Earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Earthworm Jim on?
- Earthworm Jim was released on Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Master System/Mark III, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega CD, Game Boy, Sega Game Gear, PC (Microsoft Windows), DOS, Game Boy Advance.
- When did Earthworm Jim release?
- Earthworm Jim was first released on October 1, 1994.
About Earthworm Jim
A crow is chasing a worm named Jim while in outer space Psy-Crow is chasing a renegade ship. The ship's captain has stolen an ultra-high-tech-indestructible-super-space-cyber-suit and Queen Slug-for-a-Butt has ordered Psy-Crow to get it, since it can make her more beautiful than Princess-What's-Her-Name. Psy-Crow blasts the captain and the suit falls to Planet Earth. Back on earth Jim wonders if he is finally safe when an ultra-high-tech-indestructible-super-space-cyber-suit lands on him. Luckily Jim rests in the neck ring of the suit. Then the space particles begin interacting with Jim, causing a light-speed evolution. Jim soon realizes he is in control of the suit. Jim overhears the Queen's plans for the suit and decides to meet this Princess...
Summary via IGDB.
Earthworm Jim on Wikipedia
Earthworm Jim is a 1994 run and gun video game developed by Shiny Entertainment and published by Playmates Interactive Entertainment. The game was released for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System, before being subsequently ported to several other video game consoles.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Game details
- Platforms
- Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Master System/Mark III, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega CD, Game Boy, Sega Game Gear, PC (Microsoft Windows), DOS, Game Boy Advance
- Developer
- Shiny Entertainment
- Publisher
- Tec Toy
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action, Science fiction, Comedy
- Series
- Earthworm Jim
Details via IGDB.
Reception
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Master SystemDetails ↓ | 1996 | $88 | $473 | — | — | Medium (look-alike) |
| Sega GenesisDetails ↓ | 1994 | $25 | $60 | $250 | 2 reviews | Low |
The cheapest way to own it loose is the Sega Genesis version ($25).
Also released on: Wii · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Sega Master System/Mark III · Super Nintendo Entertainment System · Sega CD · Game Boy · Sega Game Gear · PC (Microsoft Windows) · DOS · Game Boy Advance. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Prices are per version and are not interchangeable, and neither are the reviews: conversions in this era were often built by a different studio than the original, so a score earned on one machine says nothing about how another plays.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Master System · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-28
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a year
- Complete: about once a year
- Sealed: about once a year
Prices marked “few sales” rest on about one recorded sale a year, so treat them as a rough guide: the next copy could sell well above or below. Expect to wait for one to come up.
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-28.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $300 in Jul 2012, $45 five years ago, and $88 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2013 | $300 | — |
| Jan 2014 | — | $300 |
| Jan 2015 | $6.99 | $300 |
| Jan 2016 | $71 | $300 |
| Jan 2017 | $100 | $300 |
| Jan 2018 | $100 | $300 |
| Jan 2019 | $53 | $300 |
| Jan 2020 | $63 | $300 |
| Jan 2021 | $51 | $240 |
| Jan 2022 | $45 | $246 |
| Jan 2023 | $88 | $300 |
| Jan 2024 | $88 | $300 |
| Jan 2025 | $88 | $300 |
| Jan 2026 | $88 | $910 |
| Oct 2026 | $88 | $473 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date |
|---|---|
| Brazil | 1996 |
- Region
- BR
- Released
- 1996
- Authenticity
- Med
The Sega Master System version
A Brazil-only Tec Toy version of the cartoon platformer, worth a careful look before paying a premium.
Earthworm Jim was a Genesis and Super NES run-and-gun game from 1994, made by Shiny Entertainment. This Master System version was published only in Brazil, by Tec Toy in 1996, and was developed by Eurocom. It is a direct port of the Game Gear version.
It is part of Tec Toy's Brazilian catalogue.
How it was made
Eurocom developed this version, and Tec Toy published it in Brazil.
