Bomberman
Encyclopedia
Bomberman is a strategic, maze
-based computer
and video game franchise
originally developed by Hudson Soft
. The original game was published in 1983
and new games in the series are still being published to this day. Today, the commercially successful Bomberman is featured in over 70 different games. With over 10 million units of games sold, the series "has since become known as the first name in multiplayer games," despite older games being capable of holding more than two players at the same time (like Atari 2600
's Warlords, released on 1980, that features 4-players gameplay).
edition) had no real storyline. The NES and Game Boy
versions begin with "Bomberman" (the eponymous character of the game) growing bored of making bombs in an underground factory of the Bungeling Empire
. After hearing a rumor that robots reaching the surface become human, he decides to escape. When he does, he transforms and becomes known as the "Runner
." This storyline was discontinued (outside of possibly Act Zero
). In the TurboGrafx-16 version, Bomberman is instead the first robot of his kind created by Dr. Mimori. Despite being a prototype, he accepts his role as a defender of justice.
To distinguish him from other Bombermen, the main character is also given the name White Bomberman (or Shirobon). In earlier appearances, the second Bomberman model (known as Black Bomberman) is an enemy due to a programming error, but starting with Super Bomberman
the two have forged an alliance. They have joined forces to handle bigger threats, most notably the evil alien Bagulaa (also spelled Bagular, Burglar or Bugler), who is most infamously known as the creator of the Five Dastardly Bombers. Paths were also crossed with an intergalactic crime organization called the Hige-Hige Bandits (led by Mujoe and MechaDoc), as well as a mysterious rival known as Regulus. There is no central series antagonist, but these are the most common.
Bomberman appears to be part of an intergalactic police force to help protect the galaxy. This has been elaborated upon in later games, where a friendly figure named Dr. Ein directs Bomberman's objectives. There is also Bomber Base on Planet Bomber, where Bomberman trains daily. After the shapeshifter (if fed) Pommy was introduced, Charaboms became a part of the gameplay in some later single player games. A Bomberman model called Max also became a semi-regular member of the crew, seemingly replacing Black Bomberman in those appearances.
In the Bomberman Land series, he takes on the name Cheerful White and is paired with Bookworm Green, Kid Blue, Cute Pink, Giant Gold and Cool Black.
s in order to kill enemies and destroy obstacles. Exploding bombs can set off other bombs, kill or injure enemies and destroy obstacles. However, they can also kill or injure the player character, destroy powerups, and sometimes "anger" the exit, causing it to generate more enemies. Most Bomberman games also feature a multiplayer mode, where other Bombermen act as opponents, and the last one standing is the winner. In this mode, powerups are plentiful. Although most games in the Bomberman series use the same type of maze
-based levels established by the original game, some are Zelda
-like adventure games, Mario
-like platformers
, Tetris
-like puzzle games, and kart racers
. It is considered to be a classic franchise by many video game players.
Maze
A maze is a tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route. In everyday speech, both maze and labyrinth denote a complex and confusing series of pathways, but technically the maze is distinguished from the labyrinth, as the labyrinth has a single...
-based computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
and video game franchise
Media franchise
A media franchise is an intellectual property involving the characters, setting and trademarks of an original work of media , such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or a video game. Generally, a whole series is made in a particular medium, along with merchandising and endorsements...
originally developed by Hudson Soft
Hudson Soft
, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
. The original game was published in 1983
1983 in video gaming
-Events:* A major shakeout of the video game industry begins. By 1986, total video games sales will decrease from US$3.2 billion to US$0.1 billion.* MCA Universal files suit against Nintendo, claiming that the latter company's video arcade hit Donkey Kong violated Universal's copyright on King Kong...
and new games in the series are still being published to this day. Today, the commercially successful Bomberman is featured in over 70 different games. With over 10 million units of games sold, the series "has since become known as the first name in multiplayer games," despite older games being capable of holding more than two players at the same time (like Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
's Warlords, released on 1980, that features 4-players gameplay).
