Earthworm Jim, one of the finest platformers the Sega Genesis has to offer. Originally released for the Sega in 1994, it was also ported to the Super Nintendo and the Sega CD. Originally created as a parody of many platformers at the time, the game has since become a classic game in the Sega library. It also helped spawn a toy line, comic books, and even a television series. There was also Earthworm Jim 3D for the Nintendo 64, but that turned out to be a colossal flop.
"Maximum Suckage"
Story- Our hero Earthworm Jim was just a normal earthworm until a space suit falls from heaven and pretty much gives him a bionic body. He has to use this suit to save Princess What's-Her-Name from the evil forces of Major Mucus, Bob the Goldfish, Psy-Crow, and Queen Slug-For-A-Butt. You can tell the character development department had a field day with this game.
"Whoa nelly!"
Graphics- The graphics of the game are much like the Saturday morning cartoon it inspired: colorful, animated, and completely off the wall. Animation is crisp and humorous. The backgrounds are colorful and entertaining, particularly the underwater stages and the space chase scenes. These are what I've come to expect of later games on the Sega Genesis: crisp, clean, and very colorful. You can tell this game utilized the full potential of the Sega, unlike many of the earlier releases.
Controls- Controls are smooth as glass. Jumping, shooting, and swinging are all very manageable. You may find a few parts where swinging can be a bit of a hassle, but otherwise it's not too much of a pain.
Sound- The music is all over the place, but I love every moment of it. The most notable music is the background track for "What the Heck?". It is a juxtaposition of Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain" and elevator music, a perfect harmony of scary and silly. I love it.
The other stages don't take a backseat to "What the Heck?" All of them have a unique track that complement the stage perfectly. Sound effects are equally goofy, exactly like something you'd hear in a Saturday morning cartoon.
That poor, poor cow.
Gameplay- Here's where the game really shines. The game is a well polished platformer that allows you to jump, shoot, swing, and beat enemies down with your pink wormy head. You can use your head as a whip, a grapple (kind of like Bionic Commando), and even a helicopter rotor. In addition to 'using your head', you
can also use your blaster to fire rapid rounds or a special beam shot if you pick those up. Enemies include muscle-bound cats, lawyers, junkyard dogs, and other goofy monsters. The bosses are equally unique. One of my favorite boss battles is a bungee duel with Major Mucus. You have to slam him against the walls in an attempt to destroy his cord before he breaks yours. It's one of the most innovative boss battles I've seen on the Sega, and it's a lot of fun. Other bosses include trying to avoid Evil the Cat while you're a worm out of your suit and the trout vomiting Chuck.
For a Sega platformer, it takes a short while to beat. If you're really good, I'm sure you can tackle it in an hour or so. However, it is not an easy game by any means. I don't expect you to beat it on your first try. That being said, it's got terrific replay value. It's one of the few games I can pick up and play any time.
Final Thoughts- This is one of the best games on the Sega Genesis, so don't hesitate to pick it up. It's also relatively cheap, usually lower than $10. You get a lot of bang for your buck. I haven't played the second Earthworm Jim, but I heard that's generally pretty good as well. Check them out!
No comments:
Post a Comment