The Firing Line: 5 questions for Team17 on Worms 3
How do they hold their guns?
Worms 3 is the latest instalment in Team17's venerable invertebrate battler franchise.
It's a slick and polished production in which the UK-based studio both trades on nostalgia and introduces some new ideas and concepts to the turn-based blasting series.
At review, we gave the game a Silver Award. We said that Worms 3 is "a Worms game through and through - a proud showcase of nearly two decades of iteration and ridiculous bombs".
We've just had the chance to catch up with Worms 3 lead designer Grant Towell to talk about the new additions to the series and how you can get the most out of your Worms 3 experience.
Pocket Gamer: First up, could you give us a brief guide to Worms and Worms 3 for the uninitiated?Grant Towell: Well, it's turn-based action-strategy infused with a big slice of cartoon violence and lashings of humour.
Worms 3 is the latest mobile instalment in the series and it's absolutely jam-packed with features to keep the most hardened fans and new players entertained for a long, long time.
Just to run through a few of them...
Multiplayer-wise, we have the improved Pass 'n' Play mode. We've incorporated AirPlay support into this multiplayer mode, you see, so you get the network game feel of Worms but it's in your front room.
All of the important game information, such as your inventory and what you've collected in crates, is only visible to the player in control. None of your friends will see this information displayed on the big screen.
Then, there's online multiplayer. Worms 3 is fully asynchronous, meaning you can have multiple games on the go and take your turn when you get the chance to without committing fully to a game once it's commenced.
In addition to the aforementioned multiplayer modes, we've got a very thorough single-player experience.
Why release Worms 3 on mobile first?It's been too long a wait since Worms 2: Armageddon on mobile, so we thought it was the right time.
It wasn't a snap decision - we had many, many discussions about the features and additions that should be included in this sequel.
The biggest changes in the game are probably the card system and the squad roles. What made you decide to put these in?Ah, yes. The playing cards bring a whole new level of strategy to Worms and are relevant across all game modes.
Put simply, more victories mean more coins. And, yes, more coins mean more card packs. So, get practising.
We saw the potential in such an idea and really wanted to bring something fresh and exciting to the game. We think that's exactly what we've done.
I can't wait to see what crazy combinations people use online to try and gain the upper hand over their opponents.
As for the classes, well, they were incredibly well received in Worms Revolution. So, we decided to implement them in Worms 3, not least because they complement the playing card element well.
A player's team can now be made up of four different classes of worm. Each one looks visually distinct and has different physical attributes, strengths, and weaknesses.
What was the most difficult part of the game to get right during development?On the whole, it was a relatively smooth development process. But if I was to pick out an element that took the most time to balance properly, I would probably say it was the playing card system.
With that in mind, we're confident the card system works exactly as intended.
Lastly, what's the best tip you could give to someone who's picking up a Worms game for the first time with Worms 3?Firstly, I'd suggest brushing up on the basics. There are tutorials waiting for you if you're a bit rusty. Or you can skip those and maybe tackle a couple of the Campaigns instead.
Just make sure you're at ease with everything before going online. Earn some coins, buy a few card packs, and then choose wisely before going into battle.