Also on other platforms
Genesis · Super NES · Sega CD · Game Boy · Game Gear · Windows · MS-DOS · Game Boy Advance
- Super NES. The Super NES version has different backgrounds and special effects, but lacks some of the Genesis version's sound effects and one of its levels.
Before you buy
Only the Brazilian Tec Toy cart exists. Among the Brazil-only carts it sits about in the middle on price. Ask for clear photos of the cartridge and its label. Check the manual is there on a complete copy.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardboard box release | $40 | $55 | — |
| European (PAL) release | $19 | $46 | $235 |
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a day
- Complete: about once a day
- Sealed: about 3 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $4.00 in Oct 2007, $25 five years ago, and $25 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $5.89 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $8.99 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $6.50 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $6.00 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $6.62 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $8.21 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $12.08 | $21 |
| Jan 2015 | $13.34 | $21 |
| Jan 2016 | $17.50 | $30 |
| Jan 2017 | $19.73 | $32 |
| Jan 2018 | $16.95 | $35 |
| Jan 2019 | $16.70 | $32 |
| Jan 2020 | $16.24 | $35 |
| Jan 2021 | $19.51 | $41 |
| Jan 2022 | $25 | $60 |
| Jan 2023 | $24 | $53 |
| Jan 2024 | $19.62 | $56 |
| Jan 2025 | $21 | $64 |
| Jan 2026 | $25 | $55 |
| Oct 2026 | $25 | $60 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | October 1994 | T-132036 | 796298022007 |
| Europe / PAL | November 1994 | T-70386-50 | — |
| Japan | 1 December 1995 | — | — |
- Region
- NA+EU+JP
- Released
- 1994
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Genesis version
A cartoon-animated Genesis run-and-gun that still looks great, and the loose cart sits above the middle of the pack.
This is the Genesis version of Earthworm Jim, made by Shiny Entertainment and published by Playmates in North America, with Virgin Interactive handling Europe. It reached North America in October 1994 and Europe in November 1994. It was built alongside the Super NES version, and most of its levels were first programmed on the Genesis by Dave Perry before being converted.
The Genesis cartridge includes a level, Intestinal Distress, that the Super NES game lacks; the stated reason was that the Genesis version compressed more easily and had room for it. The Genesis release was promoted with a television commercial in which an elderly woman tells a bedtime story about Earthworm Jim while eating live earthworms, which were plastic props.
What the press said at the time
| Sega Pro Issue 41 | February 1995 | 93% |
| Sega Pro Issue 43 | April 1995 | 93% |
“This is a superlative title that I really enjoyed playing. Get Headdy first, but make sure you get hold of Earthworm Jim sooner or later - it's too good to miss.”
“Earthworm Jim is one of the best action games I've seen all year.”
“Earthworm Jim lives up to all its advance publicity - it really is one of the best games out this year.”
“Overall, both versions are excellent and even though there are differences, Earthworm Jim is a game that will keep you playing for a long time.”
How the Sega Genesis version differs
The Genesis version came first, in October 1994, and almost every level was programmed on the Genesis before being converted to the Super NES.
Also on other platforms
Master System · Super NES · Sega CD · Game Boy · Game Gear · Windows · MS-DOS · Game Boy Advance
- Sega CD. The Special Edition on Mega-CD adds extra levels, a password system and greatly improved sound compared with the cartridge.
Before you buy
Among US carts it sits above the middle. The European cart usually costs noticeably less than the US one, both loose and complete. A cardboard-box edition is priced separately from the plastic-case copy, with the loose cart costing more and a complete copy a little less, so check which one a listing really is before comparing prices. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.
Earthworm Jim screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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Latest news mentioning Earthworm Jim
- Earthworm Jim mastermind David Perry is auctioning off a super rare arcade machine from his collectionThe Escapist · Aug 13
- ModRetro Shadow Drops Enhanced Versions Of Earthworm Jim and Rayman 2 on Game BoyRetro Dodo · Aug 13