Episode 40: Earthworm Jim
Retro Spectives20 Heinä 2020

Episode 40: Earthworm Jim

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!

Jaksot(140)

Episode 106: Unreal

Episode 106: Unreal

Unreal was the Crysis of its time.  It pushed PCs to their absolute limits, with its advanced shader effects and enormous levels.  It featured AI that was far beyond the stilted and simplistic enemies...

5 Kesä 20231h 8min

Episode 105: Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers

Episode 105: Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers

When Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers first released in 1993, it was not a crack commercial hit.  It did however instantly earn itself widespread critical acclaim, with reviewers praising its dark ...

18 Touko 20231h 15min

Episode 104: Arx Fatalis

Episode 104: Arx Fatalis

Arkane Studios was founded with a dream: to create a sequel to the highly revered grandfather of immersive sims Ultima Underworld.  Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t quite secure the rights to the...

26 Huhti 20231h 29min

Episode 103: Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Episode 103: Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Puzzles are like crack cocaine for their very special audience.  Whether it be a crossword, a logic problem, or even a riddle, unravelling them shoots a heavy dose of endorphins directly to the brain....

3 Huhti 202359min

Episode 102: Homeworld

Episode 102: Homeworld

Relic Entertainment has a long history of innovating in the RTS space.  Both Company of Heroes and Dawn of War are much beloved and respected titles that could hold their heads high even when compared...

16 Maalis 20231h 28min

Episode 101: Fable

Episode 101: Fable

Before Todd Howard’s promises about the climbability of mountains was Peter Molyneux and Fable, a game which promised a level of interactivity never seen before in an RPG.  Have children (that could c...

20 Helmi 20231h 26min

Episode 100: Pathologic 2

Episode 100: Pathologic 2

The original Pathologic has long been regarded as a cult classic.  Obtuse, frustrating, boring and unfriendly, it nonetheless captured people’s imaginations with its densely woven storytelling and mys...

30 Tammi 20232h 24min

Episode 99.5 M4ilB4g

Episode 99.5 M4ilB4g

When we started this podcast nearly 4 years ago, we did so with a clear goal in mind.  We wanted to play, review and critique games of the past from a perspective free of nostalgia.  As the gaming ind...

9 Tammi 20232h 34min

Suosittua kategoriassa Vapaa-aika

nikotellen
antin-matka
sita
the-harlin-show
ihan-oikeesti
unicast
rss-nikotellen
eturivi
rss-naapurissa
tahtitehdas
mutsiputki
oral-sex
kaikkea-hyvaa
everypodi
terkuin-jenna
himocast
rss-viihde-media
20-30-40-podcast
kasper-ja-mikko
junnut-pelissa