Worms

1001 Video Games

Worms appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

Development

The first prototype of Worms, called "Total Wormage", was developed by Andy Davidson in 1994 as part of a Blitz Basic programming competition in the magazine Amiga Format. The entry did not win the competition, and after sending the game to several publishers he finally struck a deal at the European Computer Trade Show to develop and publish the game with Team 17.

Sound

Replacement sounds were made available shortly after the release of Worms that include dialects like Scottish, Finnish, British, etc.

Tribute

Andy Davidson was a huge fan of Hired Guns game by DMA Design. Banana gun used in Worms is a tribute and was inspired by Banana Bomb from Hired Guns.

Wormsong

While the game is in demonstration mode, an original song known as the "Wormsong" is played. It quickly became famous among the fans of the game, and has been declined in all the Worms games to date. Here are the Wormsong lyrics:

This is a story of courage, honour and worms.

War had cast a shadow over their once peaceful land,

gunfire filled the air, as worm turned against worm.

Where so many had fallen, others knew they must follow.

For one such worm, this day had alredy come,

when he was two, his father had left, never to return.

Three years he had waited for his chance to fight,

three years of training, both day and night.

And though he was scared as he set off for battle,

he knew in his heart that it was something he must do.

Three inches tall, and armed to the teeth,

a fine soldier he made, and his name was Boggy B.

[Chorus]:

We are worms, we're the best, and we've come to win the war

We'll stand, we'll never run, stay until it's done

Though our friends may fall, and our world be blown apart

We'll strike with all our might, We'll fight for what is right

till the end.

Scrambling up a hill and hiding behind a tree,

he looked at the battle that raged below.

It was there he saw his friend Spadge, stood upon a bridge

but another worm had also seen him, and aimed to have him dead

Boggy called to Spadge, but Spadge didn't hear,

he never knew what hit him, as he flew into the air.

It was all to much for Boggy, as he watched his best friend die.

Charging down the hill he had to have revenge,

What had Spadge done to come to such an end?

Reaching the bottom of the hill, Boggy suddenly heard a click

he realised to is terror there was a mine under his tail!

[Chorus]

We are worms, we're the best, and we've come to win the war

We'll stand, we'll never run, stay until it's done

Though our friends may fall, and our world be blown apart

We'll strike with all our might, We'll fight for what is right

till the end.

Hitting several cliffs and landing in a tree,

Boggy pulled himself together, there was much he had to do.

Spotting the enemy down below, he knew this was his chance.

Boggy grabbed a stick of dynamite and dropped it on his head.

The enemy, he tried to run, but all he could really do was squirm.

As the fuse ran out there was a mighty *BANG*!, and everywhere were bits of worm.

With their leader blown to kingdom come, the enemy, they turned and ran!

Boggy bungeed from the tree and landed safely on the ground.

As he watched the enemy squirm away, the cry went up: "WE'VE WON THE WAR!"

[Chorus]

Awards

• Electronic Gaming Monthly

• March 1997 (Issue 92) - Strategy Game of the Year runner-up (PlayStation / Saturn version)

• GameStar (Germany)

  • Issue 12/1999 - #55 in the "100 Most Important PC Games of the Nineties" ranking
• Retro Gamer
  • September 2004 (Issue #8) – #60 Best Game Of All Time (Readers' Vote)

Information also contributed by Cochonou