Worms: Armageddon is a standalone expansion toWorms 2, introducing extensive improvements and additions over the original game, among which are:

• 16 new weapons and 6 new utilities, with some existing ones changed or rebalanced (3 were removed entirely)
• new singleplayer campaigns and challenges
• new gameplay schemes, some of which have to be unlocked through campaign missions (certain weapons are only available in some of these schemes)
• new menu interface, sounds, voice banks, and music
• new predefined maps
• expanded map editor, included voice bank editor (the latter is a separate application)
• teams can now have custom representative flags, victory anthems, and gravestones
• each team is assigned a special weapon of choice - Holy Hand Grenade, Flamethrower, Mad Cows, or Old Lady
• AI-controlled teams now have one of five difficulty settings
• jumping controls updated so worms can jump backwards and do backflips
• instead of selecting a worm at the start of each turn, this option is now regarded as a utility and usually has a limited number of uses
• new multiplayer options, including a more elaborate WormNET lobby

Like the previousWorms installments, the game is an artillery variant. The player give an artillery piece a shot angle and shot power, and try to hit the opponent, taking into account wind effects. The player and the opponent exchange these shots in a turn-based fashion. The game puts the player in command of a team of up to eight worms, which can move around the landscape (one at a time), using many types of weapons to try to dispatch the enemy, from bazookas to mini-guns to exploding sheep. In some situations, the worms can also jump, swing by rope, and descend with a parachute.

As of 2002, updates have been handled by an authorized community member named Deadcode, who was joined in 2006 by CyberShadow. The two have removed many bugs and glitches, improved game stability and compatibility for Windows operating systems that have been released along the way, added new features (more resolutions, expanded options and settings, auto-recorded match replays, full PNG support for map importing...) and integrated WormKit, an extension framework for the game which allows for easier modding. These updates have been available from Team17's servers and are included by default in subsequent digital releases.

Cancelled ports

The development of a port for the BeOS operating system was started byWildcard Design, a closed beta test happened but the port was never officially released due to the company's bankruptcy. However, since then, this beta has been circulating on the Internet.

A version for the Macintosh was going to be done byMacSoft in 2000, but was ultimately cancelled.

Development

Worms: Armageddon was at first intended to be an add-on forWorms 2, but it ended up having so much new content that in 1998 Team17 decided they would make it as a stand-alone game and improved the engine.

It was originally to be titledWormageddon, but was changed to avoid confusion with theCarmageddon series.

Main menu Easter eggs

When played on the 17th day of any month, listen to the Wormsong when running the game. A smiley face will appear randomly for a moment with a boing sound where the nuke symbol is.

Also, when played on Christmas Day (25 December), the menus will not show stars, but snowballs, and all randomly generated maps will have the Christmas theme by default.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack for this game was released in 1999, and also composed byBjørn Lynne. Though it only consists from 4 tracks, its playtime is 25 minutes.

Tracklist:

1. Worms: Armageddon - Original Mix
2. Worms: Armageddon - Boggy B Psycho Mix
3. Worms: Armageddon - Extended Angry Scots Mix
4. Bonus Track: After the War - The Homecoming

Wormsong

LikeWorms,Worms Armageddon featured a Wormsong (theme song), titled "Wormsong '98". This time, there is no chorus. The normal version is played in the main menu, while a different version spoken in a mock Scottish version is played after a match. Here are its lyrics:

Many moons have passed since the worms went to war.
Onwards and upwards, bigger weapons than before.
Boggy B took cover, he shivered on patrol.
The arms race crazy, simply way out of control.

Then his friend threw it, the latest device.
Boggy B went and got it, against all advice - "What the...?" (boom)
His tail was split, and his energy lost.
How many more will this dreaded war cost?

Then came the nuke, and the disease tumbling down.
If the bug didn't get to you, you'd probably drown.
But the worms battled on, through hunger and pain.
Living to fight, just to victor again.

And now it's the curtain call, the final onslaught,
no better bullet could you possibly have bought.
But spare a thought for Boggy and with it his friend.
So fight with their honour, and fight until the end!

Awards

• Electronic Gaming Monthly
  • January 2000 - Game of the Month (PlayStation version)
• PC Gamer Magazine
  • April 2005 - 50 Best Games of All Time - #47

Information also contributed byMAT,Adam Baratz,JL3001,PCGamer77,Scaryfun,BlaringCoder andcompleter90

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