SNEAKERS Prototype

This is a sub-page of Proto:Earthworm Jim 2 (SNES).

This prototype is documented on Hidden Palace.

A mid-to-late prototype of Earthworm Jim 2 for the SNES released by the scene group "SNEAKERS".

General Differences#

• All of the familiar level layouts are here but with less polish.
• The game was in development for both the Sega Genesis and SNES at the same time. According to Mean Machines Sega, Andy Astor programmed half of the game for the Genesis then ported over the data to Nick Jones who was handling the other half for the SNES, and vice versa. This is evident in their respective version's credits in which one was the main programmer while the other was part of additional programming. As such, graphics, sound effects, and quirks present for the Genesis final are also present in this prototype.
• The game's theme song plays during the Nintendo logo then restarts after the animation is over. The final has the music only start when the Nintendo logo animation is finished/skipped.
• The Manta Shield is activated by pressing Up + L + R instead of Up + X.
• Jim can change weapons in levels where he's either defaulted to a single weapon or cannot use them. The manner his weapons are affected depends on the level he's in.
• A few levels have their names changed:

Super Cheat Screen#

SNEAKERS	Final

• The build date was changed to say "S N E A K E R S !".
• Lorenzens Soil is misspelled as Lorenzons Soil. The level title card is still "Lorenzo's Soil" for both versions.
• Despite being called ISO 9660 in the title card, the level is referred to as "ISO 9000" in the level select.

Credits#

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• Mark Lorenzen's name is misspelled as Mark Lorenzon.

SNEAKERS	Final

• The final organizes their last names in alphabetical order and adds Chris 'Master' Muster to the Special Thanks.

Visual#

SNEAKERS	Final

• Some text in the game is uncentered.

SNEAKERS	Final

• Continue Markers use the Genesis design. Jim does not say "Funky!" when activating them.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• The large block of stone Jim uses to leave the level uses the Genesis sprite when it's by itself and the final SNES sprite when Jim picks it up. Additionally, the life counter disappears or flies off the screen when the cutscene starts.

Anything but Tangerines#

• Jim says "Funky!" when placing a pig onto the Pig Chute. In the final, a cuckoo sound plays.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• The striped wallpaper is misaligned with the shadowed wallpaper.
• The Jaws posters have a border that is identical to the Genesis' wallpaper pattern.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• Granny Chair features misaligned wallpaper and different edges.
• Only the first Jaws poster was mirrored in the final.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• The teleporter that returns Jim to the main level floats above the ground.

• Jim will fall if he runs up to the main path instead of jumping to it.

Lorenzo's Soil#

• The diggable dirt is partially implemented. The dirt does work in real-time but its graphics don't update until Jim goes off-screen and runs back.
• Jim has an easier time getting stuck inside the dirt and can lead to him clipping through the floor.
• All of his weapons can be used here and have infinite ammo. His Plasma Blaster and Three-Finger Gun use the Electro-Gun's electric ray graphics. Using the Barn Blaster causes the screen to go dark and any sprites to flash white.
• Hitting the Psy-Crow statues flashes the screen black instead of white.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• The spotlight that shines on Jim is much brighter.
• The lower-left sides of the diggable dirt is shaded pink.

SNEAKERS	Final

• The dirt is much brighter and also better distinguishes the diggable dirt from the background in the final release.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• This fire pillar was removed in the final.

• The ants could also throw giant tea cups. This was removed in both the final Genesis and SNES versions but were reimplemented for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation releases.

SNEAKERS	Final

• The falling rocks stack on each other in level with Jim's position which also causes them to float.

SNEAKERS	Final (Genesis)

• Using the Manta Shield at the moment the time hits zero causes the rocks to miss Jim and be placed in different positions. Jim's movement is affected as he has a lower but floaty jump. Additionally, the screen shakes indefinitely which glitches out the HUD. The bug can be reverted by touching one of the rocks. However, this makes most of the rocks disappear; touching any leftover rocks kills Jim.
• This bug is partially present in the Genesis version with Jim staying in place until the earthquake finishes. The SNES final fixes this by removing Jim's Manta Shield. The European release also removes his shield but gives a no-damage bonus for shielding on time.

• Using the Barn Blaster on Pedro Pupa destroys him and makes the level unwinnable. If this is done at the moment Pedro Pupa eats Jim, then Jim will also become invisible.

Puppy Love#

SNEAKERS (Normal)	SNEAKERS (Patched)	Final

• Loading any of these levels causes the scrolling to be glitched and background elements to vanish.
• The puppy counter counts up from zero and has no set cap. Peter Puppy still transforms when the counter hits four.

SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• The camera fully focuses on Peter Puppy from his initial shock until the bomb finishes exploding inside Psy-Crow's shack. The final changes focus to the bomb once Peter throws it.

• With the exception of bombs and Atoms, items thrown by Psy-Crow are invisible. Jim cannot bounce them with his marshmallow.

Villi People#

SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• Neon signs, pencils, and pinball bumpers do not cycle through palettes. The latter object also has incorrect coloration.
• The fish have a slight difference in shading.
• The spotlight is always present throughout the level.
• Sally has a different skin tone.
• Sally is able to change weapons. The ammo and fire rate is the same as the Plasma Blaster.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• Windows feature an orange sky and all of them have a crescent moon visible.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• The exploding sheep are in the same placements as the final Genesis release. The final SNES version adds more sheep and compensates by adding ammo pickups.

SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• A pinball bumper is placed incorrectly.

SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• The bottommost-right corner of the level does not darken.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• An arrow is added and the pinball bumper is placed behind the villi in the final.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• Arrows are added where the hard and easy paths meet.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• A checkpoint that Sally can stand on is removed.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• The Game Show's set uses the SNES design with the Genesis color scheme. The light designs do not cycle palettes.
• The light bulb timer follows the Genesis pattern but does not correlate with the visible bulbs. This causes the light to go past the right side of the screen. The changes to the final SNES light pattern also reduces the timer by two seconds.
• The Game Show abruptly ends at the Mealworm award tier.
• Some questions and answers have been modified from their Genesis counterparts to avoid clutter and graphical corruption.

• The answer choices use the Genesis button layout instead of the SNES' buttons. In fact, Sally says C instead of Y in the prototype. The A and B voice clips are the same.

SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• Sally gets launched correctly through the hole instead of landing next to it.

SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• The leftmost pinball bumper has a pi symbol.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• Below the exit are four pinball bumpers.

• Clearing this level or loading another level while here causes the title card to corrupt.

Udderly Abducted#

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• Shading and color for the shacks are different.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• The alcove where the Worm Flag resides lacks the ammo pickup and Chip Butty.

SNEAKERS	Final

• This ledge is not connected properly.

Final (Genesis)	SNEAKERS	Final (SNES)

• The slime ceilings are shaded differently.
• The cannon's middle pole is of a darker blue.