The original versions of Earthworm Jim were very popular, so it's no surprise that Majesco decided to release a GBA port of it in time for launch. This new handheld version is very faithful to the original, with almost the exact same graphics, levels, etc. Majesco even decided to leave out a save or password feature, just like in the old days. Whether that move thrills hardcore EJ fans or just infuriates newcomers remains to be seen.

Explaining Earthworm Jim and his game's story would probably land us in a mental hospital, so suffice it to say that it's a very funny, very illogical adventure full of hilarious environments and enemies. Jim himself is quite simply a regular earthworm who stumbled upon a special suit, which gave him human proportions and a nifty little raygun. He goes out on an adventure to...well, it really doesn't make sense, and that's why people love it so much.

The gameplay is mostly traditional 2D platforming, with a few twists and tons of the aforementioned humor. Jim can of course jump and shoot his gun at the bad guys, but he also uses his head as a whip for an additional attack and to swing across gaps. The original game was actually quite difficult, especially the infamous underwater levels, so it should be interesting to see if the GBA port will keep the challenge or tone it down for new players.

Earthworm Jim is a GBA launch game in North America.