Worms Armadeddon

Copyright: KBkids.com 1999

With all of the serious and hardcore 3D games on the market, every gamer needs the chance to un-wind with a humorous, addictive, yet simple game. That game is Worms Armageddon. If there is one thing Worms points out, it's that more realism doesn't necessarily mean more fun. 2D gaming is back, and it's a 'blast'!

The concept of Worms is odd, yet strangely satisfying. Several teams of 'cute' worms, armed with a truly insane arsenal of wacky weapons, must battle each other in a simplistic 2D battlefield. Worms can die through depletion of their life power, or when knocked into the surrounding water.

Game features include:

• 60 original weapons and utilities (Bazookas, Old Ladies (literally!), Skunks, Dragon Ballz, Sheep, etc.)
• 30+ missions, plus randomly generated deathmatches
• A huge variety of worm voices and voice sets
• Endless options and customization; re-play value is infinite
• Level builder allows you to customize your own landscape for battle

The one thing that makes this game an instant hit for the family is the option for multi-player games over just one computer. That way everyone can play, without a LAN setup. Internet play is available over WormNet, a server dedicated to multi-player Worms games.

Parents might question why the ESRB let this game slide to the "Everyone" rating, and not "Teen". The fine print does say "Everyone: 11+". The slap-stick violence isn't objectionable, but the mild/moderate 'south park-ish' swearing can be. Parents who have allowed games that contain some violence will have no problem with this program. You may find the language more objectionable. There is a profanity filter for use over the Internet, but not in single player mode. What you will hear is: a**, h*ll, d*mn, etc. At one point I heard one say "F you" literally, not in 'expanded form.' It took me by surprise from these little guys to be honest. I was less objectionable to the violence than the language I was hearing. I'm not on the ESRB board, but I would have thought it was more 'teen' than 'everyone' even with the 'cutesy' format.

Although the concept remains unchanged from last year's game, Worms 2, new weapons, missions, and options make Worms Armageddon a must-have for every gamer. No ultra realistic 3D accelerated graphics here, just solid, addictive gameplay.

Bottom Line: A terrific game for all gaming fans. Innovative and unique! Families may want to take a look at the 'everyone' rating, however.

Ratings: (based on KBkids.com's 4 star rating system)

Overall: 4

BrainGain: 1

FunFactor: 4

EasePlease: 2 1/2

You can buy this program at CDaccess: http://www.cdaccess.com/html/quick/wormsarmpr.htm