Worms 3D

"The first 3D Worms game is a blast!"

This is the first three-dimensional Worms game ever created. The earlier Worms games were all 2D, so this is one big change. As we would expect from Team17, the newest Worms game did not disappoint us!

Gameplay: 9/10 - The gameplay is the most important part of the game. The main idea behind the Worms series is to kill Worms on the other team. Two, three or four teams start on an area, and it's the Worms' duty to destroy the Worms on the other teams with whatever weapons they can find. From Bazooka's to Super Sheeps. From Shotguns to Exploding Old Lady's. It's a turn-based game, which means that every team uses one Worm to make a move, and after that, the move is for another team. When you're back with the team you started the game with, the next Worm in the list of that team can now make a move. Making a move cannot take forever. A Worm has (if you haven't changed it in the Options Menu) 45 seconds to make a move. In that 45 seconds, you can do whatever you want: Move your Worm to the desired spot, pick a weapon, or use an Utility (Jet Pack, Teleport, etc.). If you haven't made a move in the 45 seconds, you're out of luck and the next team can make his move.

The game has an Single Player mode, which contains an Tutorial, Campaign Missions and a Challenge Mode. The game also has a Multiplayer, which allows you to adjust everything you want at your own will. You can choose to play against three (or less) human opponents, or you can fight against three (or less) computer opponents. You can choose your own area, or create one if you like. The can adjust how much ammo every weapons contains, and you can choose how often health packs will drop down. The options are endless.

Graphics: 8/10 - Not really impressive, but still quite good. The Worms are very detailed, you will even see them pray when you just dropped one Holy Hand Grenade next to them. You will even see them smile if they knocked out an opponent, or when an opponent misses his attack. When the Worms are low on health, they will start to shake because they get scared. It's very funny to see! The landscapes are very colorful and detailed, too. Not as much as in Metroid Prime or Resident Evil, but good enough. The graphics really fit to this kind of game. Funny and hilarious!

Sounds: 10/10 - The best ever! Every Worm team has his own kind of speech, you can even choose which kind you want. You can choose between the voices of Computers, Super Hero's, Teenagers, Pirates, Vikings, Germans, Italians and many many many more! The sounds the weapons make are very cool, too. When you throw a Holy Hand Grenade, you'll hear someone yell ''Hallelujah!'' just before it explodes. When you throw an Old Lady at another Worm, the Old Lady will murmur the whole time, and the Sheeps will sound just like real sheeps. No game can ever beat this!

Music: 5/10 - This is not that good. There is practically no music in the game. When fighting in an area, there is no music. The only music is in the menu's. That music will get irritated VERY quickly. I had this game for just an hour and the music already got on my nerves. Thank God there is an option to turn it off. Maybe you will get used to it. It's not a big deal, you will never be longer than 5 minutes in the menu's, and it won't trouble you when fighting a match.

Controls: 8/10 - The controls are a little hard in the beginning, but it will get easier after you get used to it. The C-Stick controls the camera (as usual), the Control Stick moves your Worm and your visor when you're in first-person mode. The A-button activates your current weapon. The B-button makes you jump: Holding B makes you jump straight up, pressing B once makes your Worm jump forward, and pressing B two times quickly will make your Worm do a backflip. The R-button activates first-person mode. The L-button moves to the camera to the top of the area to give you a good view where all the other Worms are located. The X-button opens the weapon panel to choose another weapon. The Start-button makes the game pause... Really!

Replayability: 10/10 - Well yeah, like I said before: In the Multiplayer Menu you can adjust everything the way you want. You can fight against your friends and against the computer. Because of the 'Randomly Generated Worlds' option, you will never have to fight on the same area again! The Single Player Mode is very fun too, but it doesn't even come close to what the Multiplayer Mode has to offer. This is a game that will never make you bored. This is (besides Super Smash Bros. Melee) the best multiplayer game for the GameCube, in my opinion.

Final Conclusion: 9/10 - At this time the game hasn't even been released in the USA yet. Team17 is a game company in the UK and that's why Europe has it before the rest of the world has it. Because I live in the Netherlands, I have it already. But for the people in the USA and the rest of the world: When this game has finally been released in your country: Don't hesitate to buy it! It's a must-have! It won't let you down, I can assure you that. Have fun, and thanks for reading this review!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/07/03