Earthworm Jim 2 - Sega Saturn Review

"I'm Sega Lord X, and I WILL catch you next time." dashes down a dark alley in a black cape in slow motion.

This was the version I grew up with, and I didn't even know the sequel was on other consoles! Shame it's so expensive now; I only bought it because it was less than 20 bucks back then. I loved it for the time, but it's definitely not worth the cost nowadays. Get a gennie copy or a backup, imo!

Feels more like what you would expect from a 32X version of the game as opposed to a Saturn.

I had never played the Saturn port, and after watching this (awesome) video Im torn between loving some of the new backgrounds (Anything But Tangerines and Inflated Head for example) and hating some of the other choices—like the background in Udderly Abducted, Puppy Love, and the music in ISO 9000.

I used to by Sega Saturn Magazine and as someone who loved the original Mega Drive game i was really disappointed when i read the review on this. It's just not good enough. Not even close. It was also sold at pretty much full price from what i remember. This game is basically nothing more than a quick cash grab. If anything, SSM wasn't harsh enough in their review.

Its pretty much quite disappointing and this sort of thing still happen in modern consoles like some remasters are like barebones only companies should do a better jobs when are this games are for sale even some fanmade ones are better than paid ones

I think it kind of sucks that 2D sort of died this generation. Sure, 3D was the future, but not everything needed to be in 3D and the capabilities of home hardware to push 2D pixels had become the greatest they had ever been.

Funny story about this game. I rented it from Blockbuster Video and I got so frustrated with the driving part of the game I snapped the disc in half. I didn't want to tell my mom so I returned it in Blockbuster's bin and they were nun the wiser lol.

Have you watched the cartoon by any chance?

Besides the excellent quality of this and the PS1 ver, I still think the graphics and the sprites in some cases are better in the SNES.

This game was brilliant beyond belief. Becoming a blind cave salamander while moonlight sonata plays in the background was genius. Also, Shiny brought us MDK, Messiah, and Wild 9. I just loved this studio.

I love Sega RIP Dustin Diamond at 44

the baloon stage is so annoying

Your intro is rad

Great review! I remember playing this as a kid and how hard it was.... Did you review Boogerman for the Genesis yet? If not that would be one I'd like to see.

I love this channel.i miss the kick ass sega I grew up on

Earthworm Jim was too crazy for me in that time.

I actually owned both the Genesis and Saturn versions of this when I was younger. The Genesis version had a severe game play flaw, in which you could not switch what weapon you were using, while the Super NES and Saturn versions let you switch. However, I think that I actually prefer the Genesis version. I felt like the graphics and backgrounds fit better together there, and it doesn't have the insanely long loading times that the Saturn version does.

As for as the game goes, it's a good sequel, but I strongly prefer the first game. I felt that some of the levels in the second game are a little too "out there" so to speak.

I've played the SS-version very much. One of my favorite platformers for the Saturn.

sub en english or spanish pls

This is basically a 3D platformer in 2D

The gaming world proves to be a funny thing as time passes.

Untouched Earthworm Jim 2 on Sega Saturn:

WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS? THE GOOD TIMES ARE OVER!!!

Untouched Earthworm Jim 2 on Xbox One:

OH THANK GOD IT'S FINALLY HERE, WHAT TOOK SO LONG?

EWJ 1 & 2 are some of the most mind blowing and interesting games out there!
Very cool covering the Saturn port, those different backgrounds are really cool. But you’re right, obviously they could’ve done more.
Question - do you record these from original hardware? If so, what do you use? I recently had some issues with AV lines across the screen, can’t tell if it’s the splitters or the cord itself.

They should have made it a 2-pack of EWJ 1 and 2, just straight ports with no (or little) changes. Would have been more valuable this way.

This version was actually the first time I played Earthworm Jim back in the day. I loved it, but hated the password system...

The reason why EWJ2 shown less improvement on the ps1 and sat is shiny entertainment never develop both ports including the MS dos version. Had all of those ports been develop by shiny like sega ewj special edition. All ports would have extremely trump snes/genesis by lightyears.

A Saturn or PlayStation game looking like a Super NES game? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

I only played this game on the SNES not genesis or ps1 & Saturn

There are some differences between the Saturn and Genesis versions not covered: Minor stage layout adjustments result in a huge difference in the difficulty of the final level. The Saturn version has, I believe, more variety in the questions for the quiz show segment. And the Saturn version allows you to swap weapons (as did the SNES version) rather than being stuck with the most recent weapon picked up. This means the way you approach power ups is quite different, and of course the Bubble Gun is pointless since you can swap it out. (As a consequence, they dramatically increased the ammo count for that gun). I think the secret manta shield move is missing from the Saturn version.

This is all off the top of my head. I could be mistaken in a few areas.

