Choose Earthworm Jim 2
Choose Earthworm Jim 2 if it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. Earthworm Jim 2 launched in 2009.
Earthworm Jim 2 vs Sonic Mania
Earthworm Jim 2 and Sonic Mania both land in Action, Adventure on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Action, Adventure on Steam. Earthworm Jim 2 (2009) is 8 years older than Sonic Mania (2017). Sonic Mania scores higher on Steam reviews (93.4% positive) than Earthworm Jim 2 (62.9% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Sonic Mania
Choose Sonic Mania if you want a Casual game with Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's currently about 75% cheaper on the Steam Store. 13,860 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Earthworm Jim 2 and Sonic Mania sit in Action and Adventure on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Earthworm Jim 2 |  Sonic Mania | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2009 | 2017 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure | Action, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 62.9% positive (62 reviews) | 93.4% positive (13,860 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Shiny Entertainment | Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, PagodaWest Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure on Steam.
- Earthworm Jim 2 (2009) is 8 years older than Sonic Mania (2017).
- Sonic Mania scores higher on Steam reviews (93.4% positive) than Earthworm Jim 2 (62.9% positive).
- Sonic Mania is currently ~75% cheaper on Steam than Earthworm Jim 2 (4.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Sonic Mania has co-op; Earthworm Jim 2 does not.
- Sonic Mania is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Earthworm Jim 2 has no Deck rating yet.
Earthworm Jim 2 vs Sonic Mania — FAQ
- Should I play Earthworm Jim 2 or Sonic Mania first?
- If you want chronology, Earthworm Jim 2 (2009) came out before Sonic Mania (2017). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Earthworm Jim 2 and Sonic Mania similar?
- They overlap on Action, Adventure on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Earthworm Jim 2 have multiplayer like Sonic Mania?
- No. Sonic Mania supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op), while Earthworm Jim 2 is listed as single-player only.