Earthworm Jim for the iPhone

And then there was Earthworm Jim, a normal earthworm with a nearly indestructible suit, a plasma gun, and a penchant for cow launching. The surrealist platformer first launched on the Sega Genesis nearly 12 years ago, but Gameloft has resurrected the lovable Earthworm for a port to the iPhone. Groovy!

How weird is it, really Well, one boss is named Professor Monkey-for-a-Head. Then there's the level that takes place in an intestinal track. Oh, and don't forget that a core gameplay element is using Jim's head like a whip to swing to hard-to-reach places.

Earthworm Jim is more than just a platformer, as Jim is almost always armed with a plasma gun that can easily carve up nearly any foe, from malicious crows to metallic crustaceans. In Jim's adventures, he confronts a colorful cast of characters--everything from an obnoxious goldfish to an evil cat that employs lawyers and other demons on his planet of "Heck.""

Gameloft has beautifully preserved the art and graphics from the Sega version--in fact, they look much better on the iPhone. The details and shadows are particularly impressive, especially considering the era the game originally came from.

While the graphics are cartoony and the character is ridiculous, the difficulty is deadly serious. By the fifth level, you'll wish that the game had easier modes. There are several bottlenecks in the gameplay that will frustrate players and cause them to throw their iPhone to the ground in agony. The underwater orb level requires careful navigation skills while the Peter Puppy level requires you to not only avoid obstacles, but ensure your homicidal pet does as well. Then there's the last level that requires superhuman worm-whipping ability. The bosses vary from cakewalks (Bob the Goldfish) to a brutal bungee jumping showdown against Major Mucus.