Level 5

"Level 5"

Level 5 is a level of the original Earthworm Jim video game.

It was named so since in the original Sega Genesis release of the game, the level was numbered the fifth level. However, in some later ports of the game, it is not the fifth but the sixth, seventh or even eighth level (given extended levels, additional levels, bonus levels etc.), but was still titled "Level 5" nonetheless.

To avoid confusion, in some versions the level known as simply Professor Monkey-for-a-Head or Professor Monkey-for-a-Head's Lab.

Game manual description

"The Professor would love to have Earthworm Jim on the dissection table, but that darn Super Suit keeps him safe. The Professor wants that Suit back - after all, he designed it for the Queen. Of course, he could make another one – if that darn monkey hadn't eaten the blueprints. That's another can of worms entirely. You'd better keep an eye out for the Professor's creepy science experiments – they're everywhere. Careful when the lights go out! Remember when you were afraid of the dark? Relive the horror (if you can find it) and find your way out!"

Description

Jim flees from mutant experiments and brains released by Professor Monkey-for-a-Head (original Sega Genesis version)

Level 5 is the gigantic space laboratory run by the evil genius Professor Monkey-for-a-Head. In the background a prominent and gigantic observation telescope, or perhaps a giant ray gun, is pointed into outer space.

The Professor is the creator of Earthworm Jim's Super Suit and this is where the Suit was built, and the Professor wants it back, but not before getting Jim onto the dissection table. The Professor turns up a few times in the level, although he is invincible, and only appears to cause a nuisance to Jim, such as releasing his failed experiment things from their containment units and then fleeing. The Professor is also seen hanging from zip-wires by his simian upper-half, using his human body to throw bottles of acid down at Jim from afar, before again fleeing.

Level 5 includes a segment where Jim is separated from his Super Suit, and his wormy body needs to reclaim it, following it on conveyor belts and making some interesting uses of the fans for extra bursts of speed. The level features many hazards such as mutants, live Tesla coils, and cages which can trap Jim and bombard him with the hostile mutants.

Both the mini-boss and the final boss of this level is Robo-Chicken.

Enemies

• Professor Monkey-for-a-Head (lord of the laboratory and main boss; cannot be killed)
• Mutant experiments (minions)
• Mutant eye-things (minions)
• Mutant brains (minions)
• Mutant amoebas (minions)
• Robo-Chicken (mini-boss and final boss of the level)
• Shadow Demon (Sega Genesis and DOS versions and HD only)

Trivia

• The Professor's laboratory is a giant space habitat, as seen from the exterior in the animated television series (for example, the mid-episode interlude of "The Book of Doom").
• In a particularly Douglas Adams-esque twist, "Level 5" is not actually the fifth level the game but, ironically, it is Level 6 in most ports. Level 5 remains Level 5 however if one does not include bonus rounds such as Andy Asteroids? and the level Psy-Crow, or levels added by the special edition or the HD remake such as Big Bruty.
• Level 5 has a hidden teleporter that leads to "Who Turned Out the Lights?", a secret level in the dark basement of the giant laboratory. "Who Turned Out the Lights?" is present in the original game and the Special Edition, but was not reinstated for the 2010 HD remake.
• In the Game Boy Advance port, the segment of the level where Jim is separated from his super suit was entirely replaced with "Who Turned Out the Lights?", likely due to hardware limitations or time constraints.
• This level was coded by David Perry for the Sega Genesis version and converted by Nick Jones for the Super Nintendo version.

Gallery

Area 1 map

Area 2 map

Area 3 map