Old Video Game Reviews: Worms 3D

 Worms 3D was released in 2004.  This game doesn’t particularly have a story, but instead just focuses on the gameplay, which can be rather addicting.  If you’re familiar with the worms games, then you know that it’s all about moving your worms around the battlefield and killing the enemy worms.

Worms 3D adds a new dynamic to the game by making the maps 3D, which allows for much more expansive and interesting terrain to fight on.  The game comes with a lot of different maps that are unlocked in the singleplayer mode, though you can create your own stage in multiplayer.  With all the provided stages and the ability to randomly generate infinitely more, this game has a lot of replay value.

Of course, the main point of Worms is the weapons.  In this version, you can kill your opponents with everything from the standard bazooka, shotgun, grenade, and dynamite (pictured above) to homing missiles, air strikes, and of course less conventional weapons like sheep, ninja rope, baseball bats, and even grandmas.  The game is an artillery game and it’s all about aiming those weapons in an attempt to hit the opponent.  If you charge your bazooka or grenade throw too much or too little, you will miss and not do any damage.  Or, if you hit something just right, you could blow the ground from beneath the enemy worm’s feet and cause him to fall and take damage, or worse, drown.

Worms 3D is alright when playing single player, but the real value comes from playing it with friends.  It’s a lot more fun to poke your friend’s worm off the side of the stage while he rages at you and claims he got a crappy spawn, than it is to kill the computer.  I’ve found that there really isn’t a dull moment when playing worms with friends, because even if it’s not your turn, you’re constantly hoping that the person playing won’t attack you.  (And of course you try to influence his decision on who to shoot)

Also, this game is just incredibly funny.  Whether it be the silly voices you can have your worms use, or the crazy names you can come up with for them, there’s just a lot in this game to make you laugh.  It really fits with the game and the developers did a really good job of making it funny when the worms die, so that you’re never sad, but constantly blowing stuff up and having a great time, laughing as your worm swallows a grenade when he dies. (Hopefully hurting an enemy worm in the process)

There really aren’t many bad things to say about Worms 3D.  It has a specific game formula, and if you judge it based on that, it does it very well.  Obviously there may be things that people look at, like the graphics, or the lack of other game modes, but this game is a blast (literally) and I’ve always had a great time whenever I played it.

I would recommend playing this game.  It’s really old now, but it contains a game mechanic that has been mostly forgotten today except by some crappy free online games, and I think it’s a concept worth checking out.  You won’t regret it when you’re blowing up your friend’s worms, or smacking them into the water and certain death with a baseball bat.

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