There's an great deal of things to do along with secret levels. The game is fairly gorgeous as well. It moves at fast clip, bringing to mind Sonic. Controls are tight, and it's fast and addictive.