Worms 3D
Developer(s)Team17
Publisher(s)GameCube, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2
Xbox
Mac OS X
Composer(s)Bjørn Lynne[1]
SeriesWorms
Platform(s)GameCube, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Mac OS X
ReleaseGameCube, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2
  • EU: 31 October 2003
  • NA: 11 March 2004[2]
Xbox
  • EU: 31 October 2003
  • NA: 1 March 2005
Mac OS X
  • NA: 14 May 2004
Genre(s)Artillery,[3] strategy
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Worms 3D is a 3D artillery[3] turn-based tactical game in the Worms series. It was developed by Team17. The game was the first in the series to be in 3D and also featured several new weapons. Additionally, some of the weapons operations are substantially different from previous Worms titles.

Gameplay

PC version of Worms 3D featuring fully 3D graphics and familiar elements such as names, health values, and team colours hovering above worms. From top left clockwise, the user interface comprises a scanner that locates worms of various team colours and any dropped crates; suggested view button, the selected weapon, and the health and team colour of the current worm; wind direction and strength; the status of the teams; and the amount of turn and round time left and the power gauge and vertical aim of the weapon.[4]

The gameplay itself is mostly unchanged from its predecessors, with the exception of the three-dimensional view, which allows the player more freedom, and more possibilities, to complete the task at hand. Modes such as Campaign and Quick Match return from previous versions. The game also features a multiplayer feature, as well as the ability to edit and create teams. The objective of most of the matches is to eliminate the opposing forces' worms, whereas the Campaign mode gives the player sets of specific goals which they need to complete. The Campaign consists of 35 small missions in which the player has to utilise their worms to complete a certain task, like destroy enemy worms, collect a certain crate, or even unique missions, such as having to detonate 16 hidden landmines in a certain time. All of the missions give awards depending on how well the player does. Gold medals usually unlock bonuses as for example maps, challenge missions, information about weapons, or voice banks.

As in Worms 3D's predecessors, the worms continue to fight using a wide range of conventional or droll weapons, including rockets, explosives, firearms, and air strikes, whilst also traversing the island using utilities when those items are available.[5] The entire inventory is derivative of the game's immediate predecessors, but is noticeably simplified and lacks certain previously existed items, including digging tools such as the blowtorch.

In the Challenge missions, the player has to use a weapon/utility to collect targets that add to their timebank, which increases steadily. Getting a gold medal here unlocks maps or locked weapons.

Development and Release

The game was announced by Team17 in July 2002 as Worms 3'.[6] The following month, Activision purchased worldwide publishing rights to the title except for the PC version in South Korea, Taiwan and China.[7][8]

In April 2003, the game was re-announced as Worms 3D. Activision was dropped as publisher for unknown reasons, with Sega instead purchasing the European publication rights, with an option for the company to publish in North America as well.[9] The game was shown off at Sega's booth at E3 2003, featuring two different maps for demonstration.[10] The game was eventually released in Europe at the end of the month.

On 15 January 2004, Acclaim Entertainment announced they had signed a deal with Team17 to publish the game and another upcoming Worms title (later confirmed to be Worms Forts: Under Siege[11]) in North America.[12] and was released on all platforms except for the Xbox on 11 March 2004.[13] Acclaim was due to release the Xbox version later on in the year, however they filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy at the end of August 2004, and so left the Xbox version without a publisher until Sega of America announced they had acquired the North American publishing rights to it and Worms Forts: Under Siege in January 2005.[14][15], releasing on 1 March 2005, almost a year after the other versions.

The Macintosh version was ported and released by Feral Interactive, releasing on 14 May 2004.[16]

Reception

The Xbox, PC, and PlayStation 2 versions of Worms 3D received mixed reviews,[18][19][20] but the GameCube version received fairly positive reviews.[17] Its graphics and sounds were lauded. Despite this, most reviewers criticized the 3D camera system, that often places behind the objects in landscape with the worm being hidden in front of those and stiff controlling of the worm. Andy Davidson, the creator of the Worms franchise and who had already left Team17 before returning in 2012,[31] objected to the company's decision to develop a 3D Worms game. He argued that Worms and its mechanics were based on two dimensions only and that adding another dimension broke much of the mechanics. He said that rather than trying to "recreate" Worms itself, he would have preferred to start from scratch and build a 3D game containing the same qualities as the series.[32]

Worms 3D won the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association silver award, indicating that the game sold at least 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[33]

References

  1. ↑ "Bjorn Lynne: "Worms 3D" music downloads". Archived from the original on 23 August 2015.
  2. ↑ Cove, Glen (11 March 2004). "Worms 3D Ships". Archived from the original on 12 August 2004.
  3. 1 2 "GameSpot Summary for Worms 3D". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2007.
  4. ↑ Manual 2003, pp. 8–9.
  5. ↑ "Weapons guide". Team17. 2003. Archived from the original on 5 February 2005.
  6. ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/07/15/worms-3-official
  7. ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/08/13/activision-supports-worms-rights
  8. ↑ "GameSpot: "Activision gets Worms"". GameSpot. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  9. ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/04/25/worms-3d-announced
  10. ↑ "E3 2003: Worms 3D - IGN". 14 May 2003. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  11. ↑ http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/worms-forts-under-siege/513388p1.html
  12. ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/01/15/acclaim-brings-worms-3d-to-the-states
  13. ↑ "Worms 3D - News". Team17. Archived from the original on 6 December 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  14. ↑ https://www.gamespot.com/articles/more-worms-burrowing-into-xboxes-and-ps2s/1100-6115886/
  15. ↑ "SEGA Announces Worms 3D and Worms: Forts Under Seige [sic]". GamesIndustry.biz. 6 January 2005. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  16. ↑ "Stop Fighting! Start buying! Worms is now shipping!". 14 May 2004. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  17. 1 2 "Worms 3D". GameRankings. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  18. 1 2 "Worms 3D". GameRankings. Archived from the original on 17 September 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  19. 1 2 "Worms 3D". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  20. 1 2 "Worms 3D". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  21. ↑ Martin Taylor (27 October 2003). "Worms 3D Review". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 17 July 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  22. ↑ Davis, Ryan (10 March 2004). "Worms 3D Review - Nintendo GameCube". GameSpot. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  23. ↑ Davis, Ryan (23 March 2004). "Worms 3D Review - PC". GameSpot. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  24. ↑ Davis, Ryan (10 March 2004). "Worms 3D Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  25. ↑ Davis, Ryan (17 May 2006). "Worms 3D Review - Xbox". GameSpot. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  26. ↑ Casamassina, Matt (24 February 2004). "Worms 3D - Nintendo GameCube". IGN. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  27. ↑ Cassamassina, Matt (18 May 2004). "Worms 3D - PC". IGN. Archived from the original on 12 July 2009. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  28. ↑ Casamassina, Matt (24 February 2004). "Worms 3D - PlayStation 2". IGN. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  29. ↑ Clayman, David (4 March 2005). "Worms 3D - Xbox". IGN. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  30. ↑ Cohen, Peter (September 2004). "Worm Food". Macworld. p. 44. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  31. ↑ Dutton, Fred (2 April 2012). "Worms creator returns to Team17". Eurogamer. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  32. ↑ Day, Ashley (30 March 2006). "The Making of Worms". Retro Gamer. No. 23. p. 29. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  33. ↑ "ELSPA Sales Awards: Silver". Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. Archived from the original on 18 June 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
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