Games are so prevalent nowadays. There are games for the hardcore and competitive types, and then there are games for the casual crowd. But more recently, I’ve seen a trend where developers have been incorporating both competitive and casual elements into their games - the best of both worlds.

As an avid gamer, it’s always nice to see something that comes out of nowhere and blasts you into the past with a large dose of nostalgia. Worms is one of those games that has been loved for many years - so much so that it’s been cloned a bunch of times. Today, I’ll be showing you HedgeWars, a comedic remake of Worms that keeps the strategy intact but injects a nice touch of fun and playfulness.

System Requirements

HedgeWars is rather impressive with the number of platforms that it supports. Usually, games are confined to Windows with Linux and Mac support being a luxury. HedgeWars natively supports Windows, Mac, Fedora, ArchLinux, Debian/Ubuntu, and FreeBSD. But on top of that, it also has mobile support for the iPhone and Android.

worms game

The game is not resource heavy at all so the actual specifications of your device won’t really matter much. Plus, the gameplay is turn-based and the graphics are 2D, so even if your device is terribly outdated, you’ll still be able to enjoy the game.

Gameplay

Have you ever played GunBound? Or Fortress 2? Or Worms Armageddon? Then you’ll feel right at home playing Hedgewars.

worms games

The gameplay revolves around tiny little hedgehogs on a sidescrolling map. Each hedgehog is equipped with an arsenal of different weapons that can be aimed in a number of ways: some require using a targeting reticule, others require a point-and-click with the mouse.

In Hedgewars, aiming is everything. You launch your bazooka rocket into the air and it will be affected by gravity and wind. The goal is to use physics to your advantage so that you hit your enemies. Some weapons will explode, which will remove chunks of land from the game. If you walk where there’s no land, you’ll fall into an endless void and die.

worms games

One thing that impresses me an awful lot with Hedgewars is the sheer number of available weapons. The developers didn’t end with the traditional bazooka, grenades, and grappling hook. They’ve added lots of goodies: Molotov cocktails, digging tools, airstrikes, homing bombs, teleports, and more!

And there is one more unique point to Hedgewars that separates it from all the other Worms clones (at least to my knowledge). Instead of controlling a single character, you control a team of hedgehogs. Depending on the game settings, you can play with 8 other players all controlling teams of 1 OR you can play with 1 other friend using teams of 8 hedgehogs. This means that no matter how many people are playing, the fun and chaos will always be present.

Interface

Though the game is immensely fun to play and a blast for all types of gamers, the interface is sorely lacking. To be sure, there are a lot of customization options available for you so that you can tailor your gaming experience according to your preferences--but aesthetically, the Hedgewars yellow interface is just plain ugly.

worms games

The poor interface might be a result of playing on a resolution of 800x600. It might not look so bad if I were using a bigger screen. However, I have a feeling it wouldn’t be too much better.

Features

worms game

For a freeware game, Hedgewars is definitely worth its value. There are some free games out there that aren’t even worth their price tag, but the developers of Hedgewars have outdone themselves in terms of fun.

Here are some other features you can expect from this game:

  • Supports up to 8 players in a game.
  • Supports local and networked multiplayers.
  • Play on predesigned or randomly generated maps with over 22 environments.
  • Have fun with over 18 different game modes, including Capture the Flag, Deathmatch, Basketball, and more!
  • Contribute to the community by creating your own custom maps, costumes, and artwork.

Let us know in the comments below what you think of it.