Earthworm Jim for the iPhone

The major challenge with porting such a popular game from yesteryear to the modern iPhone market is that some things may get lost in translation. Earthworm Jim's shtick was pretty original back in the '90s, but may appear clichéd or bizarre to modern audiences. I think many of the jokes hold up, but moments like when Jim must defeat a boss, the screen flashes "Finish Him"--a reference that may be lost on modern audiences but still strike a cord with those in tune with early '90s pop culture.

The controls are fine about 90 percent of the time. The directional pad on the touchscreen is a fine substitute for the Sega controller, and the developers at Gameloft wisely chose to use the accelerometer motion sensor to control Jim during his asteroid race levels. When he crashes into an asteroid, the entire device shakes.

The game's save system will frustrate some players. You can access any level you've unlocked through playing, but when you play through a stage, you'll start at whatever checkpoint you previously touched. Checkpoint save systems have their critics and defenders, but their infrequency does add a level of difficulty to the game. When you exit the game or lose all your lives, however, you'll likely have to begin the mission from its start--a frustrating endeavor after several tries. Having more than one save slot would also do wonders to increase the flexibility of gameplay.

Earthworm Jim is a challenging, original, surreal journey that should take you several hours to grind through. The strange journey has moments of genuine levity and some really clever design concepts, ensuring that a new generation of gamers can enjoy this classic title.

[Chris Holt is an assistant editor for Macworld.]