Earthworm Jim

An earthworm in a robotic spacesuit, a cow launched into space, and a level where you race on a rocket against a greedy crow. Earthworm Jim from 1994 was an explosion of zany creativity that the game industry of the time desperately needed, and it immediately joined the ranks of the most distinctive brands of the nineties.

The story is perfectly absurd: an ordinary earthworm has a super suit fall on it from the sky, transforming it into the hero Jim. The gameplay is a classic platform shooter, but riddled with utterly unexpected ideas. Jim uses his head as a whip, swings on hooks, pilots submarines, races, and in one of the game's most famous moments catapults crying puppies to safety. Each level brings a different type of gameplay and none of them is dull.

Behind the game stood Shiny Entertainment, led by David Perry, and a key role was played by animator Doug TenNapel, who created Jim. The character was born at a time when consoles were desperately searching for mascots with attitude, and Jim competed with them all through his bold, cartoonish humor. The animation was exceptionally fluid and the character positively bursts with personality.

Success was immediate. Earthworm Jim got its own animated television series, a line of toys, and became a cultural icon. The game saw ports to a range of platforms and an enhanced version, Earthworm Jim: Special Edition. A sequel followed, and later even attempts to revive the brand.

Today Earthworm Jim remains a textbook example of how wit, visual style, and gameplay can merge into a single whole. It is a game that did not take itself seriously, and that is exactly why players remember it so fondly. The soundtrack, the one-liners, and the unmistakable design make it an essential piece of Mega Drive history.

Why play: A crazy, funny, and inventive platformer with an iconic hero that still entertains today with its creativity and humor.