One day, as Jim, the earth-worm, was crawling around, he found himself chased by a crow... he was fortunate enough to escape to safety, but what made this particular day stand out was the fact that right after that event had played out, a super-suit fell from the sky, and landed right on Jim... transforming him into Earthworm Jim, the superhero that we know today. The game starts with you going out to find Princess What's-Her-Name, who's been kidnapped by her hideously ugly twin-sister, the appropriately named Queen-Slug-for-a-Butt, who employs Psy-Crow, and various other evil creatures, in trying to get their hands at the suit, since it will make the Queen beautiful. The controls are simple and easy to learn, letting you fire the gun in basically any direction. The graphics are good, and still hold up nicely. The humor is silly and the gags are plentiful... and almost all of it works really well. Personally, I could have done without quite so much gross-out comedy... but maybe the fans of the character like that, I really don't know(I've only played the first two games, I haven't seen the show that came later). The level design is pretty cool... the places you get to visit are imaginative and varied, and the challenges are good, if they don't always fit how far into the game they appear. The genre is action-adventure, with you alternating between blasting enemies with the red gun that goes with the suit(or whipping them with Jim's worm-part) and solving puzzles. You work your way through about twenty levels, to the almost impossibly and frustratingly hard last level. You get to play around with a few vehicles during the course of the levels, and some of the levels consist of racing Psy-Crow through increasingly thick asteroid fields, on a small one-person jet. Apart from the standard machine-gun blast, you can also pick up ammo for a few other weapons; two, I believe, one, a blast of plasma, that does massive damage to anything in its path, and the other being seeking missiles. The sound is excellent, with both the music and the sound effects also adding to the hilarity. As you fly through the aforementioned asteroid fields, you are accompanied by a number of instruments(which are unrelated to each other) playing a merry tune... occasionally interrupted by a dog barking, a Jew's-harp or the sound of a farm animal. This is a game that takes you to Heck(as it is known in this game) and back... and on your trip down there, you'll encounter lawyers that attack you with case-files, and, when hit by your weapons, retort "I'll sue!" The entire thing has that silly and goofy tone throughout. If that is how you like your games, then this is a must-have. With an entirely linear level design and a lack of high-scores(or even anything to collect that gives points; everything that you can pick up is extra lives, more health and more ammo for the weapons), the replay value really lies only in selecting a higher difficulty to complete the game at. The main levels are platform, with a dynamic camera which is mostly locked on Jim. Fast-paced, hopping, floating(since Jim is, in fact, a worm, he can use his head as a propeller to keep himself afloat, though he can't stay in the air for very long, and will continually drop downwards, slowly) and fighting fun. The game is exciting and addicting, and the boss fights and occasional unique level keep things interesting. Made by David Perry, who later went on to be the lead designer on Enter the Matrix, the simple controls and interface let you do quite a lot of fun feats. The sequel went on to add more weapons and a feature or two more, but only featured half as many levels, several of which weren't different from each other. I personally prefer this game, and one has to admire the fact that this was apparently what started the show, instead of the other way around. It certainly isn't hard to tell why this begot more games, and a television show. I haven't heard Castellaneta's Jim, so I can't say how good Douglas TenNapel(the character creator who does the voice here), is comparatively, but whilst Dan(no, I'm not putting myself through spelling out his last name again) is known for his comic voices, on The Simpsons, Douglas does quite good, with a wacky, spaced Jim. Though I haven't tried the original version, I would advise anyone who intends to play this game, expecting to like it, to get the Special Edition, as it adds several things(which you can read about in Alternate Versions), and improves on what is there. I would guess that children are the main audience that is aimed for, here, though basically anyone can play this game. It does take good reflexes and a bit of patience, however. You are given a level selector, though you cannot choose to start in a level that you haven't reached by playing through the previous ones, first. You start out with only a few lives, based on the difficulty... and though most levels have a few continue-points, which, if reached, allow you to start from there, instead of starting over on the level. But, if you run out of extra lives and Jim passes on, you will be sent to the "continue" screen... and you'll have to start the level all over, not necessarily knowing how to pass the part that cost you your level progress. That, and the gross parts of the comedy is pretty much the only problem I have with the game. If you plan on purchasing and playing this game, know that it can be very difficult. But through that, it's usually fun, always silly and makes for great escapism. I recommend this to any fan of the character, as well as anyone who enjoys silly, goofy fun. Cartoony, creative and colorful... and a great game for all ages. 8/10
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tequila10111 August 2010I think Earthworm Jim is an excellent plat former and it is great because it is a wacky, weird, extraordinary, piece of work.
