History VideoGame / EarthwormJim

A much-loved platform game from Creator/ShinyEntertainment, formed when Playmates Inc. approached former Virgin Software alumnus Dave Perry (who had developed ''CoolSpot'' and ''VideoGame/{{Aladdin|VirginGames}}'' for Virgin) to create a marketable videogame IP to build a new multimedia sensation upon, in the spirit of their previous success, the ''TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' franchise. The title character (created by cartoonist DougTenNapel) is an earthworm mutated by [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum a mechanical super-suit from space]] into a somewhat awkward super-hero, who takes it upon himself to stop the machinations of the [[OverlyLongName Evil Queen Pulsating, Bloated, Festering, Sweaty, Pus-Filled, Malformed Slug-For-A-Butt]] and rescue the beautiful Princess What's-Her-Name. His adventure takes him from the scrap heaps of New Junk City to the sweltering fire-pits of Planet Heck (home of the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin aptly-named]] [[NamesToRunAwayFromVeryFast Evil]] [[CatsAreMean the Cat]]) to Level 5, the lair of the evil MadScientist who invented Jim's super-suit, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Professor Monkey-for-a-Head]]. All the while, Jim is pursued by Psy-Crow, Queen Slug-for-a-Butt's [[TheDragon right-hand man]] who is intent on getting the suit back.

A much-loved platform game from Shiny Entertainment, formed when Playmates Inc. approached former Virgin Software alumnus Dave Perry (who had developed ''CoolSpot'' and ''VideoGame/{{Aladdin|VirginGames}}'' for Virgin) to create a marketable videogame IP to build a new multimedia sensation upon, in the spirit of their previous success, the ''TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' franchise. The title character (created by cartoonist DougTenNapel) is an earthworm mutated by [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum a mechanical super-suit from space]] into a somewhat awkward super-hero, who takes it upon himself to stop the machinations of the [[OverlyLongName Evil Queen Pulsating, Bloated, Festering, Sweaty, Pus-Filled, Malformed Slug-For-A-Butt]] and rescue the beautiful Princess What's-Her-Name. His adventure takes him from the scrap heaps of New Junk City to the sweltering fire-pits of Planet Heck (home of the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin aptly-named]] [[NamesToRunAwayFromVeryFast Evil]] [[CatsAreMean the Cat]]) to Level 5, the lair of the evil MadScientist who invented Jim's super-suit, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Professor Monkey-for-a-Head]]. All the while, Jim is pursued by Psy-Crow, Queen Slug-for-a-Butt's [[TheDragon right-hand man]] who is intent on getting the suit back.

* AWorldwidePunomenon: Just one example: the boss of LevelAte is a fire-breathing steak named Flamin' Yawn.

* LandfillBeyondTheStars: Subverted with New Junk City, which appears to fit the trope, but [[AllThereInTheManual research on the game]] reveals that the level is a city-sized lanfill in ''Texas'', of all places.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: Listen to [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK7CVqbtW0A the tune that Fatso, the real Keyboard Cat, plays]]. Now listen to [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9V7OrGM_tc the one his lawyer-friendly counterpart plays]].

* Expy: In the HD remake, one of the new bosses is an obvious expy of [[LOLCats Keyboard Cat]].

* LOLCats: In the HD remake, one of the new bosses is an obvious expy of Keyboard Cat.

* EverythingsLouderWithBagpipes: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKg_WGHv4Jg Granny Bag]] from ''Earthworm Jim 2''.

* EverythingsFunkierWithDisco: "Boogie Nights of the Living Dead" from ''Earthworm Jim 3D''. Also, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64_nwYXIkZ8 Billy the Bin's theme]] from the HD remake of the first game.

* WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs: Just try to read the story of this Game and make sense of it. I dare you!

The [[ThirdIs3D third game]], ''Earthworm Jim 3D'' for the Nintendo 64 and PC, had Jim taking a JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind after one too many falling cows to the head. [[PolygonCeiling Needless to say]], [[FanonDiscontinuity it wasn't very well received]]-- in part because the original developers had sold the rights to the character to another development team. A GameBoy Color title, ''Menace 2 The Galaxy'', was also released, and the few who have played it have not had flattering things to say about it.

* TheJimmyHartVersion: Listen to [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK7CVqbtW0A the tune that Fatso, the real Keyboard Cat, plays]]. Now listen to [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9V7OrGM_tc the one his lawyer-friendly counterpart plays]].

The franchise is currently struggling to revive itself, with a [[VideoGameRemake remake]] of the original game promised for the PlaystationPortable, but [[{{Vaporware}} eventually cancelled]].

A much-loved platform game from Shiny Entertainment, formed when Playmates Inc. approached former Virgin Software alumnus Dave Perry (who had developed ''CoolSpot'' and ''[[VideoGame/AladdinVirginGames Aladdin]]'' for Virgin) to create a marketable videogame IP to build a new multimedia sensation upon, in the spirit of their previous success, the ''TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' franchise. The title character (created by cartoonist DougTenNapel) is an earthworm mutated by [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum a mechanical super-suit from space]] into a somewhat awkward super-hero, who takes it upon himself to stop the machinations of the [[OverlyLongName Evil Queen Pulsating, Bloated, Festering, Sweaty, Pus-Filled, Malformed Slug-For-A-Butt]] and rescue the beautiful Princess What's-Her-Name. His adventure takes him from the scrap heaps of New Junk City to the sweltering fire-pits of Planet Heck (home of the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin aptly-named]] [[NamesToRunAwayFromVeryFast Evil]] [[CatsAreMean the Cat]]) to Level 5, the lair of the evil MadScientist who invented Jim's super-suit, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Professor Monkey-for-a-Head]]. All the while, Jim is pursued by Psy-Crow, Queen Slug-for-a-Butt's [[TheDragon right-hand man]] who is intent on getting the suit back.

The franchise is currently struggling to revive itself, with a [[VideoGameRemake remake]] of the original game promised for the PlayStation Portable, but [[VaporWare eventually cancelled]].

* LevelAte: From ''VideoGame/EarthwormJim 2''. It's made of burgers, bacon, cheese, fried eggs, and other delightfully fatty foods. Also, it's the [[StealthPun 8th level]].

True to Playmates' intentions of turning the series into a multimedia sensation, the series also spawned a [[WesternAnimation/EarthwormJim cult-classic animated adaptation]] and a line of action figures to match, and in light of their reputation, all of them have fared signifigantly better than other similar attempts such as ''{{Battletoads}}'', ''{{Bubsy}}'' or even ''[[{{Action 52}} Cheetahmen]]''.

A much-loved platform game from Shiny Entertainment, formed when Playmates Inc. approached former Virgin Software alumnus Dave Perry (who had developed ''CoolSpot'' and ''[[VideoGame/AladdinVirginGames Aladdin]]'' for Virgin) to create a marketable videogame IP to build a new multimedia sensation upon, in the spirit of their previous success, the ''TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' franchise. The title character (created by cartoonist DougTenNapel) is an earthworm mutated by [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum a mechanical super-suit from space]] into a somewhat awkward super-hero, who takes it upon himself to stop the machinations of the [[OverlyLongName Evil Queen Pulsating, Bloated, Festering, Sweaty, Pus-Filled, Malformed Slug-For-A-Butt]] and rescue the beautiful Princess What's-Her-Name. His adventure takes him from the scrap heaps of New Junk City to the sweltering fire-pits of Planet Heck (home of the aptly-named Evil the Cat) to Level 5, the lair of the evil MadScientist who invented Jim's super-suit, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Professor Monkey-for-a-Head]]. All the while, Jim is pursued by Psy-Crow, Queen Slug-for-a-Butt's [[TheDragon right-hand man]] who is intent on getting the suit back.

!This game is the TropeNamer for:

* AnthropomorphicFood: As expected from the TropeNamer of LevelAte. You get to fight a firebreathing steak.

* CrowningMusicofAwesome: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQvzoTxMQBA&hd=1 Tangerine]] from the Saturn version of Earthworm Jim 2.
** New Junk City, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkL5bNcuV_U&feature=related in every version]].

* [=~Everything's Funkier With Disco~=]: "Boogie Nights of the Living Dead" from ''Earthworm Jim 3D''. Also, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64_nwYXIkZ8 Billy the Bin's theme]] from the HD remake of the first game.

** Earthworm Jim 2 also contains [[TheLionKing "The Flyin' King"]], a level in IsometricProjection where Jim flies his handy [[LevelsTakeFlight Pocket Rocket]] through the hazardous skies to the boss. In order to beat the level, you have to gently bump a fragile and highly explosive balloon to the very end. If it ruptures before meeting the boss, you have to go back to the beginning to try again.

* JugglingLoadedGuns: Two of his idle animations are to twirl his blaster on his finger, throw it in the air, catch it and holster it. The aversion is done successfully, with no harm done. In the second (straight) version he catches it wrong, and it blasts him in the face. (Unfortunately, his [[YourHeadAsplode head does not asplode]].) A third idle animation splits the difference — after Jim tosses the gun in the air, it lands on his head, but doesn't go off.

* MetronomicManMashing: A [[PintSizedPowerhouse tiny cat]] mook will do this to Jim if he approaches it. Then again, [[SpeedRun it's a really fast way to skip parts of the level]] if you [[CastFromHitPoints have enough energy to endure it]].

* EscortMission: For Pete's Sake, although the puppy you're escorting ALSO happens to be the biggest threat of the level.
** Also, several levels in the sequel in which you have to use a giant marshmallow to save Petey's children from being thrown out the window. It's roughly 357% less aggravating than the first game's Petey level.

* PolygonCeiling: ''Earthworm Jim 3D.''

->''"Groovy!"''

* BrownNote: Peter Puppy changes into an evil monster every time he is hurt, and, in the cartoon, changes back when tickled.

* PunnyName: The levels "New Junk City" and "Lorenzen's Soil" from the first and second game are named after two films, ''New Jack City'' and ''Lorenzo's Oil'' (Lorenzen is also one of the game developers).

** In the first game, the fifth level is called... Level 5. Also, in the second game, the eight level, LevelAte, doubles as both this and an IncrediblyLamePun.

* LevelAte: From ''EarthwormJim 2''. It's made of burgers, bacon, cheese, fried eggs, and other delightfully fatty foods. Also, it's the [[StealthPun 8th level]].

->''Groovy!''