Hah, just in time for a GBA port too... (Earthworm Jim (PC))

Member Name: adidadi_young

Product:	Earthworm Jim (PC)
Date:	05/11/01 (129 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Variety appeals to a big audience, humour is not too crude, lastability

Disadvantages: It would probably wear off EVENTUALLY..., All those kids fascinated by the PS2s graphics wouldn't like it.

You'd think that making a game which consist of a hero travelling through many planets and discovering many different beings, defeating all the baddest, meanest enemies in the Universe with a variable setting of some *tasteful* themes and backgrounds wouldn't be too easy. Now, imagine making that game, only replacing the stereotypical hero with a spineless being. No, not a paralysed/dead person, a worm. Fortunately, Shiny Interactive (minds behind this crazy game) has attempted this. They succeeded, too.

In fact, the game was such a success; they brought out a sequel and an animated series. Of course, this is the source for all things Jim-related. On the July of 1994, the shelves were covered with nice SNES cartridges at the top of the charts the VERY top being, of course, this game. Later in the year it had been ported to PAL and UK fans who loved platformers 'raved' over this game. As did I.

To start off with the very basics of the game, I'd start off with "This is a 2D platformer". This is a 2D platformer. This is probably my favourite game genre out of them all, even in comparison with Role Playing Games. For blatantly obvious reasons, I am aware that Final Fantasy VII is my favourite game of all time; and I am also aware that Final Fantasy VII is a Role Playing Game. Nevertheless, 2D platformers are my favourite style of game. This has been influenced by Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 + Knuckles; all in the 16-bit generation - and Sonic the Hedgehog on Game Gear. Also influencing this decision are the Super Mario games, which in 2D style, still impress me now (although I have yet to try Paper Mario - I'll be reading someone's opinion soon ^_^). So, what about this EWJ? Well, most of these 2D platforming-fun games are running and killing enemies my a mere jump. EWJ focuses on a variety of deaths to the enemies, but still being as comical as possible.

Jim is an Earthworm (and you
guessed that, right?), and one day he was eating his regular soil, when some strange super suit fell from the sky and landed on Earth, right on Jim. He then grew to the perfect size for this suit, and had total control of it all. Upon inspection of this muscular suit, he noticed that he had a laser gun equipped, and had learned to use himself as a whip. He met a few friends on the way, ie. Pete the Puppy. Now, where did this suit come from? Well, Queen Pulsating, Bloated, Festering, Sweaty, Pus-filled, Malformed, Slug-For-A-Butt (yup) was supposed to be the one to wear that suit - somehow -, tailor-made from Professor Monkey-for-a-Brain (it could be Monkey Human-for-a-Brain) who is located on the planet Level 5. Now, Earthworm Jim has many foes across the Universe, and he must seek out and destroy them once and for all HAHAHAHAHAHA! Just... not in the evil way.
The basic objective for Jim is to destroy each and every evil arch-enemy he has on every planet (9 to be precise).

The very first planet Jim starts off on is ‘New Junk City’, a planet full of junk. Simple, but true. The foreground (where Jim shall be fighting) is full of tyres, conveyor belts, chains to hang on, dog kennels, springs, reindeer head things, and toilets. Yes, you can go down the toilets. The arch-enemy that Jim will be fighting here is a nameless fat man who eats sardines. You’ll see ^_^.

This level’s difficulty is not actually easy; I’d say it’s more of a level which challenges you to get you jump-started. Of course, it’s not the hardest of the levels. It is among the easiest of the levels in the game, you know. It’s also a good level for beginners as you can take several routes in the game, most of the other routes are by secret areas, so it’s a good level for exploring. This is in a lot of the other levels, so make sure you get to know the kind of levels here.

The other levels (which I shall go into, but ver
y briefly) are also themed like this:

“What the Heck?” – Set on the planet Heck (which is also quite like Hell, only with more lawyers) is Jim’s second challenge. With deadly fire-breathing snowmen, rushing lawyers attacking with briefcases, and an evil cat also heck-bent on getting that suit. A good level, it’ll take you a while to do.

“Snot a Problem” – The fourth level. This level takes place only down a cliff – and Jim must bounce up and down and bash Major Snot against the wall to kill him. How? With a bungee rope, of course. This level is a battling bungee jumping level. Thing is, with a probable easy defeat the first time, you have another 2 rounds to do, getting progressively harder. Good luck!

