Earthworm Jim Review (no fat)

Game Description

The most famous worm of the video game industry, Earthworm Jim, makes a triumphant return on the Game Boy Advance after providing a thrilling experience on the 16-bit consoles. Earthworm Jim is merely a port of the first SNES game, and shamelessly disregards the need to propose new features. As Jim finds a space suit that mysteriously grants him super powers, it’s not long before all the other creatures in the galaxy unite to steal it from him. Jim thus needs to protect himself and ensure that his foes never lay a finger on the coveted suit.

Earthworm Jim Gameplay

Earthworm Jim, while basically a typical platform game with a hefty dose of action, nevertheless boasts a few unique ideas that have the merit of adding more variety to the otherwise repetitive levels. At its core, the game features the infamous worm trekking through seven levels while on the lookout for the vile fiends scattered throughout these stages. Although this is a conversion of the SNES title, the Genesis’s Intestine level has also been added to make the game longer.

Jim is equipped with a stylish plasma gun, which he can gleefully use to blast all his foes into oblivion. It’s also something that you will often need to do considering the abundance of enemies featured in the game. In addition, let it be known that Jim is not a wimp, as his newly acquired spacesuit allows him to perform an array of actions he normally can only dream about. You can thus even run when you’re in a hurry, jump over the gaps that almost systematically appear when you least expect them, and climb ladders to reach higher ledges.

All these however pale in comparison to his amazing ability to use his own slimy body as a tool though. Indeed, Jim can easily twist his peculiar body in a hilarious manner, thereby allowing him to jump excessively high. You will need to use this nifty technique to reach otherwise unattainable locations or simply to escape from a bunch of aggressive foes. The enemies vary from crows that just love to peck at you to hamsters that will recklessly pursue you. Earthworm Jim features a whimsical bunch of fiends and villains that further strengthen the game’s wacky atmosphere.

Although Earthworm Jim is a mere platform game, there are innovative parts that will compel you to come back for more. You will find yourself participating in a hovercraft race and even skydiving. You can collect items along the way, and these are very useful given the game’s sheer difficulty. These items include health boosts that will come in handy against the most obnoxious evil creatures and even free lives, which are however quite tricky to grab. Your thorough searches of the game’s brilliant locales will also be rewarded by weapon power-ups.

There are three difficulty settings to choose from, which adds more replay value to the game. While even the easy setup is challenging enough, the hardest mode is exceptionally tough and is almost impossible to beat. This is made more evident by the fact that you need to beat Earthworm Jim in one sitting since there’s no save feature. It’s an unfortunate omission, as the insane difficulty may deter many fans from giving the game a try.

Earthworm Jim Visuals

Earthworm Jim benefits from an excellent art style that also constitutes the game’s highlight. The locales are superbly drawn and sport tons of details. Jim and his opponents are also well designed, although they look rather large. Unfortunately, the animation is often poor, specially when you’re trying to use Jim’s acrobatic skills.

Earthworm Jim Sound

The game enjoys a collection of entertaining themes that brilliantly fit the game and its funky designs. They don’t get repetitive and actually make the game more enjoyable. In addition, the sound effects are exceptional. While all the actions in the game are blatantly exaggerated audio-wise, they are perfectly done. The voice acting is similarly excellent, and Jim’s voice alone is dazzling.

Earthworm Jim Overall

Although Earthworm Jim is a direct port of the original SNES game without the addition of new features, it is a decent Game Boy Advance title. The inclusion of an additional level from the Genesis game is a nice idea, and the unique Jim atmosphere has been beautifully preserved. While the absence of a save feature is puzzling, this remains a game that is worth checking out.

Earthworm Jim Cost

The game currently retails for $17.99US at the time of writing.