References to other media

The purpose of this page is to reunite all the references and parodies to other types of midia that can be found in Worms games.

Worms games

Weapons

1. Regarding Holy Hand Grenade:
   1. It is a reference to Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail, where it was used to destroy the deadly "white rabbit with teeth". The 3 second timer was also mentioned in the film.
   2. It has a sound-effect reminiscent of the Hallelujah chorus from Handel's Messiah.
2. Salvation Army is the name of a charitable organization.
3. "MB" from MB Bomb stands for Martyn Brown (also known as "Spadge"), former head of development and production at Team17 Software. The bomb is a graphical representation of the man.
4. The French Anthem (known as La Marseillaise) plays on the background while firing French Sheep Strike.
5. Regarding Mike's Carpet Bomb:
   1. The weapon is a skit on military carpet bombing, which is the dropping of a large quantity of small bombs over a wide area to create a "carpet" of destruction.
   2. It is named after Mike's Carpets, a longstanding carpet-retail business in Yorkshire.
6. Mad Cows is the name of a disease.
7. Concrete Donkey is based on a concrete donkey statue located on Bournemouth, England.
8. Fire Punch probably homages to Street Fighter's Shoryuken (Dragon Punch). Some of the default soundbanks actually have worms saying "Shoryuken!" when using this weapon.
9. Dragonball probably homages to Hadouken (Fireball). Some of the default soundbanks actually have worms saying "Hadouken!" when using this weapon. The name of the weapon can also be a reference to Dragon Ball which also has an energy ball called Kamehameha.

Sounds

1. Many of the sounds present in Worms games are very similar, if not the same as the ones used in Spy vs. Spy, like in this video.
2. The fanfare named "Tarzan" (present in WA and WWP) is probably based on the character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1912.

Schemes

1. The name of the scheme Clockworm Orange (included in the console versions of Worms Armageddon and Worms World Party) is probably a reference to A Clockwork Orange, either the novel or the film.

Worms names

1. The Deathmatch CPU worms names (WA and WWP) probably have references to:
   1. UK politicians: Margaret Thatcher (Maggie T or Thatcher) and Tony Blair (Tony Blair or Blair)

Playstyles

1. The two main playstyles of "Lightsiding" and "Darksiding" probably reference Star Wars. The styles seem inverted: in Star Wars, Light Side fighting is mainly defensive, while in Worms, Lightsiding is offensive; with the Dark Side seeming vice versa. However, what the two Dark Sides have in common is that they engage in tactics that can be seen as sneaky/cowardly. So, in Worms, Light vs Dark is more of a case of overt versus covert.

Worms DC only

Weapons

1. Regarding Nuclear Bomb, the French national anthem (La Marseillaise) is actually sampled from the opening of The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love", and plays before the water level raises. The actual "deployment" of the Nuke interrupts the piece.
2. Regarding the weapon Sheep-on-a-Rope:
   1. The name "Sheep-on-a-Rope" may derive from an old joke about what elephants use as tampons.
   2. It physically changes in appearance if you use the Monkey Mode cheat, becoming Kenny-på-ett-Rep (lit. "Kenny-on-a-Rope"), named for Kenny Magnusson, one of the artists in the game. The icon for the weapon on the Weapons Panel becomes an image of Kenny, and the Sheep sprite is replaced with a small man in a green top.

Worms 2 only

Weapons

1. Cloned Sheep is probably a reference to Dolly, the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell.

Cutscenes

1. The cutscenes of Worms 2 were potentially inspired by Spy vs. Spy, since they are short, humored, catoony, with weapons and enemies.

Worms Armageddon only

Weapons and utilities

1. The Worms Armageddon english description of Mortar, "Shrapnel City" is the name of a fictional city in the Duke Nukem universe, the first episode of the original Duke Nukem game and the third episode of Duke Nukem 3D. Note that the Ionizing radiation symbol is iconic to Worms Armageddon and Duke Nukem games.
2. The english description of the Handgun "Come on, make my day." parodies a phrase said in the scene of the film Sudden Impact: "Go ahead, make my day"
3. The english description of Napalm is "Apocalypse Now!" (the name of a film directed by Francis Ford Coppola).
4. The English description of Mail Strike in Worms Armageddon alludes to the working class: "Mail Strike - Ultimate tool of the disgruntled postal worker."
5. The english Super Banana Bomb description "Your produce alone was well worth the trip" is a reference to phrase said in a scene of the movie K-PAX.
6. The english description of Flame Thrower is a verse from the chorus of the single Light My Fire by the American rock band The Doors: "Come on baby, light my fire!".
7. The english description of Armageddon is "And the meek shall inherit... nothing." which is almost the same name of a Frank Zappa song: "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing".
8. When editing the properties of the Magic Bullet (ammo, delay, etc.) the description at the bottom will read "Patsy's Magic Bullet - Not a conspiracy after all..." This is a possible nod to the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
9. The description of Damage x2 "Twice the -cide, double the moul." is a parody of a phrase said on a scene of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith: "Twice the pride, double the fall".

Missions

1. 2nd mission, Operation Market Garden, is the name of a military operation during the Second World War.
2. Agent Dennis from mission 18, Rescue Agent Dennis, is probably based on the head of the Team17 Design department, John Dennis.
3. Mission 16, Trouble on Mount Wormore, is probably a reference to Mount Rushmore, located in the USA.

Flags

1. The 42 flag is probably based on a phrase from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

Worms names

1. The Deathmatch CPU worms names probably have references to:
   1. UK public figures:
      1. British royal family members: Elizabeth II (The Queen), Charles III (Prince Charles), Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (Queen Mum), Henry VIII (Henry 8th).
      2. British comedian: Bob Monkhouse
      3. Scottish football players/managers: George Graham and Alex Ferguson
      4. English singers: Vera Lynn and Melanie C (Spotty Spice)
   2. The video game franchises: The Legend of Zelda (or its princess) and Prince of Persia.

Worms World Party only

Missions

1. The name of mission 5, It's Raining Mines, Hallelujah, is probably a reference to the song It's Raining Men by The Weather Girls
2. The name of mission 13, Stairway to Armageddon, is probably a reference to the song Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin.

Worms names

1. The Deathmatch CPU worms names probably have references to:
   1. UK ministers: Harold Macmillan (Macmillan), John Major (Major), James Callaghan (Callaghan), Harold Wilson (Wilson), Edward Heath (Heath) and Winston Churchill (Churchill).