This version is set around the idea of Battle Islands, arranging the different terrain options into an archipelago rather than just having them on a menu, but that's just window-dressing really.īest to cut through all the customisation options and settle in for a few rounds of hectic, strategic worm warfare. Instead, once the life of a worm has been whittled away they wave a white flag and explode, leaving behind a tombstone which will remain as a physical object in the environment for the rest of the game. The worms aren't fast movers, what with being worms and all that, so there's a delicious tension in watching one cutely squirm into place before throwing a grenade, which gracefully sails through the air - only to rebound off a piece of terrain, land on the worm that threw it and blow him to bits. The pleasure of Worms is in the cartoonishly sadistic execution (and, indeed, executions). Various - but finite - weapons and tools are available, and players take turns to pick a worm, move it and perform an action. Players control small teams of worms, fighting for a horizontal strip of randomised terrain. Worms is a blissfully simple, fast paced strategy game. Review 2, which is longer and for people who have not played Worms before. If you want a version of Worms on the Wii, this is a pretty good version of Worms on the Wii. There are some weapons customisation modes, but these are largely irrelevant faffery. The multiplayer remains the meat of the game, and there's a good selection of terrain available, and the quick rounds with sudden reversals of fortune remain as fun and furious as ever. However, if you've ever played a Worms game before, or own any other video game system released sometime in the past decade, find a Worms game for that system, as it is probably way better than this neutered Wii version.Multiplayer remains the meat of the game. If you've never played a Worms game before, only own a Wii, and want a low barrier for entry, then I highly recommend this game. The typically comical Worm voices are even more repetitive and obnoxious than ever before. There isn't anything functionally wrong with the soundtrack and sound effects, but it feels inferior to other Worms games and lacks a layer of polish. The presentation and graphics are sloppy. Classic Controller support is sorely missed, as an analog stick's precision would be beneficial.Īll the pieces are in place for a quality Worms game, but for some reason, the whole experience feels half-baked. The motion controls don't add much, just giving you different less-precise ways to fire off weapons, and most players will likely gravitate towards the familiar Wii Remote-on-its-side setup. You can use the Wii Remote with or without motion, and you can also add the Nunchuk to the motion-based controls. The control methods vary between motion-sensing and normal. The campaign is focused on standard Worms warfare, while the puzzle mode requires you to make precise shots with weapons or go through platforming obstacle courses. The single-player campaign and puzzle modes are fun, both offering up 30 different scenarios. However, if you've got friends with the game, you can exchange Friend Codes and alleviate that issue. It ran fine, but it was a challenge to even find an opponent. The multiplayer works online as well, but I found exactly one game over the course of multiple play sessions. There is also the regular old multiplayer, where you simply try to defeat other human and computer-controlled teams. However, it doesn't amount to anything more than selecting an ability from a menu, such as "extra health," and watching its unimpressive effect on the battlefield. You gain different abilities for your team of worms that can be used in Tactics Mode. As you progress through the game, you earn experience, which builds up your base. When you turn on the game, you make a profile, a team of worms, and select an island base. The hook of Battle Islands is Tactics Mode, which tries to reinvent the multiplayer Worms experience. In almost every entry in the series, there's a single-player campaign as well, which presents you with various challenges that are usually very clever.
WORMS BATTLE ISLANDS WII SERIES
It's a personal favorite multiplayer series of mine. To top it off, it's nowhere near close to the best Worms game on the market.įor the uninitiated, Worms is a 2D turn-based strategy title where you control a team of four worms and try to defeat other teams with comedic weaponry, such as the Buffalo of Lies, the Holy Hand Grenade, and the Super Sheep. It's still a good game, but it's basically just the same Worms game that's been around for more than a decade. The game's origins show from its poor presentation to its lack of ambition. Worms Battle Islands, the second Wii entry in the series, is a budget-priced game that first began life as a WiiWare title.