Bomberman

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Bomberman
Bomberman cover
Developer(s) Hudson Soft
Publisher(s) Hudson Soft ,
Sinclair Research Ltd. (Spectrum, UK) ,
Paraninfo Soft (Spectrum, Spain),
Nintendo (Game Boy Advance)
Platform(s) MSX, ZX Spectrum, NEC PC-6001, NEC PC-8801, Sharp MZ-700, FM-7, Famicom/NES, Famicom Disk System, Game Boy Advance
Release date 1983 (MSX, ZX Spectrum, FM-7, PC-6001/8801, Sharp MZ-700)
JPN December 19, 1985 (Famicom)
NA 1987 (NES)
JPN April 2, 1990 (Famicom Disk System)
2004 (Game Boy Advance)
Genre(s) Arcade/Maze/Strategy
Mode(s) Single player, Multiplayer on newer versions.
Rating(s) ESRB: E (Everyone) (GBA, Wii)
Media Audio cassette, 320 kB cartridge
Input methods Keyboard/joystick (MSX, ZX Spectrum)
Famicom/NES controller (NES)

Bomberman (ボンバーマン Bonbāman?) is an arcade-style maze-based video game developed by Hudson Soft. It was first released in 1983 for the MSX, NEC PC-8801, NEC PC-6001, Sharp MZ-700 and FM-7 in Japan, and for the ZX Spectrum in Europe (under the English language title Eric and the Floaters, Spanish Don Pepe Y Los Globos). Bomberman spawned the long-running series with many installments building on its basic gameplay.

Contents

[edit] Story

The original Bomberman is a robot forced to work at a bomb factory. He is the best bomb maker there. Bomberman starts growing bored of making bombs in a factory day in and day out. He hears a rumor that any Bomberman that makes it from the underground factory gets a wish. Bomberman, desperate to escape his job, sets out on a journey to the surface and to turn Bombermen into human bombermen, using his wish. The only thing standing in his way is the factory security guards who will do anything to keep the factory working.

[edit] Gameplay

Bomberman in action on the NES.
Bomberman in action on the NES.

The eponymous character, Bomberman, is a robot that wants to be free from his job at an underground bomb factory. He must find his way through a maze while avoiding enemies. Doors leading to further maze rooms are found under rocks, which Bomberman must destroy with bombs. There are items that can help improve Bomberman's bombs, such as the Fire ability, which improves the blast range of his bombs. Bomberman will turn human when he escapes and reaches the surface. Each game has 50 levels in total. ha HA

Bomberman in action on the mobile version.
Bomberman in action on the mobile version.

The game was subsequently ported to the Famicom and released in Japan on December 20, 1985, arriving for the U.S. Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987. This version would later define Bomberman's more famous design, a robotic anime-like character with a pink antenna. In 2004, this version of Bomberman was re-released for the Game Boy Advance, part of the Classic NES Series. There are two additional MSX games, Bomberman 3D and Bomberman Special, both released only in Japan (in 1984 and 1986 respectively). Bomberman Special is based on the NES game. The NES had its own sequel, Bomberman II, in 1991. The game Bomberman World was released for Playstation and PC in 1998. More recently Bomberman has been released on the Xbox 360 through the Xbox Live Arcade Service. This latest Bomberman game called Bomberman Live features play against up to 8 people both locally and over the Internet.

Nowadays Bomberman also exists on mobile phones. Across Europe you can find many different versions of these games such as Bomberman Deluxe, Bomberman Kart and even a Bomberman 3D. With the increasing development of new technology on mobile, Bomberman games became better and better. Recently the programmers added a multiplayer option via the bluetooth connection. This major enhancement provides the original fun of playing with friends, everywhere. This conversion to the mobile platform shows that Bomberman remains an icon in gaming industry.

[edit] References

  • Top Secret Passwords Nintendo Player's Guide
  • Bomberman Operation Manual, NES-BM-USA, Hudson Soft USA

[edit] External links