In 1995, Team17 released Worms, a turn-based strategy game that introduced a unique blend of chaotic fun, tactical depth, and dark humour. Set on destructible 2D landscapes, Worms pitted teams of armed worms against each other in a battle to the last squirming soldier. While seemingly simple at first glance, the game brought a surprising amount of strategy to the genre, attracting a wide range of players and quickly cementing its place as a cult classic. With its addictive multiplayer mode and memorable arsenal of weapons, Worms became one of the most iconic games of the mid-’90s, establishing a series that would go on to spawn numerous sequels and adaptations.
Simple Mechanics, Complex Strategy
Worms stood out by blending simple mechanics with unexpectedly complex strategic possibilities. Players took turns controlling one of their worms, moving across the landscape, selecting from a broad array of weapons, and trying to eliminate enemy worms while avoiding friendly fire. The turn-based format removed the pressure of real-time strategy, allowing players to plot their moves carefully while considering the environment, wind direction, and the worms’ positioning.
One of Worms’ defining features was the fully destructible terrain, which could be impacted by everything from explosions to digging tools. Blowing holes in the ground to trap or eliminate enemy worms opened up endless tactical possibilities, forcing players to adapt constantly as the landscape changed. The game’s combination of destructible environments and physics-based weaponry created a dynamic battlefield, where each turn could significantly alter the terrain and the strategic landscape.
An Arsenal of Iconic Weapons
The weaponry in Worms was as imaginative as it was destructive, adding a layer of chaos and humour to each match. From traditional options like bazookas and grenades to more unconventional tools like the exploding sheep, holy hand grenade, and banana bomb, each weapon brought unique effects and challenges. Wind strength and direction also played a role in aiming and launching projectiles, requiring players to carefully gauge distance and trajectory.
Each weapon came with its strengths and weaknesses, and mastering them required both skill and practice. This expansive arsenal contributed to Worms’ longevity, as players experimented with different tactics and combinations, learning how to use each weapon to devastating effect. These iconic weapons became symbols of the Worms franchise, remembered by players for their quirky, sometimes unpredictable results. In particular, the Super Sheep and Concrete Donkey became legendary for their power and humour, ensuring that no two matches would ever play out the same way.
Multiplayer Mayhem
Multiplayer was where Worms truly shone. The game supported both local and online multiplayer, allowing friends to engage in intense and often hilarious matches. Worms was designed with an emphasis on multiplayer enjoyment, and the competitive yet casual atmosphere made it perfect for social gaming. Matches could be as short or as long as players wanted, with some games ending in quick victories and others turning into drawn-out battles of attrition.
The multiplayer mode also encouraged strategic mind games and creative problem-solving. Matches became not only a test of tactical ability but also a showcase of each player’s willingness to experiment with unexpected or unconventional strategies. The destructible landscapes and unpredictable weapon effects added a layer of suspense, as players could never be entirely sure of the outcome of each turn. This uncertainty fuelled the game’s replayability, as players found new and inventive ways to outmanoeuvre each other time and time again.
Humor and Presentation
Worms’ quirky, dark humour set it apart from other strategy games of the time. Each worm had a distinct personality, marked by high-pitched voices and humorous sound bites that injected humour into even the most intense matches. The game’s cartoony, pixelated art style complemented this tone, turning what could have been a grim setting into something light-hearted and accessible.
The worms themselves had exaggerated animations and reactions, celebrating even small victories with glee or despairing at failures in a way that added to the game’s personality. Despite being a relatively simple 2D game, Worms delivered a memorable presentation through its humour and charm, creating a welcoming experience for both seasoned strategists and casual players alike. The blend of cartoonish visuals and dark humour ensured that Worms appealed to a broad audience, helping it become a household name in the gaming world.
Legacy and Influence
Worms’ success was immediate, spawning a series that would become one of the longest-running franchises in gaming history. Its blend of tactical gameplay, destructible environments, and unique humour made it an iconic title that influenced future strategy games and multiplayer design. Worms proved that a game didn’t need to be complex or high-budget to be engaging and memorable. The simplicity of its core mechanics allowed for nearly endless replayability and fun, setting a precedent for approachable yet strategically deep games in the years that followed.
Over the years, Worms evolved, with Team17 introducing new features, weapons, and even 3D graphics in later entries. While many sequels experimented with different mechanics and graphical styles, the core essence of Worms remained: a light-hearted but challenging battle of tactics in a destructible world. Worms continues to be celebrated as one of the most influential games of the 1990s, with its unique gameplay and humour leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of turn-based strategy games.
Today, Worms is recognized not just as a nostalgia piece but as a testament to the potential of innovative game design. Its impact can be seen in numerous other games that embrace humour, physics-based mechanics, and player-driven chaos, making it a landmark title in both the turn-based and multiplayer gaming spheres.
