Worms is a combat game with a twist. Worms are an elite force of bazooka toting banana bomber earthworms. In Worms, your goal is to destroy all other Worm teams, You cannot help but laugh at the gibbering of the commando worms as you destroy the enemy. Picking the right weapon will aid you in defeating the enemy, however the variety of weapons gives any player such a good laugh that losing can be half the fun. Worms is a classic, and I will never tire of it, and Worms 4: Mayhem brings their incessant chatter and wild weapons to a new generation of gamers.

My 11-year-old son has an easier time with 3D combat games than I do, and Worms 4 is no exception. I have a lot of problems trying to figure out how to get to things, however he is a power gamer already, and has no problems taking the controller from me and showing me what I am missing.

When you begin the game, you have the option of building your own Worm team. The team is very customizable, and we’ve each made our own teams. You can choose a hat, facial accessories, gloves and a number of other things. Each Worms team has its own music and flag as well.

You can play a one-player game, or up to a four-player game. Everyone shares the same controller. I find this to be a drawback, but I do not mind working with it. When playing multiplayer, you play against one another in different scenarios, trying to destroy the other team using everything from bazookas to kittens. In multiplayer mode you can use the Wormpot to change the gameplay for everyone. This adds a lot of variety to your games.

In a single-player game you can play in Story Mode or in Quick Game against the computer. The tutorial is very helpful in getting started, and I advise everyone to play it once. In Story Mode you are on a field trip in a time machine, however as a Worm’s luck would have it, your professor has broken the time machine, and you have to travel from place to place to find everything you need to repair it and return home.

When you accomplish your missions you will receive coins. There are several things you can buy with the coins. You can buy new game maps so that new areas are available to your team. Game styles are available for purchase. You can even buy new accessories for your ever-fashion-conscious worms. You can use these to upgrade your weapons, or develop new ones. Developing new weapons is a lot of fun. The options that you have as you gain more experience and money are humorous.

The 3D environment really adds to the gameplay. The puzzles can be more complicated, and the combat is more wild and crazy than ever. For anyone who enjoyed the earlier 2D Worms games this is a huge leap into something new but exciting. For newcomers to Worms, they are always good for a laugh with friends or family. Worms is a lot like getting zapped into a cartoon. The only thing missing is a safe to drop on your antagonist’s head.