A Shiny Entertainment gem starring an earthworm in a spacesuit, absurdly hilarious. Beautiful animation and varied level design, a must-play classic.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player7+
Description
Earthworm Jim battles super-villains in crazy levels in this Shiny Entertainment Mega Drive platformer. Published by Virgin, released in Europe in 1994. Inventive platformer with alien worm Jim, comic weapons, varied levels and absurd bosses with off-beat humour.
Earthworm Jim review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Elastic, delirious cartoon by Shiny: hilarious animation, absurd creatures and vivid colours compose a surrealist universe full of humour. The suppleness of the line and the visual inventiveness overflow with energy. This art direction, unhinged and polished, stands as a masterpiece of interactive animation.
Earthworm Jim PAL is the European edition of Shiny Entertainment/David Perry's game, considered one of the stylistic peaks of the late Megadrive era. Collector value comes from the cult status of Shiny/Perry.
Is Earthworm Jim still worth playing in 2026?
A 2D platformer by Shiny Entertainment, Earthworm Jim imposes an earthworm hero in a robotic suit in a wacky universe inspired by American cartoons. The iconic cartoon art direction, absurd humour and varied handling make this title an absolute classic of the Mega Drive catalogue. Levels like What the Heck or Snot a Problem have become mythical. For anyone fond of humorous and inventive nineties platformers, an absolutely essential recommendation today still without any hesitation here truly indeed for any fan.
