Bomberman 64: The Second Attack

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Bomberman 64: The Second Attack
Bomberman 64: The Second Attack box cover
Developer(s) Hudson Soft
Publisher(s) Vatical Entertainment
Release date(s) December 3, 1999 (JP)
May 28, 2000 (US)
Genre(s) Action
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: Everyone (E)
Platform(s) Nintendo 64

Bomberman 64: The Second Attack released in Japan as Baku Bomberman 2 (Explosive Bomberman 2) it's meaning in English is a video game sequel to Bomberman 64 released in 2000.

Contents

[edit] Gameplay

In many aspects, the game plays identical to Bomberman 64. There is no jumping, there are pump-able bombs, bomb kicking is possible and the player has the ability to remotely detonate bombs. However, as opposed to the circular explosions of the first Nintendo 64 titles, the explosions in The Second Attack are the traditional cross "+" shape, and is the explosion style for almost all the attribute bombs.

In addition to these, Second Attack brought many new features to the game as well, such as:

  • More bosses and levels
  • The ability to use the different element crystals with bombs to create certain element explosions
  • A space shop to buy more heart containers, multiplayer stages to fight on, and the move list of the next elemental astral knight to be fought
  • Hidden armor pieces that will allow Bomberman to kick bombs without needing the bomb kick item, the ability to pump bombs without the bomb pump item, and the ability to use remote bombs without need of the remote bomb item
  • Raise Pommy to become the ultimate fighting partner! You determine how to raise him by giving him different types of foods (fruits/vegetables, or meats). Pommy can also be played by a second human player with a second controller.

[edit] Story

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

In "The Second Attack'", Bomberman finds a mysterious egg and decides to take it with him while exploring space in his ship. One day, however, Bomberman's ship gets attacked and he wakes up to find himself in a jail. While in jail, the egg suddenly begins to hatch. The creature inside turns out to be a charabom named Pommy. With the help of Pommy, Bomberman is able to escape.

Bomberman learns there are some elemental crystals being collected by the evil Rukifellth, and the Astral Knights, that hold the current crystals. They are missing the fire crystal which Bomberman has. It's up to Bomberman and Pommy to stop the new evil and retrieve the crystals. Along the way, he meets Lilith, a girl apparently working toward the same goal he is. He meets her on many occasions.

Little does Bomberman know that one of the knights is none other than Regulus (now under the name Bulzeeb), who still hasn't forgotten their last battle and his vow to settle their differences once and for all.

[edit] The Astral Knights

Baelfael, Fire Knight. Orange/red, spiky hair. Fought on Alcatraz. Baelfael, is derived from either the devil Belphegor, the deity Bael or the term Baal with "fael" added for effect.

Behemos, Water Knight. Big, blue ice-bomber with a blaster. Fought on Aquanet. The name Behemos is derived from the Hebrew behemoth.

Ashtarth, Wind Knight. Green, looks a little like Baelfael. Fought on Horizon. The name Ashtart is a variation of the Goddess Astarte but could also derive from Astaroth, the Grand Duke of Hell or possibly the god Ashur (see Anshar).

Zhael, Lightning Knight. Purple/white, cat-looking. Fought on Starlight. Zhael's name is also derived from both the deity Bael and the term Baal (see also Hadad and Baal_(demon)).

Molok, Earth Knight. Brown, rocky hulking dude. Fought on Neverland. Molok's name is derived from the demon Moloch.

Zoniha, Light Knight. Yellow armor, feminine. Fought on Epikyur. It is not clear what her name is derived from, possibilities include the demons Zagan and Ziminar, the angels Zophiel (see Jophiel), Dumah and Pahaliah, the Incan goddess Zaramama.

Bulzeeb, Dark Knight. Black, visor over his face. Fought on Thantos. Actually Regulus from BM 64, come back for a rematch. The name Bulzeeb is derived from the god Beelzebub, and "Regulus" is derived from a star (Regulus), like all other characters of the original (but in Stregheria Regulus is also a fallen angel).

Rukifellth, Leader of the Knights. Blue hair, black hat. Wants to collect the elemental crystals. Name possibly derived from the Hindu demons Rakshasa or one of the terms Razakel, Rocketfellow or "ruckus/ragnarok fell".

