id Software‘s classic first-person shooter, Wolfenstein 3D, was ported to the Atari Jaguar by John Carmack and his by-then-famous band of merry programmers and artists, and – unsurprisingly – it’s an excellent conversion. The game was published by Atari Corporation in 1994.

The Jaguar version of Wolfenstein 3D does have some significant changes and additions, including two new weapons – the flamethrower and rocket-launcher – as well as a remixing and a distillation of the levels (in this version there are thirty levels, instead of the original’s sixty), plus some new power-ups, including an ammo box, and a backpack that increases the maximum amount of carried ammo.

The basic gameplay in this is the same as in the original, though, which is to explore a 3D maze, looking for the exit, while blasting Nazis and collecting stolen treasure.

Wolfenstein 3D is a simple game, but is fun on the Jaguar. Maybe even more fun than the original PC version (which I played recently and I found myself enjoying this version more, because the levels are shorter and more condensed, plus you get to the more fun weapons sooner). And graphically it’s better than the original. The music in the Jaguar version is excellent too. Again: better than the PC version. The sampled shouts from the soldiers are just as funny as they’ve always been (“Achtung!” and “SS!” always make me laugh – at least until I get sick of them).

While Wolfenstein 3D is no Doom, nor is it anywhere near as good as Quake, it is still a decent blast from the past and is worth playing on the Jaguar just to see those new weapons, if for no other reason.

More: Wolfenstein 3D on Wikipedia
Steam: Wolfenstein 3D on Steam
GOG: Wolfenstein 3D on GOG.com