My Played Video Games Review: Super Bomberman for the Super Nintendo

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Super Bomberman is an action maze game and part of the Bomberman series. Released for the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom console by Hudson Soft of Japan in 1993. It was the first in the series to be released in Europe under the Bomberman title instead of being called Dynablaster.

Super Bomberman is a landmark game for the Super NES. It was the first four-player head-to-head game released on the system, sparking the attention and interest of developers and gamers alike in multiplayer home titles and taking the gaming industry by storm during the early 1990s.

Japan only box cover art (Image source)

The Story

Kaboom! Start the fun with Super Bomberman! Invite friends and family to join the explosive action!

Two Game Modes: Multiplayer Mode: With the Super Multitap accessory, up to four people can play at once. The goal is simple: drop bombs and avoid explosions! The last one standing wins.

Two-Player Mode: Without the Super Multitap, you and a friend can play through six stages of action. Fight through monsters and machines to free Diamond City.

Box, manual and cartridge of the game. (Image source)

The Graphics and Sound

The game looks great. Each set of four rooms has a unique and colorful theme, with everything fully animated. Enemies and bosses are distinct and match the themes of their stages. There are many small details that become noticeable after a few playthroughs. However, despite the appealing design, the graphic quality isn't top-notch. Some late NES games have better clarity. So, while the visuals are good, they aren't perfect.

The game's weakest aspect is the sound. The music fits well but isn't memorable. Sound effects are decent but not outstanding. You could mute the game without missing much.

Gameplay video sample of Super Bomberman in 4 player battle mode on the SNES. Watch in 360p for near TV resolution of that time.

The Gameplay

In Super Bomberman, simplicity is key. You navigate rooms filled with obstacles and enemies, dropping bombs to clear your path. The goal is to find a door leading to the next room, but you must defeat all enemies first. Each room has a time limit, and enemies have unique attack patterns and methods of defeat. Strategy is essential to clear rooms quickly. Various power-ups, such as stronger bombs, detonators, and the ability to kick bombs, are hidden in the rooms. The rooms are laid out in a square grid, and you can see the entire map at once, making the game more strategic. Controls are intuitive, and the gameplay is fast-paced and addictive.

Super Bomberman introduces boss fights, adding variety to the gameplay. There are six stages, each with eight rooms, and the final room of each stage contains a boss. One stage is set up as an arena where Bomberman fights eight clones, each with different abilities, further enhancing the game's variety.

The game is generally easy, but the final boss is much harder, which can feel unfair given the overall low difficulty of the rest of the game. Another drawback is the game's length. It's relatively short and can be completed in about two hours. This kind of game length can leave players wanting more, as the game has the potential to be highly addictive but ends too quickly.

Each room in in the game is different every time you play, ensuring the game is never exactly the same twice. This randomness, combined with the game's short but fun nature, gives it high replay value. Additionally, Super Bomberman has one of the best multiplayer modes on the SNES. Beyond its strong single-player game, it offers hours of enjoyment for head-to-head group play, making it a great choice for both solo and multiplayer sessions.

My Verdict

Super Bomberman is a highly enjoyable and entertaining game with one major flaw: its short length. However, the excellent multiplayer mode and the ever-changing gameplay make this a minor issue.

Play it on the highly regarded Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on a proven emulator.

Let's keep on gaming in the free world!