I remember trying out the PlayStation version, since I didn't have Sega Saturn. The only thing that impressed me was the music (it's the same as in the Saturn version), moreover, as far as I remember, there was no block there (it was something like two buttons + up on Sega Mega Drive). It's not that it was the most necessary move, but still, it was strange (maybe I just didn't figure out how to do it on PSX, though). This is the problem of all these 16-bit ports, like Earthworm Jim, Mortal Kombat, WrestleMania, Primal rage etc – they were better, but not that much to pay attention to them during the 32-bit era. Thanks for the channel, man, very nostalgic!

I’m gonna be completely honest, I like the 16bit soundtrack better than the cheesy generic rock soundtrack of the Saturn.. Also, the origin EWJ had a superior soundtrack overall conpared to the sequel.

man i love still playing on the sega megadrive....
i ve got soooo much fav games on the sega...
im right now playing the lost vikings...
what a funny game!!!
and you have got sooo many more game gems!!!

Aaaye I just got that for Christmas last year. And it was amazingly fantastic! OuO

I wish the Saturn would have at least improved EWJ2 as much as Sega CD improved EWJ.

Sega will always be my favorite

I never actually played any of this versions except the Nintendo one , But this game definitely is one the most remarkable in my childhood.

Je le trouve plus beau, plus facile et plus marrant que le premier. Je l'ai sur PC, je ne sais pas quelle est la meilleure version.

I had the Saturn version as a kid but always had issues with the level layout. Just seemed really confusing to me. Always wanted to go back and revisit it, love the art style in it.

my brother ex girlfriend gift me a sega saturn and some games, this was one of them, only the CD is worth something?

I love this game to death but dear god those 3d model renders before every level are so hilariously bad in retrospect lmao

I spent so many dozens of frustrating hours on the Saturn with this.

I prefer the animation sprite for the first game, he looked a lot angrier but I do admire the fact that they completely changed it all together and tried something totally different as opposed to say Mario or Sonic that stay virtually the same. I just think that the concept of the character design in general is brilliant.

What about the PS ver?

I have to disagree. The fact the music is redone and is better than ever is enough to replay the game. The music is a huge part of what makes the EWJ games so memorable, so hearing remixed and updated music for a great game is a good enough upgrade.

I don't know how much Saturn games were sold back then, but if this port was sold as a brand new full-priced Saturn game, then yeah, whoever bought it got gipped. I just wish they made a Sega CD version of the Saturn port to go along with the EWJ Special Edition.

The notion that the new 32-bit systems banned 2D sprite games in favor of all polygonal, halfcocked, crappy 3D games because "2D sprites were old and outdated" was moronic, and one Japan never shared, thank God! Thankfully, they allowed 2D sprite games back on those platforms halfway through their life spans.

I still wish that we got an enhanced and expanded Earthworm Jim 2: Special Edition on the Sega CD like we did with the first game.

I have not played the Saturn version despite owning a modded Saturn and Saturn with a modhack with the cartridge but by looking at this and growing up with the Sega Genesis version. It appears the graphics have been updated and it seems like it's more fluid. Is this game running at 60fps? I'm pretty sure the Genesis version couldn't hit that fps. With how much pc gaming I do and playing GTA V. I can tell you that if someone is an avid gamer that there's a huge difference between 30fps/29fps and 60fps. You'll notice it on Dreamcast titles too which were mostly were 60fps but if you play a game that wasn't 60fps you can tell it's not as fluid. Now I do think it's kind of weird that a 2d Genesis game came out for Saturn and not a 3d version of Earth Worm Jim. If N64 could do it I'm sure the Saturn could too. Even if Saturn had issues with some 3d effects as evident in transparency issues in Resident Evil.

This is what I don't get. Why were there SO MANY ports of older games on Saturn? I'd be willing to bet there's more ports than new games. Probably had to do with the Saturn's unique system being difficult to program for and notorious poor decision making by SEGA, but how would they possibly think that would fly when you look at the competition? It reminds me of the NOW NOW NOW logic that companies now use where they don't care about the longterm. Saturn would be my 1st choice as a retro console to bring back but it's mostly aesthetic. There are so many ports I don't even have interests in watching these retrospectives which is hindsight and to be honest played out. Props to you for your work, I just have gripes about what could have been. To my understanding SEGAs strength was quality home arcade experiences, so they lost out on the budding 3D space (mostly Knights and alike). What if the jump from 16 bit consoles to the next was better platformers and beat em ups? Never would sell in a board room because those voices want to achieve the impossible on a non budget and be the top dog. I just wish the suits appreciated what they had their hands on instead of 2 birds in the bush which they ultimately gave up on (Port city).

Agreed. Could have been so much more. Like Earthworm Jim Special Edition Sega cd vs Earthworm Jim Genesis. Great example of a upgrade.

I can always remember that the mega drive version available in Ireland but at the time I owned a SNES and what was worst was that EWJ2 was only available in the US so at the time I knew someone was going on holiday over there so I managed to get it but I also had to get an a region adapter