Customer Reviews

Earthworm Jim

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I remember when I first seen the news about Earthworm Jim in one of my Sega Visions magazines. I thought at first that it wouldn't ever be that good of a game because I thought it was crazy that an action/adventure game about a worm would be a big hit. When I finally played it, I found out that I couldn't have been more wrong about it. It's more fun than a lot of the other action games I've played and it became one of my favorites. At the time it had some of the best graphics I had ever seen. Everything about the game is as original as a game can get. You can either fight your enemies with several different kinds of guns or you can take Earthworm Jim and slap him at the enemies. The bosses range from a cat that's on the loose to a man that is hanging on a chain that spits raw fish at you. There's also a fun bonus level where you race against Psy-crow in outer space. The levels are also unique and range from a fire level that's just like a maze to a level where you run around with a marshmallow and try to save puppies from going splat on the ground. There's also a bungee jumping level and an underground water level where you have to keep from hitting the side too much in your ship.

Everything about "Earthworm Jim" is great. It has some of the best graphics from the 16-bit era of video games, great control, it's a lot of fun, and it can even be hilarious when you let Earthworm Jim just stand around and watch what he does. If you have a Sega Genesis and if you like action/adventure games, "Earthworm Jim" is one of the best games you could get.

Although the graphics are on an out-dated system (It's been almost 7 years this game has been made!), "Earthworm Jim" is still one of the best action-adventure game to date! I was very impressed with the gameplay, storyline (Even though there wasn't much of one), graphics, and originality of this game! And still catch myself playing it sometimes! And for those who have only played "Earthworm Jim 3D" (Such a bad game!!!) I strongly recomend renting this game to see how Earthworm Jim was made to be played!

This game was the first Earthworm Jim game I ever played and after I finished playing it a few times, I told everybody it was one of the best games I've ever played and that not many games can beat it. When I first saw the previews and heard of Earthworm Jim being the next super hero, I thought it was stupid. But it's actually a lot of fun and it is one of the best ever made even now. The enemies are both challenging and hilarious and the levels are fun while not being too easy. The bonus levels are a real plus. You race against psy-crow in outer space and collect powerups to speed up to get closer to the finish. The game does get real hard when you get to the bungee jumping level, but it goes good with the game. It has some of the best graphics ever seen on the 16-bit systems and everything else about it is great.

Without a doubt, this Earthworm Jim is better than Earthworm Jim 2 because it's more original and a lot more fun. If you like action/adventure side scrollers, you got to get this game. The Sega Genesis version is the best of all.

Now I absolutely LOVE Earthworm Jim no matter which version you speak of, but as far as I know, nobody has actually taken the time to explain the *many* differences between the Genesis and Super NES version. Let me do this right now. Just a quick note- even though I may throw out some criticisms from time to time, this by no means diminishes the quality of this version. Earthworm Jim is awesome no matter WHICH edition you pick up!

- The Genesis version has worse graphics. This should be obvious though because the Super NES always wins in this category.

- The Genesis version has MUCH worse music and it reminds me of the 8-bit NES. The Super NES has music that's extremely rich and varied in the arrangements.

- The Genesis version has choppier framerate issues. Granted, it's not BAD or poses a distraction by any means, but compared to the superior Super NES version, you can't help but notice it. It's remarkable to me how well the Super NES version holds up over the years based on the smooth framerate alone.

- This ties into the graphics, but the backgrounds are pretty bland and uninspiring in this Genesis version. The best example is right in the beginning in the New Junk City level. The sun in the background stays in one place. Not so on the Super NES version where the sun moves and hides behind the mountains depending on where Earthworm Jim is standing. The backgrounds are extremely vibrant and exciting in the Super NES version.

- The Genesis version has more sound effects than the Super NES version. I especially like when you touch a Continue point and a voice says "Oooooh yeah!" Plus when you touch ammo it actually says "ammo!" The snowman boss in What the Heck?" burps orange snowballs at you, lol. The only phrase you hear in the Super NES version is "Yippee!"

- The crows in New Junk City go "squaaaawk!" for an extended period.

- In some cases, the items have either been switched around or more were added. I'm referring to health and ammo. In the final level for example, I know for an absolute FACT there's only two plasma rounds in this one particular spot below the swinging hooks in the Super NES edition, but in the Genesis version there's four. A careful, thorough test needs to be done in order to figure out ALL the minor differences (of which there could be hundreds if we wanna get REALLY technical about it).

- In the What the Heck? level, the sound those floating black monsters with sharp teeth make upon finishing them off is hilariously bad! It sounds like a ghost cuddling up to a teddy bear underneath a blanket, lol. I never thought about it until now but these monsters are basically the same thing as the dogs from New Junk City except they fly in the air so they pose more of a threat.

