Game music of the day: Earthworm Jim

GR's ongoing tribute to the beloved world of videogame music

Words: on June 28, 2010

Welcome to GamesRadar's daily blast of all things pertaining to the ever-growing field of game music. Each post will introduce new sounds, games, composers and fan-made remixes of gaming's greatest aural achievements.


June 28, 2010

Game: Earthworm Jim

Song: For Pete's Sake

Composer: Tommy Tallarico



Plenty of animal-based mascot characters deserved their fate. Bubsy, Aero the Acrobat, Punky Skunk... dead. All dead. But Earthworm Jim was always too unique, too bizarre and too damn creative to die young. Now, after MIA for nearly a decade, Earthworm Jim HD is shining a much-deserved spotlight back on the franchise, meaning it's the perfect time to celebrate one of its defining traits - the music.

Every single song in the original EWJ is classic stuff. Each track fits the level it's in perfectly, and is atmospheric without being dull. In those days, a toe-tapping tune was the best way to burn a game into someone's brain, and Tommy Tallarico's pedal-heavy For Pete's Sake embodies everything a great game song should be.


Above:  The "definitive" Sega CD version of For Pete's Sake

The pervasive weirdness of Earthworm Jim is perfect for videogames. The level this is from has you escorting a tiny pink puppy (Pete) across an obstacle course filled with meteors, tentacles, catapaults and ten other types of "what?" And honestly this is one of the more level-headed parts of the game.


Above: Some of you may best know the series by its cartoon

360 owners can try out EWJHD today, with PSN and WiiWare versions to follow sometime this summer. The original game is also on DSiWare, if you're that eager to give it a shot, but if I may suggest the HD version instead. It's easily the best way to be introduced (or even re-introduced) to one of the consistently weirdest games of all time.

 




Game music of the day: Parasite Eve
Somnia Memorias by Yoko Shimomura

 

Game music of the day: Bully
The Slingshot by Shawn Lee

 

Game music of the day: PSone demo disc
Tommy T's tunes that launched the PlayStation

Related

Games:


Earthworm Jim (SNES)

Platforms:

SNES

20 Comments
Order Comments: Newest First | Oldest First
  • gatornation1254

    gatornation1254  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    You know what Brett I'm finally starting to understand why you love game music so much. Thanks for the article every day.
  • philipshaw

    philipshaw  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    I loved this game and the cartoon back in the day. You are right about the music, I love the bassline in that track
  • toastile

    toastile  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    Love the bassline.
  • JohnnyApplesperm

    JohnnyApplesperm  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    Unfortunately, never played it, but sweet music! Thanks for doing this, Brett, GM of the day is awesome!
  • r3ap3r

    r3ap3r  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    not really to big of a fan of EWJ but this music is pretty awesome
  • 8bitBaby

    8bitBaby  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    yes!
  • RonaldRayGun

    RonaldRayGun  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    From the soil he did crawl!

    Great music.
  • CoolBowling

    CoolBowling  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    Ammo!
  • RebornKusabi

    RebornKusabi  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    I just downloaded Earthworm Jim HD (...and Doom 2 and Fallout DLC and Mass Effect 2 DLC) from XBLA and I seriously love this game. I started on "Old School" and even though I haven't beaten it, I still got it lol

    Oh and when I think of Earthworm Jim, I think of both the SNES and Genesis music far more than the rehash that EJ HD has. Not that the HD music is worse... it's just not as memorable as the original : )
  • Modroneman

    Modroneman  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    I've always found Earthworm jim music a little strange. Not really in a good way, I think it is the synthetic drum beats. If you take away the cheesy drum beats and keep the rest of the music I would totally love this song!
  • McAwesome73

    McAwesome73  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    I had Earthworm Jim for the Sega CD. I loved the music so much I recorded it to cassette for play in my car.
  • xDxP

    xDxP  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    Modern games seem to not know what music is. Keep reminding them guys!
  • MonkeyIslandFanatic

    MonkeyIslandFanatic  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    This is my first and only experience with EWJ, and I like it. It reminds me a lot of Crash Bandicoot 3, but apparently this came out first.
  • Tenfey

    Tenfey  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    "Anything but Tangerines" would be my favorite Earthworm Jim melody.
  • Pytor

    Pytor  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    One of my top 10 soundtracks! Great stuff!
  • kompressorlogik

    kompressorlogik  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    Just found my copy of EWJ2 with manual and box the other day! Now, if I could just get my Genesis to work....
  • hellbox9

    hellbox9  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    that peter the puppy level was BRUTAL, i got so pissed at it.
    gamedeal alert: you can get this on your iphone/ipod touch/ipad for 99 cents!!!!
  • Ded

    Ded  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    Man, I was obsessed with Earthworm Jim when the first game was still a big Mega Drive hit.. I think I still have my EWJ and Peter Puppy action figures somewhere :D

    2nd game was pretty good too, and it's weird theme music was great! :D

    Shame about the abomination that was EWJ3D.. I playtested that when I was 16 before it was released.. but I couldn't bring myself to tell them it was crap, they'd got Dan Castellaneta to do the voice and everything..
  • markreel

    markreel  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    By the Shiny sceptre of Zeus, this brings back a memory or two. Moooooooooo!
  • garnsr

    garnsr  - 1 year, 7 months ago  - Report

    Ah, Tommy Tallarico. He and Yuzo Koshiro were my favorite 16 bit composers.
Most Commented
Connect with GamesRadar