Best Games Like Worms: Top Turn-Based Artillery Games

Ever since Team17 launched Worms in 1995, the turn-based artillery genre has captivated players with its unique blend of ballistic physics, destructible terrain, and chaotic humor. This article highlights the best games that share the DNA of the original Worms, examining both modern titles and lightweight indie projects that capture the same strategic, trajectory-calculating gameplay.

What Makes an Artillery Game Like Worms?

The appeal of the original 1995 Worms lies in a few fundamental mechanics:

• Turn-Based Combat: Players take turns positioning units and lining up shots under a strict time limit.
• Destructible Terrain: Explosions carve away the 2D landscape, altering cover and creating environmental hazards like sudden drops into water.
• Physics-Driven Weaponry: Factors like wind speed, trajectory angles, and projectile weight directly determine shot accuracy.
• Wacky Arsenals: Combat goes beyond standard bazookas and grenades to include bizarre, unpredictable superweapons.

Top Games Like Worms (1995)

Hedgewars

Hedgewars is a completely free, open-source turn-based strategy game that serves as a direct spiritual successor to the classic Worms series. Players command teams of hedgehogs armed with an absurd array of weapons across dynamically generated, fully destructible landscapes. With extensive customization, robust cross-platform multiplayer, and classic 2D physics, it is one of the closest modern experiences to vintage Worms.

ShellShock Live

ShellShock Live translates the core artillery formula into a tank-based arena battler. While it foregoes character movement in favor of fixed tank positions, it elevates trajectory calculation and weapon variety to new heights. With hundreds of upgradable weapons, progression systems, and fast-paced online matches, it appeals to players who love the aiming mechanics and tactical prediction of Worms.

Maggots

For those seeking a fast, accessible experience directly in a web browser, Maggots offers a retro-inspired homage to the genre. It focuses directly on the core loop that made the 1995 original famous: navigating tight terrain, judging angles, and trading explosive shots in quick, readable matches without the need for heavy downloads or complex setups.

Liero

Often dubbed "Worms in real-time," Liero is a legendary 1998 Finnish freeware game. Instead of waiting for turns, players control digging worms simultaneously in frantic, subterranean deathmatches. While the real-time pace alters the strategic rhythm, the destructible dirt, ninja-rope swinging, and projectile physics make it an essential alternative for fans of the aesthetic.

Gunbound

A classic multiplayer online title, Gunbound combines the turn-based trajectory shooting of Worms with vehicle classes ("Mobiles") and role-playing elements. Wind direction, environmental moons, and avatar stats dictate the flow of battle, requiring precise mathematical estimation to land devastating long-range strikes.

Why the 1995 Formula Endures

The staying power of Worms and its peers comes down to the unpredictable nature of physics-based combat. A single poorly calculated grenade bounce can wipe out an ally, while a masterfully lofted bazooka shot against the wind can turn the tide of a match. Whether playing complex commercial successors or streamlined browser games like Maggots, the thrill of dynamic destruction remains timeless.