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Despite the sheer wealth of Worms titles over the years (most of which are, at the very least, decent), most fans would argue that the series reached its peak fairly early with the immaculate Worms Armageddon in 1999. Indeed, it’s quite telling that, of all the possible games to revisit, this is the one that Team17 and Digital Eclipse have decided to spruce up for the Nintendo Switch.
We’re almost certain that those who played the original, extensively or otherwise, will already have an inkling of how this Anniversary Edition turned out. In short, it’s flippin’ great. This is the Worms Armageddon you know and love, with every mode included from the original release alongside a generous selection of documentary features detailing the creation and development of the franchise. If that’s not enough, you also get immediate access to the emulated Game Boy Color release, rounding out a clean, extensive presentation of a turn-based strategy classic.
Even if you’re not familiar with the original Worms Armageddon (or the series at large), the Anniversary Edition here represents the quintessential Worms experience, providing the perfect entry point for folks wondering what all the fuss is about.
More recent entries added interesting mechanics, like the wacky water physics from Worms Revolution and the vehicles and turrets from Worms W.M.D., but Armageddon is arguably Team17’s 2D strategy at its purest, placing participating teams on a level playing field with a smorgasbord of deadly and silly weaponry at your disposal.
If you are a total newbie, it’s a simple setup: You control a team of Worms scattered across a battlefield viewed from the side, and you take turns launching artillery at the enemy. The last team standing wins. Weapons include reliable classics like the bazooka, grenade, baseball bat, and Uzi, but also hilarious special weapons like the holy hand grenade, an exploding sheep, and of course, the concrete donkey. Passive items also prove vital to your success, with the teleport item letting you vanish out of harm’s way in an instant, and the ninja rope allowing for some stylish traversal across both randomly generated and bespoke maps.
The level of customisation has always been a highlight of Worms, and that’s no different for Armageddon. Now, if you’re not particularly fussed about spending the time to intricately tailor your game parameters, you can jump into a quick match in literal seconds from the main menu. But for those local showdowns with your friends and family members, taking a few moments to create custom teams with unique character names, voice accents, and gravestone designs can add a degree of hilarity that few multiplayer titles can match.
Solo players are also catered for, however, with a comprehensive single-player suite consisting of training drills, unique missions, and an increasingly difficult deathmatch mode. The training drills are particularly useful if you’re new to the franchise; there’s no denying that items such as the ninja rope and super sheep are a tad tricky to pull off at first, so learning how to get your head around the controls will prove invaluable before heading into battle.
As for the missions, these will provide a solid challenge for players, though it’s safe to say that veterans more familiar with the original Worms Armageddon will be able to make their way through with little trouble. Right from the start, your skills will be put to the test, with the very first mission requiring you to make your way from one side of the map to the other, using little more than girders and the ninja rope.
Admittedly, with the girder specifically, the game could have done a better job at breaking down exactly how to control its placement and size; even something as simple as a pop-up box showcasing the controls at the press of a button would be welcome. It’s a little thing, but newcomers in particular will find themselves encountering a few instances of trial and error as they get to grips with all of the game’s intricacies.
This is a minor quibble in what is otherwise a faithful revamp of the original Worms Armageddon, and the exact same can be said for the Game Boy Color port. Naturally, this is a pretty condensed version, so you’re not getting a campaign with this one, but the core Worms experience is remarkably well retained. Customisation options are still here, the streamlined controls work well, and a handy rewind feature has been added to help wipe out any embarrassing mistakes. Add in a bunch of screen filters and a recreation of the original instruction manual, and this represents Digital Eclipse at the top of its preservation game.
Speaking of preservation, a whole bunch of interviews, old and new, have been included in the game’s ‘War Stories’ feature, which is essentially a version of the excellent documentary timeline seen in other Digital Eclipse titles such as Atari 50 and Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story.
The version here primarily covers the earlier years of Worms’ history, charting the franchise’s creation to its transition into the world of 3D. Later entries are largely skipped over, but we’d argue that the content included here is infinitely more interesting. Archival footage, scanned documents, and insight from industry figures such as Doug Cockle, Debbie Bestwick, and original Worms creator Andy Davidson make for a fascinating glimpse into the series’ history for both newcomers and established fans alike.
Conclusion
Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition is another slam dunk for Digital Eclipse and its ongoing mission of game preservation and historical documentation. The team hasn’t gone mad with any new additions or tweaks to the core experience, but when the original game remains such a bonafide classic more than 20 years after its release, it really doesn’t need much tinkering with. The added bonus of the Game Boy Color version alongside a wealth of interesting interviews and archive footage make this release a perfect entry point for newcomers as well as a warm, nostalgic cuddle for veterans.