20 Dead Gaming Franchises That NEED To Come Back

Side-scrolling platformers were a dime a dozen in the early '90s, making it difficult for the best titles to survive.

With that said, Earthworm Jim left an impression, due to its wacky premise and absurd humour. Instead of facing aliens or robots, our wormy hero battled sentient snot, psychotic crows, and deranged file cabinets. Earthworm Jim could've been a gimmicky title, but it was elevated by catchy chiptunes, tight gameplay, imaginative puzzles, and diverse levels.

But like many solid platformers during this period, Earthworm Jim had difficulty transitioning into the third dimension, as can be seen in the lacklustre Earthworm Jim 3D.

Creator, Doug TenNapel, wisely decided to return the series to its 2D roots, prepping for a remake of the original. Although Earthworm Jim PSP was 80% completed, it was ultimately cancelled. Though Interplay claimed another Earthworm Jim was in development, almost nothing was done with the project for 15 years.

Even though Earthworm Jim hasn't been relevant in a while, there's nothing stopping its resurrection. Indie hits like Cuphead and Shovel Knight prove there’s a market for stylistically bold, retro-inspired platformers with silly humour. As a result, it's possible for Earthworm Jim to reclaim its cult-classic status.