Earthworm Jim 2

The earthworm is back, and this time the developers cranked it up another notch, into levels of madness that toy with the very notion of game design. Earthworm Jim 2 from 1995 took everything that worked in the first game and enriched it with even wilder ideas.

The sequel keeps the core: platform action with shooting, interspersed with utterly bizarre minigames and genre detours. Jim now rescues Princess What's-Her-Name, flies like an owl, plays a level built as a parody of a hell full of lawyers, and in one famous moment catches falling puppies on an inflatable mattress. The game openly breaks the fourth wall and has fun at its own expense.

Shiny Entertainment decided not merely to do more of the same, but to push the brand's own absurdity to the extreme. Some critics even consider the second game more inventive and better tuned than the original, albeit at the cost of pacing that fragments at times. The animation and visual wit stayed at a top level, and the soundtrack even plays around with classical music.

Culturally, the sequel cemented Jim as one of the defining characters of the nineties gaming era, alongside Sonic, Mario, and Crash Bandicoot. The game came out on multiple platforms and, together with the first installment, forms the core of a brand that fans still recall with affection. Later attempts at a third installment never reached the same renown.

Today Earthworm Jim 2 holds up as one of the boldest titles of its time. It is a game that was not afraid to take risks, experiment, and at times utterly bewilder the player, and it is precisely this anarchy that makes it an unforgettable experience for anyone who loves humor and imagination.

Why play: An even crazier sequel to the iconic series, full of parodies, genre detours, and unbridled creativity.