[edit] Final Stage

Once Bomberman defeats most, if not all of the knights, the way opens to Warship Noah, the cause of the black hole and the HQ of the BHB army. Inside, he faces his toughest challenges, including fighting Lilith, now possessed by the goddess Mihaele (a female derivation of Michael (archangel)), Rukifellth, whom it is revealed has been possessed by the demon Sthertoth all along, and finally Sthertoth himself (name possibly derived from the greek demon Stheno or the gods Set and Thoth). One of two things happen after that, based on how many knights you defeated:

[edit] Normal Ending

Upon defeating Sthertoth, Mihaele tries to stop the demon, but is too weak and is destroyed along with Lilith's body. He grows powerful with nothing to stop him, and turns into the demon's true form, a huge, grotesque monster - Sthertoth, the God of Chaos. He plans to drape the universe in his darkness. After a difficult battle, Bomberman defeats the demon and sends it back into the void, restoring balance... Rukifellth and Lilith are once again their normal selves. However, the God of Chaos reappears, taking Rukifellth with him. He begins to destroy the Warship Noah. Bomberman, Pommy and Lilith attempt to escape, but Lilith decides to stay, as she can't leave Rukifellth behind. Bomberman and Pommy make it out in their ship. However, Rukifellth and Lilith are dead, along with Bulzeeb and the other Astral Knights. The credits roll as the ship flies in the starry background.

[edit] Good Ending

Bomberman defeats Sthertoth and Mihaele traps him, at which point she merges with him to become the creator of the universe, the Angel of Light and Darkness. The angel deems the universe too corrupt, and wants to destroy it and create a new one, and it is up to Bomberman to stop it. After a difficult battle, the angel decides that the universe is safe with a hero like Bomberman, and releases Lilith and Rukifellth from their trances. At the end, all of the Astral Knights return, as does Bulzeeb, who after insisting that his name is Regulus, promises Bomberman that their fight is not quite over, and Lilith and Rukifellth leave to travel the universe together, leaving Bomberman and Pommy to find a new adventure.

[edit] Canon ending?

Despite its dark nature, some fans actually believe that the Normal ending is the canon ending. If that was the case, it would explain why Bomberman and Pommy are the only characters from the game to ever appear in another Bomberman game. Even Regulus, who promised to meet Bomberman again for a rematch, has never been in another Bomberman game, not even as a cameo. However, if this were true, then the God of Chaos would still be alive, unless he himself was also destroyed with the Warship Noah. This has become a very debatable subject among Bomberman fans, as some believe the good ending occurs, not the normal, and that Hudson simply hasn't decided to reuse any characters from this game yet.

[edit] Trivia

  • The game description on the box says that Rukifellth tried to capture Planet Bomber even though that doesn't really happen nor does the planet even appear in the game.
  • This was the latest and, what seems like, only 3D Bomberman title which uses the classic "+" shaped explosions with the fire bombs (the other titles, like Bomberman 64, Hero, Generation, and Jetters use the circular explosions)
  • This is the first appearance of Pommy (Pumyu) in the Bomberman universe, and makes subsequent appearances (the original form and other forms) in Bomberman Max/Bomberman Max 2, Tournament, Generation, and Jetters.
  • This game gives an origin to the universe of Bomberman's world. The universe was created by an angel, but the angel split into a light and a dark entity, the dark side called upon forces to help it gain control while the light side made the seven elemental stones and warriors who could control them to fight off the dark side. The light side wins and the dark entity is sealed in an eight stone that is sent off never to be found again. The plot for the game starts when some finds the stone and upon touching it is possessed by the dark entity, the dark entity then brainwashes the warriors who helped the light entity to do his bidding (only Regulus resists) and sends them to find all seven elemental stones, once he has all seven he can free his true form from the stone his body is sealed in. At the beginning of the game the dark entity has collected 6 of the stones and the only one left is the fire stone which Bomberman has.
  • As compared to how most "Bomberman" games are light on story, Bomberman 64:The Second Attack has a long fleshed out storyline, much like the Bomberman Jetters anime.