20 Stupid Decisions That Destroyed Their Franchise

8. Going 3D – Earthworm Jim 3D

The first two Earthworm Jim journeys didn’t measure up to their Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros. counterparts. Yet, their solid gameplay, imaginative level design, appealing art direction, and boldly bizarre humor made them cult classics of the 16-bit 2D run-and-gun platformer era.

Developmental duties for the third title shifted from Shiny Entertainment to VIS Interactive, though, whose only prior creation – 1998’s H.E.D.Z. – garnered negative reviews. Still, VIS Interactive could’ve redeemed themselves with their second effort, especially because they were attempting to give Earthworm Jim the same successful leap into 3D that Mario got with Super Mario 64 three years earlier.

Sadly, Earthworm Jim 3D ended up resembling the ugly and monotonous dumpster fire of 1996’s Bubsy 3D instead, and 30 years later, both are considered among the worst 3D platformers of all time.

The game went through development hell, leading to open levels and boss fights whose lifelessness and repetitiveness were in stark contrast to the continually imaginative and robust offerings of Earthworm Jim 3D's mainline precursors. The wonky camera was unbearable, too, among many other issues.

Consequently, little of what came out afterward did well, and multiple titles were canceled. There hasn’t been a new Earthworm Jim adventure since 1999’s Earthworm Jim: Menace 2 the Galaxy, either, so he'll almost certainly never come out of retirement.