Earthworm Jim · Protagonist · Debut: 1994 · Sega Genesis / Super NES · Created by Doug TenNapel
An ordinary earthworm in a robotic super-suit, created by Doug TenNapel for Shiny Entertainment in 1994 — a hit platformer, a cartoon series and a toy line within a year.
Earthworm Jim was created by Doug TenNapel and developed into a game by Shiny Entertainment, the studio led by David Perry. The premise is simple and absurd: Jim is an ordinary earthworm until a robotic super-suit falls on him, giving him a humanoid body, a plasma blaster and superhuman abilities — though without the suit he remains a vulnerable worm. TenNapel described him as foolish but good-hearted, with just enough ability to be a hero despite his limited intelligence. The first game launched in October 1994 on the Genesis and Super NES. Its hand-drawn animation was exceptionally fluid for 16-bit consoles, and its humour — surreal enemies, odd set pieces and jokes built into the levels — set it apart from the many mascot platformers of the time. TenNapel also voiced Jim in the game, including his catchphrase "Groovy!" Jim quickly became a multimedia property. Earthworm Jim 2 followed in 1995; an animated series ran for 23 episodes over two seasons on Kids' WB in 1995–1996, with Dan Castellaneta voicing Jim; and Playmates Toys released action figures in late 1995. The later games, Earthworm Jim 3D and Menace 2 the Galaxy (both 1999), were made without the original team, and an HD remake appeared in 2010.
Earthworm Jim arrived in a crowded field of "mascot with attitude" platformers. What made it stand out was craft — fluid, cartoon-quality animation and an odd, specific sense of humour — at a moment when 16-bit hardware was being pushed to its limits by studios trying to look like the cartoons they competed with on Saturday mornings.