Earthworm Jim 2
Encyclopedia
Earthworm Jim 2 is a platform
video game originally developed by Shiny Entertainment
and released in 1995 in Europe, and 1996 in the US, it is a sequel to the 1994 original Earthworm Jim
. Again, the game was created by Doug TenNapel
(Also returned as the voice of Jim) with design from David Perry
and music from Tommy Tallarico
. Earthworm Jim 2 follows the exploits of annelid
superhero Jim and his new sidekick Snott as they try to rescue Jim's beloved Princess What's-Her-Name from a forced marriage to the nefarious Psy-Crow. While chasing them across the universe, Jim comes across the summer homes of a number of villains from the first game, including Evil the Cat and Bob the Killer Goldfish.
Like the original game, Earthworm Jim 2 contains a lot of irreverent, surrealist humor. It also features more diverse gameplay than the original, with each stage having a different style and mission, requiring the player to adapt to a new control system. The game also features several new weapons.
Gameplay is much more diverse than in the first Earthworm Jim, largely departing from the template of a standard platformer. Although the majority of levels are based on platformer elements, they also incorporate gameplay from a variety of different genres, including mazes, trivia contests, arcade game
style levels, and a marathon race which acts as the game's final level in lieu of a boss battle. Many levels are heavily non-linear and are navigated in an unusual manner.
For instance, in the third level, "The Villi People," the player must guide Jim, defenceless in the guise of a blind cave salamander, through intestinal passages while avoiding exploding sheep and hazards embedded in the floor and walls. In another, the player controls Jim as he floats upward through a warped circus setting by means of his inflated head, avoiding touching sharp objects and light bulbs which will cause him to fall to the start of the level.
Jim's movement has changed from the original Earthworm Jim. For instance, he can no longer use his head to swing or to hover like a helicopter. Instead, Jim is accompanied by a living mucus named Snott, who resides in Jim's backpack and allows him to float by morphing into a parachute and swing by sticking on ceilings that are covered with dripping goo.
Although, or perhaps because, the PlayStation port contained the same content as the original releases, the PS version received a poor review from CVG
, obtaining a score of only 3/10. Their reviewer was not impressed with re-releasing a 16-bit title in the 'Age of Polygons', stating that he would have liked 'something new, please'.
The 2002 Game Boy Advance release was panned by critics owing to an "unfinished" game engine, glitched graphics, and an unpredictable save system. Craig Harris, reviewer for IGN
, gave the port 4/10, stating that "the action tends to slow down in the most unlikely locations ...and the gameplay's inconsistent... The GBA version of Earthworm Jim 2 even dishes out level passwords that ...load a game where you instantly die for no apparent reason".
Gamespot
gave the GBA port a 2.0, the lowest score for an Earthworm Jim game, calling it "unplayable".
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
video game originally developed by Shiny Entertainment
Shiny Entertainment
Shiny Entertainment was an American video game developer based in Laguna Beach, Southern California, and the creator of several popular titles such as Earthworm Jim, MDK, Sacrifice and The Matrix: Path of Neo. Shiny was founded by David Perry in October 1993...
and released in 1995 in Europe, and 1996 in the US, it is a sequel to the 1994 original Earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim is a run and gun platform video game starring an earthworm named Jim in a robotic suit who battles evil. Created by Doug TenNapel and designed by David Perry, the game was developed by Shiny Entertainment and Playmates Interactive Entertainment, released by Sega for the Mega...
. Again, the game was created by Doug TenNapel
Doug TenNapel
Douglas Richard "Doug" TenNapel is an American musician, animator, Eisner Award-winning artist, author, essayist and Christian. He is best known for creating Earthworm Jim, a character that spawned a famous video game, cartoon series, and toy line.-Early life:TenNapel was born and raised in the...