I think the game play is excellent with very basic controls and very similar based levels.
The environments and themes behind this game are just fantastic. From Evil the Cat's Heck Mountain to Saving Peter Puppy, there is no saying that this is a fun game.
As the game progresses it gets harder and harder the levels become more funner.
Excellent Game (like Donkey Kong Country) which is an absolute Classic. 8.6/10 -
bradyhenson25 September 2019It's a great game but a pain in the neck giving me the finger but great music and levels as well
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Movie Nuttball17 May 2005Earthworm Jim is one of the one of the coolest action video games! The characters, the action, and the sure thrill of adventure makes this game a fun non-stop playing time! Below is a brief look how I think the game is!
Game Play: The game play is very good. There is really basic controls here and is easy to perform. Novice gamers should have a good time here!
Graphics: The graphics are wonderful especially for the Super Nintendo! The backgrounds are really beautiful!
Difficulty: The game is easy but as it goes on you find out that it will become more difficult!
Music: The music is great! Just fantastic catchy tunes through out the game! In My opinion its some of the best music ever in a video game!
Sound: The sound is great. Nuff said!
Overall: I have always loved Earthworm Jim! If you like excellent adventure games, and more then I strongly recommend you play this game!
To purchase this video game check out Amazon.com! -
johnnymacbest27 September 2010Back in the early '90s a little side-scrolling platform game called "Earthworm Jim" came out and it was the talk of the school yard. I must've played this game HUNDREDS of times and remember ever little detail that game had in spades and the wonderful game play mechanics that made the series so damn special. It is so uniquely bizarre, it's hard to put into words just how amazingly AWESOME this game really is. You've got a superhero who battles unconventional video game villains in unconventional ways, navigating stages using his "head" as a "whip" as well as a "helicopter", fighting sub-bosses and tackling bonus stages complete with psychedelic colors whizzing about on a what could best be described as a "space crotch rocket". On top of that, the game oozes with style in the level design and the trippy and equally bizarre soundtrack. With all this, "Earthworm Jim" is easily one of the best 2-D platform games of the world; even coming close to rivaling Sonic the Hedgehog and Mario, for its' time and it's still a blast to play, even today. Now int the 21'st century, Earthworm Jim returns with an High Definition face-lift, courtesy of XBoxLive Arcade and Gameloft and also on PS3 and Wii(albeit Virtual Console). This version packs never-before-seen stages, boss characters, and bonus stages which has also seen a face lift. So if you never had the pleasure of playing EWJ, you can pick this up for SNES, Genesis, Sega CD, PS1, Sega Saturn, PC, or Xbox 360, PS3, or Wii; doesn't matter which version you get(although the Sega CD version has several new stages ALSO never before seen).
Simply put, EWJ is one of the grooviest and quirky, inventive 2-D platform games ever created. It' be a crime to pass this up this beloved, legendary classic. -
hellraiser77 November 2022This is another of my favorite video games of all time and one of my favorite action platform games. I was a kid from the 90's and of course this game came out in the mid 90's when the action platform genre was in full swing, from the popularity of the Sonic franchise there were tons of games that were trying to get in on the action and become their own thing. This game was one of them and at the time it was somewhat of a phenomenon, from a sequel afterward (which will be a story for another time). There was also an animated series which was a hit and is one of my favorite video game animated shows (also a story for another time). Though it is true as time went on it's became a bit forgotten which is common with most games as time goes on. However, for any of us that have lived in the 90's as well as vintage video gamers it never escaped our memories.
The plotline isn't special as it's sort of your damsel in distress and save the universe plotline, it's not what's important as by its nature it's a clothesline, where all really in it for the platforming action and adventure which this game is rich with.
Really love the graphical presentation as it's a mix of both two dimension but also a little bit of three dimension. It's true the backgrounds along with worlds in the game are surreal and strange sci-fi fantasy setting but that's what makes the all the cooler and more beautiful and gives the game it's humorous atmosphere. And part of what drew me into this game as each level looks like a crazy mix of a Salvador Dali painting and an episode of the TV show "Ren and Stimpy".
I really like the surreal fun and funny atmosphere of the game; this is a game that doesn't take itself seriously and nor should we. Just like with watching the animated show "Ren and Stimpy" I almost couldn't keep a straight face while playing it, and I like that as that's a feeling I don't get often, where in most games' half the time your practically dead serious while playing.
