Earthworm Jim 2 was developed by Shiny Entertainment, made first for the Genesis and then ported to the Super NES; both versions came out in North America on 15 November 1995. David Perry and Doug TenNapel designed it, and it was the second and last Earthworm Jim game made by the original team.
Jim once again sets out to rescue Princess What's-Her-Name, this time from Psy-Crow, with help from Snott, who can swing from slimy surfaces and act as a parachute. Many levels break away from run and gun: Villi People turns into a quiz show, Inflated Head has Jim floating upward, and The Flyin' King is an isometric shooter.
The game was later ported to MS-DOS, Saturn, PlayStation and Game Boy Advance. In Japan the Mega Drive version was available only through the Sega Channel, and a Saturn version was also released there. The Super NES version joined Nintendo Switch Online in March 2022.12
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | Earthworm Jim 2 | Genesis | Nov 15, 1995 | Playmates Interactive Entertainment | 1 |
| NA | Earthworm Jim 2 | SNES | Nov 15, 1995 | Playmates Interactive Entertainment | 1 |
| NA | Earthworm Jim 1 & 2: The Whole Can 'O WormsPort by Rainbow Arts; date marked as needing a better source | MS-DOS | Apr 30, 1996 | — | 1 |
| NA | Earthworm Jim 2Port by Screaming Pink | Saturn | May 15, 1996 | — | 1 |
| NA | Earthworm Jim 2Port by SuperEmpire based on the SNES version | Game Boy Advance | Jun 5, 2002 | Majesco | 1 |
| EU | Earthworm Jim 2 | Genesis | Dec 22, 1995 | Virgin Interactive Entertainment | 1 |
| JP | アースワームジム2Mega Drive version offered in Japan only through the Sega Channel service; no cartridge | Genesis | 1995 | — | 2 |
| EU | Earthworm Jim 2Date marked as needing a citation on English Wikipedia | SNES | Jan 25, 1996 | Virgin Interactive Entertainment | 1 |
| EU | Earthworm Jim 2 | Saturn | October 1996 | — | 1 |
| EU | Earthworm Jim 2Port by Screaming Pink | PlayStation | November 1996 | Virgin Interactive Entertainment | 1 |
| EU | Earthworm Jim 2 | Game Boy Advance | Nov 29, 2002 | Majesco | 1 |
| WW | Earthworm Jim 2Steam; MS-DOS version run through DOSBox | Windows | Nov 4, 2009 | Interplay | 3 |
| WW | Earthworm Jim 2Virtual Console, Genesis version | Wii | 2009 | — | 1 |
| WW | Earthworm Jim 2Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, SNES version | Switch | March 2022 | — | 1 |
| JP | アースワームジム2Japanese Wikipedia lists a Saturn release in Japan without a date | Saturn | — | — | 2 |
Also known as: アースワームジム2 JP2Earthworm Jim 1 & 2: The Whole Can 'O Worms WW1
Box art by region
NA Earthworm Jim 2 
EU Earthworm Jim 2
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: libretro-thumbnails.
Version differences
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GraphicsSNES
The Super NES version has different background art and lets the player switch between weapons.1
-
AudioMS-DOS
The MS-DOS port by Rainbow Arts, sold as The Whole Can 'O Worms, has a CD audio soundtrack, more voice clips and redrawn graphics, but drops the level Lorenzen's Soil.1
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GraphicsSaturnPlayStation
The Saturn and PlayStation versions, both by Screaming Pink, are identical to each other: they keep every level, improve the audio and use different background art.1
Where to play legally today
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Nintendo Switch Online Subscription
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GOG Purchase
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Steam Purchase
Reception
The Genesis and Super NES versions were very well received, and IGN and GameZone rated the game above the original. It was nominated for the VSDA's 1995 Video Game of the Year and placed 40th on IGN's Top 100 SNES Games. The later PlayStation and Game Boy Advance versions were panned; GameSpot gave the GBA game 2/10.1
Sources
- 1en.wikipedia.org
- 2ja.wikipedia.org
- 3store.steampowered.com
- 4nintendolife.com
- 5catalog.gog.com
- 6store.steampowered.com
- 7gog.com
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
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