VIDEO GAME REVIEW

Exploding the membrane

Think of them as brute lemmings, twisted, demented versions of the cute Dr. Suess creations that no one ever expected. They are worms – vicious, volatile and angry. With Infogrames’ release of Worms: Armageddon, these armed-to-the-teeth membranes come in two very different editions – the desktop version for Nintendo 64, and the portable, inexpensive and highly addictive Game Boy Color.

At least on the exterior, there aren’t many differences between these almost identical twins. Each cartridge supplies mass weaponry, from the primitive – a double-barreled shotgun – to the extremes of launching a herd of explosive super sheep at your opponent. More than four dozen various landscapes provide the bloody battleground for your worm army. Both are nearly equal in the graphics department – that is, the joy of the game does not originate in cinematics, but in cartoon violence and unearthly strategy.

But branded on the larger, choppier N64 transfer are 44 different missions. Game Boy only offers random scenarios, while its grounded predecessor pits your clan of squirming masses in, sort of, a quasi-story line. There isn’t much difference here, anyway, only that the player actually gets a feeling of accomplishment after all the levels have been conquered.

The N64 version does have its downfalls. Weapons such as the ninja rope are difficult to use with the bulky, arcade-style joystick of the system. Game Boy just deletes the rope completely and compensates with a jet pack, allowing worms to propel themselves around battlegrounds with ease. An added option for portable junkies is the Worms pass-around feature. Rather than demanding that each gamer have a separate Game Boy, once your turn is over, simply toss it to your chum for a quick skirmish.

Just one suggestion: Don’t torture yourself with the horrible sound that echoes from the Game Boy’s speakers. Merely slide the volume control down, hunker back on your easy chair and indulge in the challenge of worm-vs.-worm combat.

Jon M. Gibson writes about video games for Metro Times.