Even like the animation of the enemies and supporting characters that look like they're from a 90's cartoon, which is ironic consider this game had an animated show., from bosses like this psycho warlock dog, your buddy Peter who is a cute dog but get him mad and Hulks out and a lot of other weird characters you must see to believe. But I also like the expression on their faces which makes the characters lively and this whole game lively like watching a 90's cartoon. Even like some bits of voice for "Earthworm Jim" which I thought was cool as it wasn't something you seen or heard of in most video games at the time, but most importantly it gives you a feel for the personality of Jim whom is this overly energetic funny noble hero.
The gameplay is solid as it's sort of the typical platform action but there is a little run and gun thrown into the mix. Really like that gun you use and the sound it makes, which has power and can take out enemies in midrange distance. But also, you have a melee weapon and tool which is using your own worm body as a whip. Not just to whip enemies but to hook on to places to swing from point A to B.
The game is a challenge to as it's not too hard but not too easy, there are a few parts of the game that are trick even a little tough, that will require some practice. I also like there is just a bit of variety in the game which keeps the game fresh, like after you clear a stage, there is this black hole race challenge which is the bonus game. Sometimes in other levels there are other things to do also like manning this underwater sub which I'll admit is kind of my least part of the game. It's kind of a rally race by its nature as you have very little oxygen which leaves you very little time to clear the trench lanes.
I really like the music which are memorable, and a few are on my personal fav list. Some of the tracks are funny, but others have the tough action adventure feel to it that just gets you pumped up for action.
This vintage classic you'll dig.
Rating: 4 stars. -
Foreverisacastironmess12320 July 2016Oh I can still remember how I felt at getting this a long time ago for my Super Nintendo, I was completely taken by its eye-catching style, twisted landscapes, and quirky surreal dark sense of humour and I thought it was one of the coolest games I'd ever played, because it was just so freaking weird! I had never seen anything remotely like Earthworm Jim before, and it remains a highly distinctive gem of the Snes' platforming library. It had such richly detailed environments in all of its very varied levels, each more scary and crazier than the last. They really ranged, you got a junkyard, Jim goes to hell to kill a villainous cat named Evil, an awesome space race in an asteroid belt, a bungee jump of death against a snot ball, and a journey deep into a vile pointy hive of doom to battle against the obscenely huge-assed insect queen that rules supreme within! The game had some of the sharpest music ever to grace the console, the kind that made you want to keep on trying to the bitter end to make it through the more nail-biting stages. I love all the witty humorous touches that dot the game, like when you infamously launch the cow right at the beginning, and you don't discover why until the very ending in a mean joke against Jim when it crushes the very princess he's been trying to save the whole time! The controls were real fun and easy to play and were responsive, although a lot of the game you'll have to memorise a lot of secret areas and pitfalls by trial and error or lose your last can of worms and hit the game over screen. Some real nightmares to navigate through are the underwater dome ship segment in "Level 5" where you have to guide your delicate ship as carefully as you possibly can through jagged rocks that it will bounce against at every turn as well as refuel its air pressure, and also the fantastic level where you have to defend a happy oblivious pink puppy from everything in sight as it merrily skips home, 'lest it get hurt, hulk out and savage Jim to take a massive chunk out of his health! But the level that for me really takes the cake though is "Buttville: The Descent" where you simply have to be a master of the flying helicopter head in order to get through the impossibly dicey narrow pointed twists and turns of the cavern. The cartoon show was fine and had some great loony humour of its own but I much prefer Earthworm Jim as this game, and to a lesser extent the sequel. I still love this, it does holds a certain little nostalgic place in my younger gaming heart. Still a bizarre blast to play, I thank you, and may all your cows fly free and true!!!
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Discount Bert23 September 2003Earthworm Jim is my favourite Super Nintendo game it is so cool it's hard to describe. I get such a feeling when I play or think of this game its beyond Nostalgia. Earthworm Jim was an ordinary earthworm until a supersuit fell out of the sky and transformed him with Cosmic Powers to Earthworm Jim. Now he has to save Princess What's Her Name from Queen Slug for a Butt. He travels from Junk Yards to Heck to Bungee Jumping with Major Mucas in Snot A Problem to going through underwater tubes to walking Peter Puppy and making sure he doesn't get hurt. I like this game better then the sequel and cartoon show. Just because it started it all and nothing can beat the coolness of this game