If you’re a fan of strategy-based games that involve weapons and invertebrates, then Worms [iTunes link] for iPhone and iPod touch might just be for you. Engage in a virtual world where two teams of worms battle each other to emerge as the victor. What the Worms are battling for, possibly for fame or fortune, we’ll never know. In this turn-based game, each team has a set amount of time to either retreat (move a team member to safety), or fire a weapon to damage the other team. There are 26 weapons that can be used, but many require unlocks before you can use them.

The game is actually a port of the original Worms game that has been around since 1995, and it does a good job of integrating controls into the iPhone. You can zoom in by pinching, pan around with two fingers, and control a target with one finger. The game play seems natural on the iPhone, but the levels seem too large for such a small screen. We often ended up panning around too much during gameplay, which made for an awkward experience.

Worms includes six cartoon environments, with battlefields generated from those environments. The developer claims “No two games are the same.” You can extend the game play with up to four other human players. Online or "ad-hoc" game play through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is not available, leaving multiplayer matches on the same device. The developer mentions that 3.0 features will be coming soon, and we can only hope that means true multiplayer matches as well. Overall, this game is solid, and will undoubtedly provide hours of amusement. 

 

Controls for iPhone are solid, and the gameplay is facinating. Overall Worms is a good value.

Worms 1.0
COMPANY: Team17 Software Ltd.
CONTACT: www.team17.com
PRICE: $4.99
REQUIREMENTS: iPhone or iPod touch with OS 2.2.1 or higher
Good graphics, great iPhone-specific controls with gestures
No online or ad-hoc multiplayer, panning and zooming used too much