Earthworm Jim (GBA)
Publisher: Majesco
Developer: Pipe Dream Interactive
Platform: Game Boy Advance
Seemingly having disappeared into the muck, Earthworm Jim has been off the gaming map for a few years - but the superhero of soil dwellers is back in a carbon port of the annelid's SNES adventure. And with this admirably pixel-perfect conversion, the bright, 2D platforming action seems perfectly suited to the tiny GBA screen, as Jim attempts to save the princess while keeping his cyber suit - the root of his powers - safe from the clutches of the evil Psy-Crow in a seven-level adventure.
Earthworm Jim carries the same weird sense of humour as the cartoon series - and the same unhealthy obsession with cows. This worm's tongue is firmly in its cheek (do worms have tongues? Or cheeks?). The sight-gag filled levels will take you through mutant junkyards to the Planet Heck, through bubbling rivers of snot and even inside a lower intestine as you hunt down Princess What's Her Name. Jim, however, has a vast arsenal at his disposal - including his rubbery head-whip.
The sprite-based artwork is clean and colourful, and topped off with some stunning cinematic sequences, while the bouncy soundtrack features a smattering of voice samples. The game is also incredibly challenging - especially since the developers have stupidly omitted a save game feature or password system - it's gonna be a long haul to reach the final boss.
For a port of a title that debuted in 1994, you'd be forgiven for thinking that this worm should have disappeared inside someone's intestinal tract - but Jim still manages to raise a chuckle, and rather than feeling like nostalgic retro revelry, the platformer - which was created by Northern Ireland-born Dave Perry - still feels fresh.
A solid slice of quirky 2D platforming that can't fail to give your laughing gear a workout.
Neil McGreevy
