Earthworm Jim: Special Edition

Earthworm Jim: Special Edition is an expanded version of one of the most distinctive platformers of the mid-nineties, and on the Mega-CD it represents arguably its best incarnation. The hero is an ordinary earthworm who has a super-conductive space suit fall on him from the sky, instantly turning him into a hero with a gun, a sarcastic running commentary, and the ability to use his own body as a whip, a rope, or a helicopter. The goal is to rescue Princess Whats-Her-Name while blasting through a gallery of thoroughly warped enemies. The humor is carried mainly through visuals rather than text, so it works regardless of language.

At its core the game is a classic platformer, but almost every level invents its own rules. One moment you're falling through a sewer full of garbage, the next you're racing on a rocket, tearing through underground tunnels, or in one of the series' most famous sections, protecting a falling puppy by bouncing it back into the air. The shooting is precise, whipping your body works as both a rope and a weapon, and the game keeps thinking up new ways to catch you off guard. The difficulty is honestly old-school, especially in the boss fights, which demand learning their patterns. The game also plays with pacing: after a hectic action sequence there's often a calmer stretch where precise jumping matters more than shooting.

The Special Edition additionally adds the Big Bruty level, missing from the original Mega Drive release, and above all a completely rearranged soundtrack played from disc, with a much fuller sound than the chip-based version. The hand-drawn animation is still a feast for the eyes even after all these years; Jim stretches, twists, and reacts to his surroundings in a way that inspired plenty of other games at the time. Back then it was a title that became the mascot of an entire wave of cheeky cartoon platformers. Today it remains an excellent showcase of the genre, only be prepared that it won't go easy on you. Especially in this version, though, it stands as one of the best-looking and best-sounding platformers of its entire generation.