Episode 40: Earthworm Jim

Retro Spectives

Earthworm Jim hit the Sega Genesis with an almighty impact when it smashed into release in 1994. Inspired by the success of Sonic The Hedgehog, Shiny Entertainment wanted to bring their own anthropomorphic mascot into the forefront - a humble earthworm. Struck by a falling alien super suit, Jim somehow grows and occupies it rather than being crushed to dust. Now he has to go on an adventure to beat the bad guys, kill the evil queen with the big but, and rescue Princess Whats-Her-Name.

The game dazzles with naturalistic illustrations that you platform off. It revels in its offbeat tone, with each level wackier than the last. Novelty is worn with pride on both of its sleeves, and it refuses to dwell on any concept for longer than needed. But does all of this add up to a fun and engaging experience for its 3 hour run time? Or does it just feel like a disconnected mess?

On this episode, we discuss:

• Can the lack of a coherent theme or identity be a theme in and of itself? Is zaniness and weirdness worth celebrating or is it just inconsistent nonsense?
• How good are the essential platforming mechanics of Earthworm Jim? Is having strong fundamentals more important than the many new ideas that are thrown your way?
• How hard is Earthworm Jim? Does a high level of difficulty mesh well with a constant string of new mechanics? Should you use save states?

We answer these questions and many more on the 40th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

Is Earthworm Jim the greatest platformer ever? Is it overrated garbage? Is a coherent identity irrelevant in the face of groovy style? Let us know what you think on our text based community discord server!