In the last edition of Mascots That Failed, I mentioned that I would be taking your requests. However, not every edition (this one being a good example) will be from a request. I also have mascots that I want covered in this series, and since I'm writing it, they get priority. I also mentioned that the word "failed" is much different from the word "sucked." Today's volume contains a character that I'm willing to bet everybody on this site loves. However, since his last game was way back in 1999, I consider him failed. Today's Mascot That Failed is none other than...
Earthworm Jim
The original Earthworm Jim was a run and gun platformer released in 1994 for the Genesis, and was soon ported to the Super Nintendo (it was later released for PC and even Game Boy Advance). It was developed by Shiny Entertainment (I'd mention other games they've made, but Enter The Matrix doesn't look very good on a resume), and spawned 3 sequels: Earthworm Jim 2, Earthworm Jim 3D and Earthworm Jim: Menace 2 the Galaxy. Jim became
extremely popular. He had his own cartoon show (in which he was voiced by the immortal Dan Castellaneta), toys... he was even playable in ClayFighter 63 1/3.
So why did Earthworm Jim fail? Maybe it was because Shiny Entertainment only made the first 2 games. Maybe it was because Earthworm Jim 3D had shenanigans declared on it for false advertising (Evil the Cat was on the box, but not in the game). If I had to guess, I'd say it's because Doug TenNapel (Jim's creator) stopped being involved because he's allergic to mountains of cash. If Jim were to make a comeback, a true comeback with Doug TenNapel being largely involved, I'd buy that thing faster than you can say "but the street date isn't for another 3 months!"
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And I would fucking buy a sequel so fast.
I gotta call shenanigans on this one. If Earthworm Jim is a failure, then so are shows like Arrested Development or movies like Matrix. Just because they only last three entries/seasons/films doesn't mean they are failures.
By these standards, the only mascots that didn't fail are Kirby, Mario, Ape Escape Monkeys, Sonic, Chocobos, and Mega Man.
Even the all mighty Parappa the Rapper is a failure by your standards.
You're right, I do consider Arrested Development to have failed. It was, after all, canceled.
Remember "failed" and "sucked" are 2 different words. Earthworm Jim failed but didn't suck, Tak sucks but hasn't failed
hear, hear.
Earthworm Jim is completely not fail. I always thought that the reason that we have not been graced with another Earthworm Jim on this current-gen (not next-gen people, live in the now Wayne) is because the Earthworm Jim 3D demonstrated that the Earthworm series is magnificent in 2D platformer but a solid "meh" in 3D. It's hard to improve upon 1 & 2. Wasn't broken, didn't need fixing, didn't fail.
I completely agree with you on Ty and Blinx however. But with this 3rd volume you had libraries of people to choose from and I gotta say you didn't pick well.
Off the top of my head: Boogerman *BAMPH* I win.
Boogerman was going to be the next one, but that might change. GET OUT OF MY MIND! However, you did state part of the reason why I consider Jim to have failed, because Earthworm Jim 3D suck donkey nuts, showing a lack of versatility. I wrote this edition to show that even the most beloved mascots can fail. If it weren't for EJ3D, I might not have even written this. However, that game failed, and so far, it's EJ's last game. That constitutes a failure to me
These blogs are awesome. Have you done one on Bugsy(snes) or Bug(Saturn)?
yeah, well...um...the thing is...dammit.
well played sir, well played.
point for you, put it up on the big board.
(psst, can Luigi count? You know -- Luigi's mansion, mascot of the underdog, exists only if there are 2 players or if the player wants to jump higher ala Mario 2,etc.)
sorry mispelt ^_^
Sorry mispelt catface? That's all I get?
Look, Luigi might not have much street cred, but do you have any idea where Mario would be without Luigi? Wherever he was in Mario Is Missing, that's where. (Do I know where that was exactly? No. That's beside the point. I couldn't be bothered to look up from EWJ to play that piece of sh*t. kthxbai.)
Earthworm jim failed?? Haha, thats funny. How many other video games had there own cartoons?