- Without spoiling the ending, the obnoxious music you experience at the game completion screen appears WAY too many times throughout the game in this version, such as whenever you gain an additional Continue (can of worms) and when you're fighting the snowman and rooster bosses. It's overkill. I don't like this theme song at all. I'd like to know the name of this song though -and where it originated- because it reeks of familiarity so I KNOW it came from somewhere famous.

- Everything -especially the bosses such as the snowman- look much smaller compared to the Super NES version. I thought I was imagining this at first but upon playing the Super NES version last night and studying the details carefully, I realize that yes, the snowman and numerous other enemies and platform layouts are definitely smaller in the Genesis version. No doubt everything was shrinked to make room for the extra level called Intestinal Distress.

- Even though this Genesis version has more sound effects, some of the ones found on the Super NES edition are missing here such as the mock laugh that purple-haired joker creature makes at the last section of Level 5, and Pete the Puppy doesn't yelp when you whip him either.

- I hate the sound your ammo gun makes. It sounds more like fire crackers. It sounds like a more dangerous and intimidating weapon in the Super NES version.

- The entire For Pete's Sake level seems like it's designed all wrong. The colors are exceptionally bright red and icky which is a MAJOR turn off for me, whereas on the Super NES you experience a beautiful blue and black background resembling an actual solar system. The music is especially bad here as well and hardly resembles the same theme in the Super NES version. Oh, and maybe I'm imagining things, but it seems there's more meteor showers in this version as well. This could depend on the difficulty too.

- In between stages when Earthworm Jim's face appears on screen, unlike the Super NES version, you can't make him repeatedly say the word "Groovy!" a bunch of times in a row. "G-g-g-g-GROOVY!"

- The Andy Asteroids levels are unappealing in the color department in the Genesis version because all six of these levels look EXACTLY the same. I'm referring to the numerous blue rings you fly through as you progress through these stages. In the Super NES version the colors of these rings change with each Andy Asteroids stage you visit. They're always blue and identical in the Genesis version which is deceptive because it makes you think all six of these Andy Asteroids stages are exactly the same but... they're not. They just LOOK the same.

- This version has a controller configuration (even though it's not necessary to change the order of the buttons on the controller because the default ones are perfectly fine, it's still nice that such an option exists).

- This Genesis version better utilizes the launching cow. Every so often the cow will make a surprise appearance in the sky. In the Super NES version it only happens in two spots that I know of (For Pete's Sake and the final stage) and nowhere else. The cow even appears at a most interesting spot while exploring the Down the Tubes level in this version, which is surprisingly funny! The cow even makes a "moo!" sound as he passes through the sky, whereas on the Super NES he's completely quiet.

- The hallway tubes in the Down the Tubes level are terribly animated. I'm referring to the tube hallways you walk through as you pass those big armed, punch-happy enemies- NOT the tube race portions of the level. It's in the way the tubes constantly wobble up and down in a pitiful attempt to give the player an underwater effect. It doesn't work as a result of the limitations of the Genesis hardcore no less. In the Super NES version, these tubes more realistically move up and down resembling what a boat does in the ocean. That's what this version is *trying* to imitate, but it doesn't look as believable.

- There's more sound effects in this version pertaining to enemy deaths. I constantly hear a "splat" sound whenever you shoot those pink alien balls for example (found in Down the Tubes and Intestinal Distress).

- Yes, Intestinal Distress is probably the only reason one would choose the Genesis version over the Super NES one. It's a good level, though it's only 5 minutes long if that, and it's really dark. It's basically a shorter and darker version of What the Heck? in both the design and how it requires players to progress upwards, but I absolutely LOVE the theme song. It sounds like spooky church organs and reminds me of early psychedelic Pink Floyd.

Overall, great game, but the drastically superior graphics, the scrolling backgrounds, the more appealing music and the smoother framerate makes the Super NES version better.

this is where the fame of earthworm jim began! great game, definitely has replay value, good controls, good music, good game !

This game is at the top of my list of all my Sega games, it's dark humor and difficulty make for a wonderful game. The game itself is quite a challenge, unlike games these days, games of the Genesis, NES, and SNES era actually take time, and dedication. Once you beat it once though you can fly through the game afterwards, it's just a matter of getting to know the game and it's contents, I would recommend this game for anyone! It's one of the best games of it's time and you're missing out of you don't play it.

Bought this because we had it a long time ago when we had a Genesis, and now we picked up another Genesis. Lots of fun. Very enjoyable.

The graphics and gameplay are very, very impressive, but the game leaves one feeling a little bad after you play it. The race stages are WAY repetitive, the colors are ugly and the all-important factor of "fun" is just missing. I feel bad posting a negative review, since the game is so technically excellent, and has so many fans, but there's just not much reason to have or play it.