Worm! - Atari 7800

I used to enjoy a similar game on my girlfriends Nokia phone many, many, MANY years ago. It's a simple idea that can be challenging and addictive, so I was hopeful for Worm on the 7800. Unfortunately this game has some severe control issues that keeps it from its true potential.
When controlling my Worm there is a definite delay between input and the movement on the screen, but that is in line with what I remember of other versions of the game. It forces you to plan ahead and be strategic. The issue is that the game doesn't recognize your inputs at all sometimes, causing you to collide with obstacles and die. If this didn't happen as often as it did, then I would've rated the game higher.
It's a shame because this game has that complexity and potential for fun that I wanted from Wasp. But I really don't think I can recommend it except to people like me who must own everything. I never want to dog on a homebrew because somebody absolutely worked hard on this one, but I can't lie about it either. You probably should pass unless your a collector.

This game is much better than the programmer's effort WASP! It's basically a take on the old flip phone Snake with a few variants. I would suggest naming games after cooler animals from now on. like PANTHER! or SEX PANTHER! or BLACK JAGUAR! Ya know?

This game may be extremely challenging but it still manages to be a lot of fun. If you can keep your worm alive for longer than a few minutes without hitting a poisonous mushroom (or your own tail), you are on your way to becoming an expert worm! Programmer Mark Ball's distinctively cute and detailed graphics never fail to impress me and I hope that he continues to program many more games for the Atari 7800 in this style because I really enjoy his graphical style a lot! I find the controls to be very responsive, but you have to keep in mind that each game has its own set of physics. In this game, you can’t go backwards, you can’t stop, and you can’t hit walls or mushrooms. Thankfully the game offers an “EASY” mode, which slows down the action a little bit, and that makes learning the game much easier. The only thing I wish this game offered is a way for your worm to shoot (or spit) at the mushrooms to make this disappear. 4 Joysticks for a fun and simple classic game!

Worm for the Atari 7800

Where to begin, Worm is a nice (but simple) take on the formula that was first used in the Arcade Game Snake. The Idea of the game is to go around and eat the flowers on the screen while avoiding dangerous obstacles suck as rocks and walls and interestingly enough your own body. Because each time you eat one of the flowers and other edible objects in the game your body will grow in length which in turn makes it harder for you to avoid the walls and rocks and also yourself as your progress though the levels. One thing that I like is that each time you play the game the levels are set up differently which in turn makes the replay valued of the game very very very high unlike most arcade games and home console games and computer games of the 1980’s and even today(for that matter). But if you like to have a game that is pick up and play but also at the same time it offers a good challenge and that is also easy to control I would definitely recommend this game.

Final Thoughts

This game is simple but also GREAT a definite 4.5 out of 5 stars. Happy Gaming :)

A unique take on the classic "Snake" formula that has appeared on a variety of platforms over the years, Worm builds on this concept by adding obstacles, different types of items, and various level designs to keep things interesting. It's a fun concept that I certainly enjoy, but there are a few things that work against this particular 7800 homebrew.

First and foremost, the game seems to have trouble recognizing inputs properly. I died countless times because my worm would not change directions when I wanted it to. At first I thought it may have been my stock 7800 joystick failing me, but after switching to my Euro controller as well as trying both of my Sega Genesis pads, I experienced the same results regardless.

My second complaint, a good bit less severe, is the randomized nature of the maps. Difficulty-wise, this trait can lead them to have an inconsistent feeling. Sometimes items are placed in favorable locations, whereas other times, items will appear in spots that are difficult to navigate on the same map. I am certainly one to appreciate a challenge, but I feel the game would have had a better balance had there been specific item layouts that gradually become trickier as one progresses through the game.

All in all, the game has a good bit going for it. The visuals work for the style of the game, and the classic concept is one that has aged well. However, control and balance issues really bring down what I would otherwise consider to be a three, possibly four, out of five homebrew.