Welcome to EXPlay, (Explain & Play) the review series where we care not for scores, but tell it how it is when it comes to every game we get our hands on, all whilst including some lengthy gameplay, to give you, the reader, the chance to form your own impressions and views while reading and watching.
In this explanatory review, we’re covering WORMS ARMAGEDDON: Anniversary Edition by joint developers Digital Eclipse and Team17:
Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition (Nintendo Switch)
“Many moons have passed since the worms went to war. Onwards and upwards, bigger weapons than before.” In 1995, Team17 made a name for themselves with a game that would change the way Artillery games would be played, and that game was WORMS. It was originally released for the Amiga personal computer but as it became popular, it would spawn a number of spin-off games and sequels and in 1999, Worms Armageddon saw release on multiple platforms including Microsoft Windows, Sony PlayStation and the Nintendo 64.
It was meant to be an expansion for Worms 2 but was eventually published as a standalone game and first introduced a single player campaign to the series. I spent so many hours playing this game and its follow up sequel Worms World Party and for good reason. The gameplay was fun and addictive, it had a sort of madcap charm to it with explosive grannies and sheep, catastrophic banana bomb, and lets not forget the pinnacle of worm warfare, the holy hand grenade, and of course, the concrete donkey.
While the WORMS series may not be as big as Mario, Sonic, God of War or Pokémon, there are still a good many gamers who are very fond of the series and while Worms WMD was pretty fun, Worms Armaggedon is where the series really shone brightest. However, with that said and the series celebrating 24 years since its first release, does it still hold up today or should the Worms accept their losses and order a ceasefire? Let’s find out with Worms Armaggedon: Anniversary Edition.
For anyone who has not played Worms Armaggedon, or even any 2D Worms title, it is a 2D turn-based strategy game that tasks player to manoeuvre their platoon of worms across a battlefield and take out the enemy worms with an arsenal of weapons at their disposal. Its like Chess meets Battleship but with worms. There is a timer that will count down during your turn and it will end once time has run out, you have used a weapon, or hurt yourself. Up to six players can participate in a session and the victor is whoever still has worms breathing at the end of the game.
The choice of weapons in Worms Armaggedon: Anniversary Edition is pretty extensive with 56 different weapons to choose from. They list of weapons includes but is not limited to: bazooka, shotgun, uzi, pistol, fire punch, longbow, dragon punch, carpet bomb, baseball bat, flame thrower, grenades, cluster bombs, mortars, sheep, moles. old woman, airstrikes, banana bombs, napalm, and so much more. Then there is also the choice of 10 different utitlities with some examples being fast walk, jetpack, low gravity, and laser sight, they you can use that won’t cost a turn to use them, helping you to get into a better position to take out an enemy worm or make a tactical retreat.
Worms Armaggedon: Anniversary Edition has several different game modes to choose from. There is Quick Start for those who just want to jump into a match. Local Game for setting up multiplayer matches with either human and/or CPU players, Online Game is for online multiplayer via either a Local Network or the Internet. It also has Single Player which includes training, Missions, and Deathmatch for those looking for a more indepth and rewarding experience to improve their skills and earn medals for their success. Customization allows you to create teams and customize the team name, worm names, voice, flag, gravestone, as well as other customization option to make your own maps, choose which weapons you will have at the start, and what will appear in crates, etc.
That isn’t all though, there is still more features and content in the game in the game I could cover but it is time to start wrapping up this review so I will just breeze through a few more. There is a Help & Controls option, which covers some helpful tutorials as well as indicate which button does what. On the Main Menu, you can choose to play a handheld version of the game and also have access to some fantastic behind the scenes stuff with videos, artwork and text documents that dive into the history of Worms leading up to original release of Worms Armageddon.
As we come to an end of this Explain & Play review, I must admit that it has been hard actually find the time to write this darn thing. Not because Worms Armaggedon: Anniversary Edition is terrible or have been unable to find the words to explain it. It´s simply because I just haven’t been able to tear myself away from playing the game. It is still just as addictive and crazy fun as it was back in 1999 and I have loved being able to rekindle with this game.
The humour is peak in Worms Armaggedon: Anniversary Edition and the gameplay is so encapsulating. It really does try to get you to strategize your every move because a single misstep is all it takes to turn the tables from sweet victory to bitter defeat. Sure, there have been moments that have infuriated me during certain missions that seem next to impossible to beat because the CPU players are able to pull of magnificent bazooka shoots ore grenade throws that even the best and most dedicated Worms players have still yet to finesse, but it is because of that, you will still push yourself to try and try again until you are ultimately the victorious and that becomes the most rewarding experience above all, victory in the face of adversity.
With that in mind, I can honestly say the Worms Armaggedon: Anniversary Edition still holds up to this very day. It may not be the most graphically enhanced game with photo realistc visuals and next-gen spec, it can still be the most fun you can possibly have with friends or on your own and you send those poor helpless worms sky high and into the drink over and over again.
Game Specifications:
Developer: Digital Eclipse
Publisher: Team17 Platform: Nintendo Switch (eShop)
Category: Strategy, Multiplayer Action
No. of Players: 1-6 (Single System), 1.6 (Local Wireless/Online)
Release Date: September 26, 2024
Price: $24.99
File Size: 2.6 GB
Nintendo.com Listing
