The 1990s were very prolific when it came to video game pets , exploiting in the wake of the Pac-man and Co. in the 1980s. Mario and Sonic overwhelmed the competition, but that does not mean that the sea of diverse characters did not come out, such as Earthworm Jim , the work of designer Douglas TenNapel.
In addition, it is back in fashion, since this 2021 Earthworm Jim 4 will be released exclusively for Amico. Hence, I wanted to replay the original from the Shiny Entertainment studio along with its 2010 HD remake by Gameloft.
A worm in a spacesuit, a flying cow …
This is how the original Earthworm Jim looked in 1994 for Mega Drive, Super Nintendo, MS-DOS …
Everything in Earthworm Jim attracted attention , because seeing an earthworm in a very normal space suit is not that it was. Also, you have to put yourself in position, since this game came out a year before Worms .
It could be said that the fever for worms was not the work of Team 17, but of Shiny Entertainment, being a platform that was not satisfied with surprising its protagonist, but moved away from the proposals of the time by mixing platforms with spiced shots with sections where you had to hit the coconut and with very surreal scenes full of a great sense of humor.
It did not follow a defined scheme, but each phase was a world that changed the rules completely: from the dump to that second-level hell there was an abyss because of how it forced us to measure the jumps without puncturing ourselves and to use the head with a certain rolling device to teleporting … Earthworm Jim was a constant surprise . You never knew what would come next. It was cool.
This variety of situations, together with an outstanding graphic section, both for the scenarios and for the animations of its protagonist, made Mega Drive (the original version) and Super Nintendo need a 24 megabyte cartridge. And that jump was noticeable, being the best on both 16-bit consoles.
Earthworm Jim was one hell of the funniest
And that’s how his HD remake looked for the digital services PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade in 2010.
That nice and colorful aesthetic contrasted with all that hell that came from the second phase, with situations that put us to the test with the jump, the hook of the whip, which had to be very precise , or tests that went beyond the archetype. of a platform, such as controlling an underwater capsule with pressure jets, having to monitor the oxygen time, or doing bungee jumping Tarantino against a slimy enemy that looked like mucus. Yes, Earthworm Jim was tough .
Much is said about the phase of the Battletoads motorcycle, but escorting a dog with very bad fleas without falling or being caught by a tentacle, ensuring that meteorites do not fall, is one of the most difficult tests in video games. The slightest mistake provoked his anger, turning into a terrible beast that dragged us several (or many) meters back to redo the route. Passing that area without the slightest error is a titanic task due to the demanding precision of the whip so that the “puppy” and all the dangers that arise.
More than 15 years later , Gameloft was in charge of its remake in HD, respecting its essence, although there were sections that were no longer exactly the same, such as the false 3D transitions in rocket; or then a less demanding additional difficulty mode with clues to defeat bosses. Its novelty was, in any case, to enjoy extra phases and the inclusion of a local and online multiplayer mode for up to four people with a not inconsiderable figure of 15 levels in total.
Unfortunately, the life of this saga was very short-lived, with a high-quality sequel in 1995 until it hit rock bottom in 1999 with the ugly Earthworm Jim 3D from Nintendo 64, which was accompanied by one less installment for Game Boy Color called Earthworm. Jim: Menace 2 the Galaxy that same year. Luckily it will come back to life in 2021, even if it will only be in the new Amico.
Has it stood the test of time well?
Yes , apart from that it is still as hard as the first day. Earthworm Jim offers a frustrating and enjoyable experience in equal measure that will give you more than one smile, and always playing with surprise. Because it even has sections in which we get out of the spacesuit, a la Worms . A forerunner .
Earthworm jim
| Platforms | Mega Drive, SNES, Mega-CD, Game Boy, Game Gear, PC … up to PS3 and Xbox 360 |
|---|---|
| Multiplayer | No (except in the remake) |
| Developer | Shiny Entertainment |
| Company | Virgin |
| Launch | 1994/2010 (Remake) |
| Price | 8.29 euros (I & II in GOG) |
The best
- Huge variety of situations
- His great sense of humor
- The originality of his approach
Worst
- The escorting the dog phase is #% @ &
- His difficulty curve was tremendous
- Too many bonus transitions
