Game intel
Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition
A Game Boy Color port of the Standalone Expansion to Worms 2 of the same name.
Few game series spark as much gleeful destruction as Worms. If you grew up in the late ’90s or early ’00s, chances are you remember the giddy chaos of plastic sheep and banana bombs splattering across a 2D battlefield. When Team17 and Digital Eclipse unveiled the Backworms Compatible Update for Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition, I immediately flashed back to dorm-room LAN parties and marathon Sudden Death standoffs. But in 2025, nostalgia alone doesn’t cut it. So, does this update merely mine retro goodwill, or can it stand on its own as a modern artillery classic?
The Backworms Compatible Update transforms the Anniversary Edition into a single hub for multiple retro Worms releases. Rather than hunting down old cartridges or wrestling with emulators, players get the SNES and Genesis/Mega Drive originals, Game Boy Advance’s Worms World Party, and a fully playable Game Boy Color port. For preservationists, it’s a win: these ROMs now run with save states, rewind functionality, and seamless controller mapping on current-gen hardware.
But beyond ticking off retro versions, Digital Eclipse has added documentary segments, an interactive timeline, and developer interviews. These historical assets aren’t just throwaways—they contextualize how a turn-based artillery game from the ’90s evolved into a decades-long franchise. By weaving archival footage and concept art alongside playable code, the update feels like a mini museum experience that respects Worms’ legacy.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Team17 Digital Ltd / Digital Eclipse |
| Release Date | 26 June 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Artillery, Retro Compilation |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PC |
At its core, Worms remains a turn-based artillery game with simple controls and absurd physics. You select a weapon—say, the Concrete Donkey, which slingshots a heavy block with a timer—or the Homing Pigeon for limited-seeking chaos. Each armory choice influences not only damage radius but also landscape deformation and timing. For instance, the Sheep weapon triggers a four-second fuse before bounding off terrain, adding unpredictability to every shot. The update preserves these intricacies while offering rewind options, letting you undo that “oops” moment where your sheep ricochets into your own squad.
Movement tools like the Ninja Rope and Jetpack return, complete with variable fuel gauges and directional momentum. The rope physics still require finesse—misjudge your swing, and you’ll send your worm hurling into the abyss. Jetpacks hover for a few seconds before sputtering out, so planning each turn remains vital. Turn timers, once a strict 60-second limit, can now be extended in custom matches, giving newcomers breathing room to learn angles and wind effects without stalling the party.
Multiplayer lobbies have been refreshed with matchmaking filters—platform, game version, even mission type—so you’re less likely to land in mismatched sessions. Standard modifiers like Allied Teams, Disease, and Sudden Death are all present. If you relish asymmetrical skirmishes, you can handicap veteran teams by adjusting health, weapon availability, or turn order.
For die-hard fans, the appeal is obvious: every classic map and soundtrack is preserved, from the jagged landmasses of “Crossbone Island” to chiptune riffs that loop hypnotically. Throw in 40+ single-player campaign missions—some reimagined from later Worms titles—and you’ve got a substantial solo offering. Plus, custom soundbanks let you replace in-game voice taunts with personalized audio clips. Want to shout “Bazooka!” in your own voice? Now you can, adding fresh humor to each explosion.
Newcomers, on the other hand, benefit from curated tutorials that introduce wind mechanics, weapon trajectories, and advanced tactics like rope bouncing—using the Ninja Rope to catapult your worm into mid-air and deliver a surprise backhand with a Baseball Bat. The rewind feature and optional cheat code (“Boggy B”) lower the barrier to entry, so you’re not grinding unlocks month after month. In fact, toggling Boggy B from the main menu instantly grants access to all weapons, allowing players to experiment freely.
Yet nostalgia’s pull can be fleeting. Once the novelty of perfect emulation and museum-grade extras wears off, will players return week after week? The lack of brand-new weapons or arenas means the core experience remains unchanged from 2000-era gameplay. Longevity hinges on community engagement: custom maps, mod support (where available), and periodic online events. Digital Eclipse could bolster this further by releasing weekly challenges or spotlighting user-generated content, but for now, the onus rests on players to keep the party alive.
It’s tempting to criticize the update for not introducing fresh mechanics—no dynamic weather, no modern graphical overhaul, nothing revolutionary. But retro compilations walk a tightrope: stray too far from the original formula, and you dilute what made the games endearing. Digital Eclipse’s solution is to polish rather than reinvent. The menu UI receives subtle redesigns: high-contrast text for readability, scalable fonts for handheld screens, and widescreen-compatible HUD layouts that adapt to various aspect ratios without stretching pixel art.
The interactive documentary and timeline are especially noteworthy. They detail milestones such as the first appearance of the Holy Hand Grenade, the community-driven rise of custom map editors, and how LAN-party culture spread the series worldwide. It’s rare to see a package where the preservation effort extends beyond ROM dumps to storytelling that honors both developers and fans.
If you’ve been yearning to re-experience Worms on modern hardware or share the mayhem with new friends, the Backworms Update is a no-brainer. It consolidates four major retro releases, layered with quality-of-life features that smooth over emulator headaches. The added documentary and timeline reinforce the package’s value, giving context to each pixelated explosion.
However, if you’re seeking bold innovation—a seismic shift in artillery strategy or a fresh visual identity—you may want to wait for a sequel or a standalone next-gen edition. As it stands, this is an affectionate tribute rather than a seismic evolution.
Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition’s Backworms Compatible Update is a meticulously curated retro compilation. It bundles four classic releases, adds save states, rewind, modern UI tweaks, and an interactive documentary. Perfect for veterans craving polished nostalgia and newcomers seeking accessible artillery chaos—though don’t expect major gameplay overhauls or added longevity beyond community-driven content.
And if you are not into Worms Armageddon, another retro classic you can try is bubble shooter.
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