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Earthworm Jim on Virtual Console

Wriggles into view with Shining Force II.

Earthworm Jim and Shining Force II are the only exciting new sights on Nintendo's Virtual Console this morning in Europe, unless you count me, since I was on there for a bit to check. I'm exciting to look at.

Both were originally released on the SEGA Megadrive, which means both will set you back 800 Wii Points (GBP 6 / EUR 8) if you fancy reliving the varying experiences they offer.

Earthworm Jim, of course, is the original worm-in-a-spacesuit platform game, whose quirky humour (fridges falling on cows, that sort of thing) tickled us wriggly pink back in the days of Transformers, He-Man and jumpers for goalposts.

Incidentally, revived publisher Interplay is planning a fourth Earthworm Jim game, although no platforms or details have been announced, and the original team probably isn't involved, because the first game came out 200 years ago.

The other title on offer today is Shining Force II, a beefy RPG full of rangers and wizards and that. Apparently a boxed copy of the game is hugely sought after, and fetches as much as 60 or 70 American dollars from people who care, or "four houses" in current economic terms.