“For Pete’s Sake” – The sixth level, set on the home planet of Pete the Puppy, adorable thing he is. See, Jim took him out for a walk across this obstacle-filled planet, and he needs to get back home. With gaps and seesaws, meteor strikes, alien attacks and MORE, this could be a bit of a challenge. Only there’s a little twist – when Pete gets hurt, he turns into his alter ego, much bigger than before, and goes for the nearest edible thing nearby – Jim. The level is very ‘alien’ themed, but very metallic, industrial (but not unoriginal)… with a nice space background to accompany it. Don’t give up; you’ll do this level, eventually.

They are the only levels I’ll go into, but there are a total of {around} 15 levels. All of them are great fun, and don’t really ever get boring. Okay, what about the technical part of the game?

Well, speaking, once more, on behalf of the SNES’ capability and not comparing with other consoles (which is so crazy it’d make you want to laugh out loud, and then fall on the floor, paralysing yourself and then eventually die and melt into the ground and then
return to the planet, for lifestream’s sake!) because it would give too much of a ‘biased’ approach; somewhat a thing that is unneeded here.

The graphics, especially for the time it was released, are very detailed and the time spent on going into all those character animations must have needed a much effort. The fact that Jim can jump, whip in 8 different directions, whip in 8 different directions when you are jumping, and being able to shoot your gun (2 types of them) in 8 different directions is quite amusing. Also, there are many foes, which are slain throughout the adventure; all detailed and nicely presented they are, if you think that enemies of that calibre are nice. It’s all a lot to think about. Also, the backgrounds are very detailed, and make you think that you are getting a good atmosphere from your current position. Also, there are lighting effects which really make you smile the first time you see it. The planets, as I said before, were nicely varied and all totally different. Although, in between each level, there is an asteroid race with Psycrow. This is kind of a ‘gateway’ to the next planet; without winning the race you merely get put into some weird place where you must fight Psycrow himself. And possibly lose a life.

This race consists of a tunnel-type thing; it’s got a new pattern each time. Jim is riding on his flying machine whatdoyoucallit. Psycrow is on his jetpack, and Jim must go through the level, and survive. This means that you must avoid a load of asteroids, and… that’s about it. But Psycrow is also in a race with you, so make sure you don’t let him win. And that’s all I’m going to say.

So yeah, it’s pretty good, graphically.

So, what about the gameplay? Well, it’s good, that’s a start. Jim can perform many actions throughout the game, including run, jump, whip (using himself), shoot, hang, slide, climb, swing,
go down toilets, use himself as a skipping rope, pull levers, and so on. It’s good that the game introduces moves like these (compulsory to survive), but not introducing them all at the same time. You could be on the last level, and say to yourself, “Hey, no one told me about this move! Damn! Now I just realised that I could have gone through the game much quicker! I hate this game! I hate adidadi_young for giving me such foul advice! I hate dooyoo for making this site! I hate everything!”

Of course, I do think that the sequel to this game is even more varied, but is essentially not as classic, and not as good to start with, as the characters do not get introduced to you. It’s about as difficult, but hey; let’s forget about that game for a second/the rest of the opinion.

For lifespan… I do think that you would see the ‘game over’ screen a few times before you complete this game, due to it’s difficulty. However, with enough practice, and when you get to know the levels a bit more, then you might just be able to pull it off. It won’t be easy the first time, though, not even on the second or maybe even third times. This is what I’m getting to now: the replay value. When I first got this game, I was hooked. I must have completed it so many times now I more or less remember the levels all off-by-heart. It’s a good game to get to know, and get used to its clever humour, which can sometimes make you chuckle. Yep, it’s that kind of game which somehow has phenomenal replay value.

The game overall – well, when it came out, you could ensure that all that hard-earned money spent on the SNES cartridge would go towards a great game which has it’s moments, good graphics, gameplay and lastability. It’s a game to rely on; a game to trust. A nice 2D platforming game which I like very much, to this day. I think this game is very, very good. But why the 4 stars? W
ell, it’s all the kids these days. They only care about their fancy patterns on the screen and graphical power, and not it’s lastability and humour. Just the nice patterns. So it just wouldn’t appeal to them. “Oh, what a rubbish game! You can even see the jagged edges on the ledge of that rock!”

But I, on the other hand, think that this game is a classic, and is worth getting out your old SNES to play it, let alone emulation.

Also, I'd say this game is well-suited for all audiences. ^_^

Oh, and I bet you can’t make him say “groovy” on the end of a level as much as me.



{And to the person who rates this as soon as I post it up, and comment straight away (ie. Not reading the opinion), I’m going to find you, and KILL YOU.}

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