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Twelve sequels we actually want

The world is full of crap sequels, so give us these instead.

Words: David Houghton, GamesRadar UK

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Game needing a sequel: Earthworm Jim

Original game format: SNES/Mega Drive

Why it needs a sequel: Earthworm Jims 1 and 2 were a couple of the funniest, coolest, and most original games of their era. Yes, they were 2D platformers in a time when the 2D platformer was more prolific than guilt at a Catholic orgy, but good Lord, what games they were! Jointly steered by a Dave Perry fresh off the brilliant Aladdin game and the savagely unhinged mind of writer and artist Doug TenNapel (Click here for more of his deliriously wrong genius), Earthworm Jim threw messed up and hilarious idea after messed up and hilarious idea at us just because it could, and wrapped up the whole ungodly mess in silky smooth animation, ultra-slick gameplay and one of the most brilliant and eclectic soundtracks of the generation.

All we’ve had since is a disappointing and needless attempt to bring Jim into 3D, an outing on the Game Boy Color and an aborted PSP game. And that’s just tragic. The Earthworm Jim game universe is one of our favourites of all time, and to see no more from it would be a horrible waste.

What we want from a sequel: A brand new 2D Jim game with as many of the original creative team on board as possible. Ideally we’d like the game to keep the original’s hand-drawn graphics, as TenNapel’s artwork running in HD would look staggering. And make sure to get Tommy Tallarico back and let him go crazy with the soundtrack. He did amazing things with 16-bit MIDI back in 1994, so he’d make our ears bleed with joy if he had DVD to play with on a new Earthworm Jim. Keep the pacey run-jump-swing-shoot gameplay. Keep the eclectic and insane bonus levels. Up the belligerent madness and justify none of it. And don’t ever go near 3D. Jim just doesn’t need it.