PixlBit

This bizarre game is charming, despite all of its gross humor 

If you grew up in the 90s, you might remember the Earthworm Jim cartoon (which is hilarious, by the way). The cartoon was actually based on the game. Developed by Shiny Entertainment and published by Playmates Interactive, this strange action platformer was released for both the Genesis and SNES in 1994 (I played the Genesis version for this review). This is a very unique game for its time. It doesn't take itself seriously at all, eshewing "cool" villains and levels for instead bizarre or gross villains and levels. 

As Jim, you can move, jump, shoot your gun, and use Jim's wormy body as a whip. You can also float briefly like a helicopter and swing from hooks. Jim controls very loosely, but it mostly works (this is certainly not a Mario game). Levels are large and exploratory, not linear, which can lead to frustration if you're not sure what to do. EJ is oldschool in the fact that it never tells you what to do; you have to figure it all out for yourself. As you explore, you will have to collect ammo and health (and believe me, you will need these). 

The game revels in its strange sense of humor. The first level has you catapulting a cow into the air for no apparent reason. You will also fight the strangest bad guys you've ever seen, like a construction worker on a pulley that uses vomiting as his attack. The last couple levels have you going through intestines and "Buttville" (both of which are hilariously over-the-top in the gross department). The levels have puzzles, which again, can be a little tricky figuring out, and the developers took some liberties when they assumed that players would. Not all players will, I assure you. A few times you get to play as Jim outside his super suit, which is neat. 

While the level design is fine, the levels themselves are excellent. Each level is very unique. There's New Junk City, in which Jim must bounce on towers of old tires and swing on pulleys. Later Jim finds himself in Heck (Hell), which starts off with some horror music but then changes to a happier tune with people screaming (it's bizarre). You can see Evil the Cat in the background. There's also a cool underwater base level and a hi-tech lab. The game's biggest strength is that you don't know what to expect next. The variety of gameplay changes all the time. One level is an escort mission where you must help Jim's sidekick Peter get to the end of the level. Another "level" has you doing a bungie cord battle against Snot. Between every level you will do a space chase with Psycrow. This would have been fine once or twice, but by doing it four or five times, it's apparent that they used it just to pad out the game. And be warned, this game becomes insanely difficult near the end; it will take some tough fortitude if you want to see the ending. 

The graphics here are excellent. It's like playing a cartoon. Jim and the other main characters are very expressive, and many of their movements are exactly what you would see in a cartoon. Jim also has quite a few voice samples, which helps it feel even more like a cartoon. The levels all look really nice with good details and intricate backgrounds. You'll see many familiar villains from the cartoon, including Psycrow, Evil the Cat, Bob the Killer Goldfish, and Professor Monkey for a Head. Unfortunately, none of the villains have voice samples. 

The music is also very good. It's often silly, such as the Heck music or the space chase against Psycrow (which sounds like a rodeo); but it can also be darker and more serious, such as the New Junk City theme and the underwater base theme. The music here goes a long way in establishing the mood, which is very important for such a bizarre game. 

Final Verdict--4 Stars: Recommended 

Earthworm Jim masterfully succeeds in its bizarre/gross/cheesy sense of humor. It's not trying to be a Mario game, it's trying to be something different, and it excels in that regard. However, its gameplay can be difficult and obtuse at times, and there were moments when I wished the levels were linear instead of exploratory. It's a give and take here. I would recommend that you try the game just to see all the funny stuff, but you don't need to worry about seeing the ending (as that takes some serious patience). After playing the game, I can see that a cartoon was a perfect fit, and I'm really glad they were able to do one. If you haven't seen the cartoon, I recommend it as well (it's very funny, especially if you like weird and gross humor).