It’s hard to believe a series about opposing teams of worms blowing the snot out of each other on destructible 2D landscapes has been around longer than almost any modern gaming franchise. Originally an Amiga game from British developer Team17, Worms has migrated to almost every platform since and even briefly bumped over to the realm of 3D. But Worms remains a true 2D experience at core, and Worms Reloaded is a perfect example of just why the game continues to endure.

If you’re not familiar with the concept of Worms, it’s pretty simple. Assault teams of four worms each are dropped onto a cartoony 2D battleground, where they simply take turns attacking each other in the hopes of destroying the other teams. The cavernous environments are entirely destructible islands offering opportunities to destroy a competing worm with direct hits or explosive blasts that can send them flying to a watery doom. Wind speed, elevation, and other physics-based variables often play a key role in aiming.

There are almost 50 different weapons and gadgets to make use of during these battles, and the sheer variety of tools at your disposal is both astounding and amusing. Standard weapons like grenades and the bazooka have long been mainstays of destruction. There are plenty of other guns — pistols, machine guns, the shotgun, rocket launcher, and more — but when Worms gets creative with its destruction, the game really takes off. While longtime fans might lament the omission of the exploding old woman and mad cow, the 14 new weapons like the sentry gun, seeking ferret, and other amusingly useful aids make up for any absences. Also, the super sheep and ninja rope remain firmly intact.

Granted, the added goodies are only new to the PC version. Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 players of Worms 2: Armageddon will find most of the enhancements here rather familiar. The gameplay is basically completely unchanged from previous versions, so if you’ve played any of the past Worms there’s not going to be any shocking changes or revelations here. That said, Worms Reloaded is certainly the most refined and sharpest looking addition to the series.

Like a bizarre, horribly violent, yet utterly cute cartoon, Worms Reloaded enacts it’s scenes of annelid destruction through amazingly sharp and colorful 2D visuals. Reloaded really isn’t a complete visual makeover, but the graphics are strikingly good. There’s an incredible array of scenery styles—ranging from different climates and far-out themes—and the battleground configuration is randomly generated each time. If you do get tired of the standard backdrops, you can easily create your own and trade them with friends.

At the start, you’ll be able to customize your team of worm warriors. You can give your little buddies a flag, a funny voice, and plenty of other customizations before sending into battle both online and off. The single-player game is tons of fun, with an impressive variety of different scenarios to hone your skills. Internet play is where the true value of the game comes in though, and as usual, Worms Reloaded works fantastically online.

The Blast Factor: If you’re new to the series, this is the perfect time to jump aboard. Yet, veteran players who intend to stick with the PC version will find Worms Reloaded absolutely worthwhile. The simple gameplay is immensely entertaining, yet mastering the game will still take hours of practice. Endless online games, randomly generated battlegrounds, and a plethora of crazy weapons and items all give the Worms incredible replay value.

Written by Brian Szabelski

The Worms series of games has long been loved for its multiplayer chaos and cartoonish violence, but when it moved to the Nintendo DS, it seemed to lose a step. The first portable version of Worms was met with poor reviews due to a number of problems. This time around, things are a lot better and a lot closer to the old PC titles, which is a very good thing.

This newest installment in the classic Worms franchise brings a Quick Game mode that jumps you into a randomized map; a Custom Game mode that lets you set up your own battles and edit your own battlefields; a Multiplayer mode; and a Single Game mode, which is comprised of Puzzle, Campaign, Laboratory, and Training modes. Laboratory mode is perhaps the most interesting and integrated with the DS, as it uses the mic and stylus to complete challenges, such as drawing land in the right spot to reach a goal at the end of the level.

Open Warfare 2 is classic Worms game play. Your goal is to defeat the enemy worms by any means possible, and in this game, that means with bazookas, guns, rockets, grenades, boomerangs, exploding bananas, sheep, and a whole lot more. In order to do this, you aim your weapon, select the power level, release, and watch the chaos unfold. In other forms, like puzzle mode, you’ll have to figure out solutions to both complete the level, such as having to set off a chain of explosive drums or maneuver a jet pack up the side of a mountain to pick off an enemy. Not everything from the old Worms games is here, but plenty of old favorites are still around.

The big question with this and all DS games, though, is how it makes use of the dual-screen and stylus. Open Warfare 2 uses it well, allowing for navigation through menus and the ability to move the cursor and scan the battlefield, but it doesn’t let you adjust the angle of your shot, which is a bit sad, but considering that the game still plays smoothly, it’s a brief squabble.

From the opening video to the game’s 2 1/2-D style, Open Warfare 2 looks just like its PC counterparts. The graphics are crisp and clean, and the backgrounds never seem to be static and dull. For example, on the war-themed level, a biplane flies back and forth in the background, sometimes dropping crates of items. Similarly, sound is much improved and is as crystal clear as it ever was on the PC.

Open Warfare 2 brings online multiplayer into the fold and does so remarkably well. Friend Codes are back, yes, but if you can stomach that minor inconvenience, you get a great online experience. Along with Quick and Custom Game features and offline multiplayer capabilities, there’s plenty of fun to be had.

Worms: Open Warfare 2 is a throwback to the old Worms games of yesteryear, and at the same time, a huge improvement over Worms: Open Warfare. If you love this series or just want a great game you can play to kill a few minutes of time, then pick this title up. This should be a title in every Nintendo DS owner’s library.

Pros: Great traditional Worms action. Major improvements in all areas over Worms: Open Warfare. Easy-to-use interface, combined with a wide variety of weapons and great graphics and sound, make this a must-have. Online multiplayer is a great bonus.

Cons: DS screens are a bit small for Worms action, but other than that, not much.

Worms: Open Warfare 2 is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) by the ESRB for Mild Cartoon Violence.

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars