The original Earthworm Jim featured one of the most unusual videogame heroes ever. A worm. In a spacesuit of some sort. It was so intriguing that you absolutely had to play the game to see what it was all about, and it was a very competent 2D shooter. Now Earthworm Jim has been remade in HD, and it carries over most of the aspects and features the original game did (when it was released way back in 1994).

Earthworm Jim HD is available as a download-only title on Xbox Live Arcade, and will be available on the PS3 and Wii later this Summer. If you’re wondering what new the HD version brings to the table, well, obviously, it’s the brand new visuals, which look pretty good, at least compared to the original. In addition to that, the has a few all-new bonus levels, including multiplayer levels which can be played with several players in co-op. And that’s about it, the rest is vintage Earthworm Jim.

The controls are easy to use and spot on for the most part, however a few weird design choices drag the game down a bit. For instance, you can’t shoot while you’re in the air, and these design choices resonate throughout the rest of the game, as some could’ve been upgraded to modern controls and features. The developers stood by the classic, but not everything was perfect back then, and it’s a shame they didn’t use the opportunity to improve on some of those aspects.

However, the core gameplay, the crazy levels, the intense action and humor is still there, and it’s definitely worth it for fans of the classic to check out.

The Good:
Lots of fun
Weird and interesting levels

The Bad:
Doesn’t improve on the original

Overall score: 8/10