Worms: Open Warfare 2

Worms: Open Warfare 2 was released in 2007 for the Nintendo DS as well, but unlike the PSP release, this version wasn't developed by Team17 but by the Dutch studio Two Tribes. A different development team left its mark on a different take on the controls and the overall feel of the game – the DS version leans more heavily on stylus touch controls, with which the player sets the power and angle of a shot directly on the bottom screen, while the top screen serves purely to show what's happening on the battlefield.

The different approach to controls changes the pace of battles: while the PSP version relies on an analog stick and buttons similar to the console entries in the series, the DS version forces the player to think in touch-screen coordinates, which some will find more appealing and others less so. The graphical style and basic weapon set stay true to the series, but the lower resolution and different UI layout give the DS version its own distinct look compared to its sister release. Menus and weapon selection are adapted to touch controls, so browsing feels different than on PSP, where buttons and a stick are used.

Multiplayer on DS again allows several players to play with just a single copy of the game thanks to data sharing between consoles, making it a practical choice for a group of friends who didn't each buy their own copy. For families or groups at camp, a single cartridge and a few Nintendo DS consoles are enough.

The new weapon set and game modes from the sequel carried over to DS without any change in content, so the difference compared to the PSP version remains purely in the controls and technical execution, not in what the game offers to try out. That makes both versions equal in content but different in feel, releases of the same sequel that, moreover, still play well today both on emulators and on original hardware.

For players who knew the first game on DS, Open Warfare 2 is a straightforward continuation without any change to the basic control philosophy – anyone who got used to the stylus the first time around will adjust to the second game instantly, just with more content to explore.

Why play it: The DS version of Open Warfare 2 will appeal to players who are comfortable with stylus and touch-screen controls and who want to play with friends without everyone having to buy their own cartridge.