Earthworm Jim Timeline

This is a timeline of Earthworm Jim video games and progression of the franchise over the years. I have also listed developers and publishers.

1991

They Called Him Evil

Doug TenNapel's Evil The Cat Character starred in his first published short comic book.
Publisher - Mocking Bird Press 1991.

1993

Earthworm Jim Created

Doug TenNapel creates Earthworm Jim Character.

1994

Release dates: June the 9th, June the 22nd

Earthworm Jim

Several versions were made for multiple game consoles/platforms from 1994 to 1995:
Sega Genesis (Mega Drive), Super Nintendo, PC CD-ROM, Sega CD and Game Gear.

Earthworm Jim for Sega Genesis (Mega Drive)

Developer: Shiny Entertainment
Publisher(s) - virgin Interactive, Playmates

1995

Earthworm Jim Special Edition (Sega CD)

Developer: Shiny Entertainment
Publisher(s) - Interplay, Playmates

Earthworm Jim (Game Gear)

Developer: Shiny Entertainment
Publisher(s) - Interplay, Playmates

Earthworm Jim (SNES)

Developer: Shiny Entertainment
Publisher(s) - Interplay, Playmates

Earthworm Jim (Game Boy)

Developer: Eurocom Entertainment
Publisher(s) - Interplay, Playmates

Earthworm Jim (PC Win 95)

Developer: Kinesoft
Publisher - Activision

TV, Comics and Action Toys

1995 also saw the release of the Earthworm Jim TV Show which was made at Universal Cartoon Studios and aired on the Warner Brothers TV network. It ran for two seasons until 1996.

An Earthworm Jim Action Figure toyline was released by Playmates and short (three issue) Comic Book series published by Marvel Absurd in the USA.
A Comic Book based on the TV Show was also produced by Arcadia in the UK.

1996

Earthworm Jim 2

Made for multiple game consoles/platforms:
Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis (Mega Drive), Sega Saturn, PC CD-ROM, Playstation (UK).
Shiny Entertainment
Publisher - Interplay

Sega Saturn and Playstation version (1996)

Developer: Screaming Pink
Publisher - Virgin Interactive

The whole can o' Worms (1996)

EWJ 1 & 2 for PC - Developer: Shiny Entertainment / Rainbow Arts
Publisher - Playmates

Doug TenNapel forms The Neverhood with Edward Schofield, Mike Dietz, Mark Lorenzen, Eric Ciccone and Steve Crow from Shiny.

1997 to 1998

Clay Fighter 63 1/3: Sculptor's Cut

Developer - Interplay
Publisher - Interplay. Release date - Oct 21, 1997.
Made for the Nintendo 64

This game had Earthworm Jim as a playable character in it. Not approved by Doug TenNapel.

Earthworm Jim was also a playable character in Battle Arena Toshinden (PC version only). Not approved by Doug TenNapel.

Nick Bruty forms Planet Moon.

1999

Earthworm Jim Menace 2 The Galaxy

Made for the Game Boy Color
Developer: IMS Productions
Publisher - Crave Entertainment

Earthworm Jim 3D

Made for the N64
Publisher - Rockstar games
Developer: Vis Entertainment
Release date: Dec 17th 1999

2000

The PC version of EWJ 3D released
Developer: Vis Entertainment
Publisher - Interplay

2001

Earthworm Jim GBA conversions

Earthworm Jim

Developer: Game Titan

Earthworm Jim 2

(Nov the 29th 2002) Developer: Super Empire
Both games were published by Majesco.

2002

Shiny sold to Infrogrames by Interplay. Later Infrogrames bought Atari.

2003

Development started on a new Earthworm Jim game which was cancelled in early development by Interplay.

2006

Earthworm Jim PSP

In development by Shiny Entertainment - development stopped short around the autumn of 2006.
Publisher - Atari - Not published.

David Perry Left Shiny Entertainment.

2007

Shiny sold to Foundation 9.

2008

Shiny merged with another development studio and became Double Helix Games.

Interplay Deal

April 22nd.
Doug TenNapel formed partnership with Interplay to work on a new Earthworm Jim game. Also to develop EWJ for Film and TV.
Doug TenNapel reclaimed his character rights over Earthworm Jim.

Interplay Relaunch

September 22nd.
Interplay relauched after years of financial difficulty, with several of their old Intellectual Properties including Earthworm Jim.

Earthworm Jim 1 Wii Virtual Console

Earthworm Jim 1 released on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console.
Europe release date, October the 3rd.
USA Release date, October the 27th.

Good Old Games

Good Old Games (Gog.com) provide Earthworm Jim 1 & 2 (The Whole can o' Worms, PC version) and Earthworm Jim 3D (PC) for download including bonus content.

2009

Mobile Gaming

August 17th.
Interplay announced that Gameloft will release Earthworm Jim 1 for mobile gaming.

Earthworm Jim IPhone

October 21st.
Gameloft release Earthworm Jim 1 for the IPhone.
The Iphone version is a port of the Mega Drive/Genesis version with graphical changes.

November 4th.
Earthworm Jim Collection released on the Steam PC Engine. EWJ 1, 2 & EWJ 3D PC Windows version. No bonus content.

Earthworm Jim 2 Wii Virtual Console

December 4th.
Earthworm Jim 2 released for the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console (Mega Drive/Genesis version).

2010

Earthworm Jim for Palm Pre

February 17th.
Earthworm Jim released for Palm Pre by Gameloft.

Earthworm Jim for Nintendo DSIWare

Release dates: April 23rd Europe, May 10th North America.
Developer Gameloft.

Earthworm Jim HD

Release dates: XBLA version June 9th, PSN version August 3rd.
Developer Gameloft.