My all-time favorite 16-bit worm in gaming has to be Earthworm Jim. Actually, Jim is the ONLY 16-bit worm that comes to mind… Anyway, Earthworm Jim was an amazing title (originally released on SNES and Sega Genesis) that spawned sequels, toys, and even a Saturday morning cartoon! It featured wild visuals and a banger of a soundtrack, paired up with tight game play and excellent level design.
Humble Origins
If you just pop in the cartridge and fire up the game, a modern gamer may feel a bit lost. There is no tutorial or cut-scene to explain who you are and what you are doing. If you want those details, you need to turn to the game manual, which includes a short comic explaining(?) Jim’s origin story.
Long story short, the evil Psy-crow destroys a ship carrying an indestructible super-suit and the suit falls to Earth, landing on our unlikely hero. Jim, now with limbs and a big gun, finds himself on a mission to rescue Princess What’s-Her-Name from the Evil Queen Pulsating, Bloated, Festering, Sweaty, Pus-filled, Malformed, Slug-for-a-Butt (yes, those are actual character names).
Cartoon-Style Game-Play
Starting out in New Junk City, you battle your way through crows and junkyard dogs to reach the end of the level and the first boss fight. Jim has two weapons at his disposal: a big gun and his slimy, wormy body. The gun is a fast firing machine gun, and Jim can use his body as a whip in a pinch! Not only can he whip his foes, he can also spin his head like a helicopter to glide short distances or use it to grapple onto strategically placed hooks and chains. It’s all very silly, and the game leans into it.
Nifty Level Design
The level design is fairly linear, but the way the maps sprawl out make them feel organic and almost 3-dimensional. The platforms don’t look flat like other classic games such as Mario or Mega Man; rather, they are curved, slightly tilted, and over-sized. Despite this, the game-play feels very tight. I rarely have trouble landing a jump or hitting a grapple point. The enemies vary from level to level. “New Junk City” has its crows and dogs, while “What the Heck?!” has demonic ghosts and briefcase-wielding lawyers.
In-between each platformer level is a race between Jim and Psy-crow called Asteroid Andy. It’s a race through a wormhole (pun definitely intended) where you dodge asteroids and grab power ups (“Whee-doggies!”) atop your jet-turbine-motorcycle-thing. Don’t think too much about it, it’s fun.
Jim’s Legacy
Earthworm Jim was an excellent platformer that wasn’t afraid to not take itself seriously. It paired zany humor with fast-paced action that drove me to play more. Jim never reached the popularity of Mario or Sonic, but his place in retro gaming history is solid. The original game was remastered a couple of times for PC and Xbox 360 and PS3. There were sequels (both in 2D and 3D). The cartoon was wacky, as were the toys. If you’re in the mood for a retro game that is creative and different, dust off that SNES, grab your controller, and stay groovy.
