Release Date	March 28 2008
Format	Wii
Publisher	THQ
Developer	Team 17
Price	£39.99
Distribution	Advantage
Contact	01215 069590

Worms: A Space Oddity

It now seems like worms have been blowing each other up with an increasingly erratic selection of armaments for an eternity. It probably says something terribly important about gamers that we all take so much joy in raining down elaborate death on such small, friendly looking sprites, but at its core, the Worms series has simply always been a whole lot of good old fashioned, massive bazooka-based fun.

This latest addition, tailored towards the Wii, sets things in space. Its title, A Space Oddity, suggests either a theme of 2001-type epic nonsense, or a David Bowie soundtrack, neither of which seem likely, so its safe to assume that the maps available will have an abundance of interplanetary type themes, but very little in the form of the Spiders from Mars, which is probably for the best.

The key difference between this Worms titles and its many and varied predecessors is, of course, the use of the Wii controller. Players now get to feel more involved in the destruction of their opponents than previously thanks to intuitive controls. Plus there’s a chance to throw a grenade with all the might you once could only wish your little worm minions could muster.

The new functionality is a straightforward affair, intuitive for first time users, and a continuation of the simple controls that have kept players returning back to the Worms series for years. Using gestures instead of simple d-pad movements or a mouse is certainly a departure for Worms, but one that is sure to prove popular.

A four-player mode, for those groups of friends and families that relish the chance to blow each other into tiny pieces, is one of the game’s biggest draws. There is also a story mode in which a customised squadron of worms take the enemy to task across each of the planets on offer, and with five stages per world, has enough to keep single player action fun and engaging.

Worms: A Space Oddity takes place across six planets (Cavernia, Tenticlia, Frostal, Kaputzol, Mechanopolis and, of course, Earth), each with different environmental aspects, such as gravity, making for plenty of variation. The title also features customisable worms, whose uniforms and victory dances can be tailored to the player’s preference, as well as new weapons and the sort of humour that has become a trademark of the franchise.

A new swish-looking design is sure to win a few new fans, and the retention of familiar Worms gameplay will keep old fans happy too.