Earthworm Jim slithers back onto screens

AN ENTIRE GENERATION of gamers has grown up with the bizarre antics of Earthworm Jim etched into their brain, as keyboard were hammered and gamepads cursed in a bid to avoid falling cows, lava pits, and the snapping of the poor chap's slimy neck.

They can rejoice, for the revival of Interplay has brought with it the announcement of a new game in the Earthworm Jim series. No word yet on platforms - although we can probably expect DS and PSP to be dead certs - as well as the improbable continuation of the cartoon series and even a brand new movie.

The cartoon series ran on American network The WB for a couple of years, but no word on who will be picking it up this time. The man who created Earthworm Jim, Douglas TenNapel, is back on hand as creative consultant - after spending the better part of a decade moaning about how Interplay screwed him over on royalties. Presumably that's all sorted, then.

Interplay is also aiming to garner up some hot new action through its brand library by reviving MDK and Descent, too, but no news on those yet. µ