Play Earthworm Jim Online

Earthworm Jim came out for the Sega Genesis in 1994, developed by Shiny Entertainment. It was part of that wave of games that felt like they were trying to be more than just a platformer, with a strange sense of humor and a lot of personality. You knew you were in for something different just by looking at the box art.

You control Jim, an earthworm in a powerful robotic suit, and your goal is to rescue Princess What's-Her-Name from the evil Queen Pulsating, Bloated, Festering, Sweaty, Pus-filled, Malformed, Slug-for-a-Butt. You move through levels screen by screen, using your gun to blast a bizarre cast of enemies. Your worm body is also a tool; you can use it as a whip to attack or as a rope to swing across gaps. The pacing is fast and the difficulty can be unforgiving, with some sections requiring precise jumps and quick reactions. Playing it feels like being thrown into a chaotic cartoon where you have to constantly adapt to whatever weirdness the game throws at you next.