(Also returned as the voice of Jim) with design from David Perry
David Perry
David Perry is an Northern Irish video game developer who has created dozens of video games, the best known of which include Earthworm Jim, MDK, Messiah, Wild 9 and Enter the Matrix. He also founded Shiny Entertainment, where he worked from 1993 to 2006...
and music from Tommy Tallarico
Tommy Tallarico
Tommy Tallarico is an American video game music composer and musician. He is best known as the co-creator of the concert series Video Games Live...
. Earthworm Jim 2 follows the exploits of annelid
Annelid
The annelids , formally called Annelida , are a large phylum of segmented worms, with over 17,000 modern species including ragworms, earthworms and leeches...
superhero Jim and his new sidekick Snott as they try to rescue Jim's beloved Princess What's-Her-Name from a forced marriage to the nefarious Psy-Crow. While chasing them across the universe, Jim comes across the summer homes of a number of villains from the first game, including Evil the Cat and Bob the Killer Goldfish.
Like the original game, Earthworm Jim 2 contains a lot of irreverent, surrealist humor. It also features more diverse gameplay than the original, with each stage having a different style and mission, requiring the player to adapt to a new control system. The game also features several new weapons.
Releases
- Sega Genesis: One of the first releases. It was later released on the WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
via Virtual ConsoleVirtual consoleA virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
. - Super Nintendo Entertainment SystemSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
: Similar to the Genesis release, but features improved visuals and audio, as well as some new backgrounds. - MS-DOSMS-DOSMS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
: Features more voice clips and a CD soundtrack. However, Lorenzen's Soil is missing. - PlaystationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
: Identical to the MS-DOS release, but there are new backgrounds and a new set of questions in the game show. Lorenzen's Soil is restored as well. - Sega SaturnSega SaturnThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
: Similar to the Playstation release. - Gameboy Advance: A port of the Super Nintendo release. It has been widely criticised for poor graphics, bad sound and music, and very glitchy gameplay, most notably that a life is lost every time a level is entered via a password.
Gameplay
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
style levels, and a marathon race which acts as the game's final level in lieu of a boss battle. Many levels are heavily non-linear and are navigated in an unusual manner.
For instance, in the third level, "The Villi People," the player must guide Jim, defenceless in the guise of a blind cave salamander, through intestinal passages while avoiding exploding sheep and hazards embedded in the floor and walls. In another, the player controls Jim as he floats upward through a warped circus setting by means of his inflated head, avoiding touching sharp objects and light bulbs which will cause him to fall to the start of the level.
Jim's movement has changed from the original Earthworm Jim. For instance, he can no longer use his head to swing or to hover like a helicopter. Instead, Jim is accompanied by a living mucus named Snott, who resides in Jim's backpack and allows him to float by morphing into a parachute and swing by sticking on ceilings that are covered with dripping goo.
Reception
The original releases and, to an extent, the enhanced ports to the PlayStation and Saturn received highly favourable reviews. Critics praised the game's humour and absurd, innovative gameplay. The 'mini-game' style levels spread throughout the game were also held in high regard as a welcome change from the linear gameplay common at the time. Dyson Turner of Sega-16 said that the game was better than the first, owing to its improved graphics and level of detail. However he did also comment on the low number of bosses and the absence of a two-player mode.Although, or perhaps because, the PlayStation port contained the same content as the original releases, the PS version received a poor review from CVG
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
, obtaining a score of only 3/10. Their reviewer was not impressed with re-releasing a 16-bit title in the 'Age of Polygons', stating that he would have liked 'something new, please'.
The 2002 Game Boy Advance release was panned by critics owing to an "unfinished" game engine, glitched graphics, and an unpredictable save system. Craig Harris, reviewer for IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, gave the port 4/10, stating that "the action tends to slow down in the most unlikely locations ...and the gameplay's inconsistent... The GBA version of Earthworm Jim 2 even dishes out level passwords that ...load a game where you instantly die for no apparent reason".
Gamespot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
gave the GBA port a 2.0, the lowest score for an Earthworm Jim game, calling it "unplayable".