We’ve been all over Worms recently with news of the new board game and the 25th anniversary of Worms Armageddon which we’re excited to be playing for this review. This latest release is a collaboration between original publisher Team 17 and retro masters Digital Eclipse. We are reviewing the Switch version with Xbox and PlayStation ports also available.

The bottom line is Worms Armageddon is still just as fun to play as it ever was. It was also a killer multiplayer game when it was first released and there will be many gamers with fond memories of dropping concrete donkeys and holy hand grenades on their friends.

To get into some of the details of this release, the core gameplay has been kept identical with just a wider screen, tighter controls and a few other quality-of-life improvements to drag it into a modern gaming world. Nothing from the original gameplay has been spoilt, there are no new gimmicks, or making missions easier. This is the original Worms Armageddon game with a few modern tweaks.

The real differences are Digital Eclipes’ attention to detail in bringing a complete package that not only tweaks the game without spoiling it but gives you a history of Worms told through videos, mini-articles and development material. Seeing Worms creator Andy Davidson talk with such pleasure about how Worms came to be and how it still means so much to him is almost as delightful as prodding our mate off a cliff.

Digital Eclipse has also included a bonus game, the Game Bioy version of Armageddon. While this is fairly difficult to play today and feels more like an interesting curio, it’s still fascinating to compare this accomplished handheld title with its PC Big Brother. The Game Boy version feels perfectly emulated and just adds to the overall rich history this brilliant package is curating.

There is also a stable online mode where we can get into a match with a random stranger very quickly. This is a huge bonus as the original release had WormsNET that kept us busy for months on end back in the day. We tried about ten matches for this review and only had some issues with one of them. And of course, there is local multiplayer with all kinds of modes to get in on your wormage.

Those who enjoy a single-player experience have all the missions from before, which are just as hard as before. Trying to get all the training and extra missions complete is not for the weaker worms. There is also a barrage of modes from quick matches to team play. There is also the option to customise almost anything in the game. You can create your own teams, balance weapon powers and change worm health among a host of other options.

What it all boils down to is a massive amount of fun with a large amount of ways to have it. The fun of Worms will never wain, it is simply one of the most playable games of all time and anyone can enjoy it. If we’re being hypercritical, it would’ve been great to have a few other Worms games included, especially the original Amiga titles, but Armageddon encapsulates everything brilliant about multiplayer gameplay. A must-buy in our bookworm.