Worms 3D is a strategy game in which cute little worms try to blow the bejesus out of each other with a dizzying array of weapons and attacks. The first question that has probably popped into your mind is probably something along the lines of “just how the heck does a worm hold an Uzi anyway?”. Well you can put your mind at ease because these worms are endowed with disembodied hands that grip bazookas and toss grenades with ease. Now that we’ve got that little mystery cleared up, let’s take a look at the game.

In Worms 3D, two to four teams of worms do battle on fanciful and colorful islands each with its own theme that ranges from a golf course to a medieval castle to the surface of the moon. The gameplay is turn-based, with one worm moving per turn and turns alternating between each of the teams. When it is your turn to go, you can try to move your worm to a better firing position, select a weapon, and unleash an attack on an enemy worm. You’ll have to be smart about it and think fast, because each worm can only make one attack per turn and there is a time limit in which you must complete your move.

When you are ready to attack, you can select any weapon from your team’s arsenal. The weapons available will vary between games, and also depend on whether you’ve already used the limited-use weapons or if you’ve managed to pick up one of the weapons crates that periodically parachute down from the sky. Most of the weapons in the game are ranged and will test your knowledge of rudimentary physics. When you fire a weapon, you’ll need to set the angle and velocity of the projectile and also take into account factors such as the distance to the target and the current wind speed. Also, some weapons such as grenades will bounce around when they hit so you’ll need to take into account the topography of the land surrounding your intended target when attacking.

Other weapons and attacks are designed for close attacks. When you manage to move a worm right up to an enemy you can unleash a ninja attack, take a swing with a baseball bat, or even just give the other worm a gentle nudge. Knocking a worm of off a high spot or sending him to the bottom of the ocean are just as effective means for dispatching an enemy as are the heavy weapons.

The third class of weapons isn’t even made up of weapons at all, but tools to get your worm someplace else fast. Parachutes will help a worm safely descend from heights, jet packs allow a worm to scale cliffs and towers, and bridges allow worms to safely cross gaps in the island. Using one of these devices will take the place of the worm’s attack for the turn, so you’ll need to make sure that you leave your worm someplace safe after moving him.

Each worm has a set amount of health that is drained by successful attacks on it. Also, if a worm is misfortunate enough to be knocked into the drink, he is an instant goner. Play generally proceeds until only one team has any worms left – there are some game variants available such as timed games or single player.

In addition to skirmishes against the computer, Worms 3D provides single players with a few game options. The first is a campaign mode which features a series of battles each with its own set of objectives. These battles have varied goals such as getting worms successfully from one side of the island to the other or retrieving hard to reach and well-defended crates. The campaign missions play out almost like puzzles, as there is often a single “solution” for each one based on the level layout and the available weapons and tools. Completing a mission unlocks the next, and you can always go back and replay completed missions.

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