An ordinary earthworm is hit by a robotic super-suit that falls from space, and from there Shiny Entertainment's 1994 debut never stops being strange. Created by Doug TenNapel and produced by David Perry's team, Earthworm Jim mixes run-and-gun platforming with hand-drawn animation that looked startling on the Genesis, plus a sense of humor built on launched cows, snot bungee jumps and a villain named Queen Slug-for-a-Butt.
Jim attacks with a plasma blaster and by snapping his own worm body out of the suit like a whip, which also lets him swing from hooks. Levels change format constantly: one is an underwater bathysphere ride, another has Jim guarding a puppy named Peter who turns into a raging monster whenever he gets hurt, and between stages he races the crow Psy-Crow through an asteroid tunnel. The game was successful enough to spawn a sequel, a cartoon series and toys, and its animation set a benchmark for licensed and original platformers that followed.
Tips for Earthworm Jim
In the asteroid races between levels, grab the speed boosts; losing to Psy-Crow forces a fight against him before you can continue.
Use the head-whip on hooks to swing across gaps instead of risking long jumps.
In For Pete's Sake, keep Peter Puppy from harm: each time he is hurt he transforms and mauls Jim.
How to Play Earthworm Jim
Click Play Now to launch Earthworm Jim directly in your browser — no downloads or plugins needed. With the default layout, Z fires the plasma blaster, X whips with Jim's head, and C jumps; arrows aim the gun in eight directions. Enter pauses. You can also connect a USB or Bluetooth gamepad for a more authentic feel.
Save states let you save your progress at any point. Create a free account to sync saves across devices. Press F11 for fullscreen mode.
Playing Earthworm Jim is easy: press "Play Now" above and the game starts right in your browser window. Our emulator handles everything — no extra software needed.
Is Earthworm Jim free to play?
Earthworm Jim is free to play here on RetroVault.GG. We believe classic games should be accessible to everyone, so there's no cost to jump in.
What console is Earthworm Jim for?
Originally a Sega Genesis game, Earthworm Jim can now be played directly in your browser here on RetroVault.GG with no setup needed.
What genre is Earthworm Jim?
Earthworm Jim is a platformer game. It was made for the Sega Genesis.
Can I play Earthworm Jim on my phone?
Earthworm Jim is fully playable on mobile devices. Open this page in your phone's browser and tap Play Now — touch controls appear automatically.