Worms Confirmed for This Week's XBLA Release

The press release robot over at Microsoft has announced that Worms, the game everyone has been waiting for, is finally headed to the Xbox Live Arcade this week.  I can think of nothing more appealing or exciting than a bunch of slimy crawly things outfitted with cutting edge weapons, battling for control.  Earthworm Jim, anyone?  Worms promises to speak to a deep, rarely fulfilled need within the human psyche to connect with the things you use to catch fish.

I know that a new arcade title is nothing to laugh at, but it's at least a little funny that a strategy game involving worms could be such a pre-hit.  Best believe I'll be dowloading it as soon as it comes out.  I don't like anything turn-based - other than one bite of apple pie then one bite of ice cream then one bite of apple pie, and so on - but the game looks too funny and has too much hype around it to be ignored.

Worms have evolved and are taking no prisoners! Team17 Software Ltd. brings its popular “Worms” franchise to Xbox Live Arcade, delivering the first turn-based strategy game to the platform. “Worms” will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade beginning Wednesday, March 7 at 0800 GMT (1 a.m. PST).
 
“Worms” is a cleverly balanced turn-based strategy game in which teams of heavily armed worms battle across bizarre, randomly generated landscapes for supremacy. Each team takes turns picking off opposing team members using crazy weapons, tools and other utilities along with whatever foul strategies they can devise. The simple and cute appearance belies the deep strategy of a game that is easy to play but difficult to master.
 
“Worms” will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft® Points.
 
GAME FEATURES
·         A mix of strategy and arcade action that, although simple to understand, contains real depth and massive replayability
·         Turn-based multiplayer action for up to four players locally or over Xbox Live*
·         An assortment of game options:
o    Landscape on which to do battle
o    Turn and round times
o    Starting weapon arsenal for each team
·         Three detailed tutorials to introduce the mechanics to first-time players
·         Twenty increasingly difficult single-player challenges
·         Three graphical themes for play
·         A random landscape generator to ensure that no two landscapes are ever the same
·         Twenty-two weapons and utilities to deploy against your enemies
·         Many customizable elements, including what worms and teams are named, what worms say, and which gravestone they have when they die
·         High-definition visuals and many graphical improvements throughout the game
·         Twelve achievements
·         Weekly, monthly and overall leaderboards