Jaguar: Development

Your mighty Jaguar can now download and play games, demos, and patches that were never released on a traditional cartridge or cd format.  This bypasses the need for dealing with pesky encryption issues and reduces distribution costs.  The way this works depends on the method you use.  There are several methods to play underground games on the Jaguar, but three typical ones are:

(1) Jugs (The Jaguar Unmodified Game Server): This is a software program inside the Jaguar game BattleSphere by Scatologic.  It allows you to download games from your computer into the Jaguar using a serial cable.  The additional Jugs CD and cable can be ordered from the Jugs Homepage.  Details about Jugs can be found in the Jugs Guide. 

(2) BJL (Behind Jaggy Lines):  This method involves modifying your Jaguar boot rom by opening up the Jaguar case and soldering. You can buy an already modified Jaguar at the Goat Store, or read how to do it yourself using the excellent BJL Faq, by Stone. More information is found at atari-jaguar64.de.

(3) Alpine Board:  A Jaguar development board used in making the “original” Jaguar games. They are rather expensive and somewhat rare to find.  For details check out the Jaguar FAQ by Robert Jung.

Games	Screen Shots (via JUGS)
Arkanna Demo 1 & Demo 2 – Storm Works Interactive Small Interactive Game Demo	A small demo which feature an outside setting where you can move in several directions.  The story is that you try to escape a dreamlike world by solving puzzles. Movement is not 3d real time but similar to showing slides when you move in a direction. No sound.  Demo 2 is identical to demo 1 except that it has added features such as reset and menu options.
Assassin Demo & Assassin Demo 1.0 – OMC Games Credits & game options only	A cyber punk style game. Demo features a title shot. Demo 1.0 adds in game stats and options. No real game play yet.
Asteroids – Sinister Developments Full game.
BadCoder 0 Small demo.	Small introductory program.
BadCoder 1 Small demo.	Adds a menu to previous demo.
BadCoder 2 Small demo.	Adds reset screen and color/text options to previous demo.
BadCoder 3 Small demo.	Adds text, sound, and easter egg tribute to Jeff Minter to previous demo.
BadCoder 4, 4c, 4cj Small demo with small game.	Adds new graphics and a small squash type game. 4C Adds some bug fixes, improves squash game play, and reduces file size. 4cj Adds Minor bug fixes and graphic changes.
	BattleSphere Intro Intro screen only. Early BattleSphere intro screen (comes with JUGS). BattleSphere Music Music menu. A demo of early BattleSphere music (comes with JUGS). BattleSphere Demo Demo of BattleSphere polygon music engine (comes with JUGS). BattleSphere patch level 92 Patch Patch that allows you to get past level 91 of Gauntlet in BattleSphere
Colors Small utility.
Colors + MouseSmall utility.
Gorf Small demo with 2 quick games.	A promising demo that introduces you to Astro Battles (which looks like the old arcade version of Gorf) and Laser Battles (below).  Allows you to play one game of Astro Battles and then sends you to one game of Laser battles.  Good basic gameplay, but no sound or pause option.
JDC Demo   Small demo.	Introductory program which allows you to see the URL and quit the program.
JDC Demo 2 Small demo.	Same as JDC Demo1 but smaller.
JDC Demo 3  (E-JagFest) Small demo.	Unable to review:  Does not work with JUGS
Jagfest ’98 Demo Small demo.	Unable to review:  Does not work with JUGS
Jagmania Full game.	Nice graphics, large varied boards, and plenty of neat powerups which protect you from the ghosts.  Also a nice feature to jump over the ghosts.  The display is a little basic looking and there is no sound, but it has a pause feature and a high score screen.  An excellent game!
Jagmarble Full game.	Similar to the arcade, you must get the marlbe to a designated spot as a timer runs.  You can not fall off the board.  No pause and no sound.
Jag Tetris Full game.	Excellent game with a high energy techno sound track.  Great game play and non-stop addictive action.  Graphics are decent, but the display information could be a little more refined. Definitely needs a pause option!
Legion Force Jidai demo Game Title Screen.	Only this animated title screen so far.
Native Full large game.	The most complete underground game that I have played.  Excellent game play, very difficult, and around 5 long levels.  Rich background graphics, nice textures, neat looking enemies, and great explosions.  Has pause option, but no sound. It has a nice rapid fire – simply hold down the fire button.  It also has a nice super shot – just hold down the fire button for a few seconds and then let it go.  If tweaked, this would make an excellent 2d platform shooter for the Jaguar with detailed graphics as good as Trevor McFur.
Painter  – Sinister Developments Full game.	With addictive gameplay and polished looking pre-board information, this game is guaranteed to bring you hours of fun. It allows you to play the mouse in a cat and mouse game similar to the Atari 8 bit version.  No sound.
Phase Zero Full game.	Unable to review:  Does not work with JUGS – A semi-completed game.
Pong Small game.	A basic port of the original pong.
Slam Racer Intro  – Sinister Developments Game Intro.	Unable to review:  Does not work with JUGS
Slam Racer Game  – Sinister Developments Full game.	Unable to review:  Does not work with JUGS
Team TapSmall Utility.	Allows you to test the team tap and joypad hardware of your Jaguar.

Developer Links

atari-jaguar64.de jaguar programming page, lists of people owning BJL, Jugs, Alpine boards, links, download JDC Demos, and BJL guide, good list of demos
Badcoder releases demos/games for Jaguar Servers – JUGS, BJL, Alpine
BattleSphere Encryption Coalition old find out about the problem with encryption
Battle Sphere Home Page/Scatologic tons of information on this exciting game
BJL Homepage information from the creators of BJL Jaguar Server
Buy Jugs get the Jaguar Server to download games to the Jaguar
Force Designs developer of Gorf 2000, Craze, Legion Force Jidai
Fred’s Jag Site French site with developer information and game lists
Goat Store sells BJL Jaguar server and provides information to do it yourself
Jagu-Dome reviews and downloads of Jaguar shareware games
Jaguar Sector information and downloads for Jaguar programming
Just Claws underground Section with documents and tools needed to develop, download pong
Krunch maker of Gorf
Matthias Domin’s Jaguar Page maker of Jagmarble, Jagmania, colors, colors & mouse, team tap
OMC developer of The Assassin and Age of Darkness for Jag CD
Scatologic The company that made Battlesphere
Sinister Developments maker of Asteroids, Painter, & Slam Racer
Songbird Productions develops/sells Lynx/Jaguar games: Skyhammer, Protector, Hyperforce, and Soccer Kid
Stingray’s New World download Phase Zero demo
Storm Works Interactive developer of Arkanna for the Jaguar
Thunderbird’s Garage a member of Scatologic who brings you Battlesphere
42 Bastian’s WWW-Home Jaguar and Lynx, the Jaguar Server BJL homepage