Story
The games are set somewhere in a galaxy known as the Bomber Nebula, on Planet Bomber. The original MSX game (as well as the PS1Bomberman Party Edition
Bomberman Party Edition, known in Japan and Europe as Bomberman, is a PlayStation version of the 1983 game Bomberman. In addition to vintage graphics for single player mode, an option for enhanced graphics is added...
edition) had no real storyline. The NES and Game Boy
Atomic Punk
Atomic Punk, released in Europe as Dynablaster and in Japan as , is a video game released for the Game Boy in 1990 by Hudson Soft and licensed by Nintendo, as part of the Bomberman series...
versions begin with "Bomberman" (the eponymous character of the game) growing bored of making bombs in an underground factory of the Bungeling Empire
Bungeling Empire
The Bungeling Empire was a villainous organization that the players were said to be pitted against in several different games created by Brøderbund.-Summary:...
. After hearing a rumor that robots reaching the surface become human, he decides to escape. When he does, he transforms and becomes known as the "Runner
Lode Runner
Lode Runner is a 1983 platform game, first published by Brøderbund. It is one of the first games to include a level editor, a feature that allows players to create their own levels for the game. This feature bolstered the game's popularity, as magazines such as Computer Gaming World held contests...
." This storyline was discontinued (outside of possibly Act Zero
Bomberman: Act Zero
Bomberman: Act Zero is a 2006 video game for the Xbox 360. This game was notable for being a radical departure for the series in terms of character design. Instead of the familiar depiction of White Bomber, the characters in this game resemble mechanical cyborgs based on the original game's boxart...
). In the TurboGrafx-16 version, Bomberman is instead the first robot of his kind created by Dr. Mimori. Despite being a prototype, he accepts his role as a defender of justice.
To distinguish him from other Bombermen, the main character is also given the name White Bomberman (or Shirobon). In earlier appearances, the second Bomberman model (known as Black Bomberman) is an enemy due to a programming error, but starting with Super Bomberman
Super Bomberman
Super Bomberman is the first video game in the Bomberman series to appear on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is also the first four-player game to be released on the Super NES.-Gameplay:...
the two have forged an alliance. They have joined forces to handle bigger threats, most notably the evil alien Bagulaa (also spelled Bagular, Burglar or Bugler), who is most infamously known as the creator of the Five Dastardly Bombers. Paths were also crossed with an intergalactic crime organization called the Hige-Hige Bandits (led by Mujoe and MechaDoc), as well as a mysterious rival known as Regulus. There is no central series antagonist, but these are the most common.
Bomberman appears to be part of an intergalactic police force to help protect the galaxy. This has been elaborated upon in later games, where a friendly figure named Dr. Ein directs Bomberman's objectives. There is also Bomber Base on Planet Bomber, where Bomberman trains daily. After the shapeshifter (if fed) Pommy was introduced, Charaboms became a part of the gameplay in some later single player games. A Bomberman model called Max also became a semi-regular member of the crew, seemingly replacing Black Bomberman in those appearances.
In the Bomberman Land series, he takes on the name Cheerful White and is paired with Bookworm Green, Kid Blue, Cute Pink, Giant Gold and Cool Black.
Gameplay
The general goal throughout the series is to complete the levels by strategically placing bombBomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
s in order to kill enemies and destroy obstacles. Exploding bombs can set off other bombs, kill or injure enemies and destroy obstacles. However, they can also kill or injure the player character, destroy powerups, and sometimes "anger" the exit, causing it to generate more enemies. Most Bomberman games also feature a multiplayer mode, where other Bombermen act as opponents, and the last one standing is the winner. In this mode, powerups are plentiful. Although most games in the Bomberman series use the same type of maze
Maze
A maze is a tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route. In everyday speech, both maze and labyrinth denote a complex and confusing series of pathways, but technically the maze is distinguished from the labyrinth, as the labyrinth has a single...
-based levels established by the original game, some are Zelda
The Legend of Zelda series
, occasionally called Legend of Zelda or simply Zelda, is a high fantasy action-adventure video game series created by Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is developed and published by Nintendo, with some portable installments outsourced to Flagship/Capcom, Vanpool, and...
-like adventure games, Mario
Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
-like platformers
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
, Tetris
Tetris
Tetris is a puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. It was released on June 6, 1984, while he was working for the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
-like puzzle games, and kart racers
Kart racing
Kart racing or karting is a variant of open-wheel motorsport with small, open, four-wheeled vehicles called karts, go-karts, or gearbox/shifter karts depending on the design. They are usually raced on scaled-down circuits...
. It is considered to be a classic franchise by many video game players.
Main characters
- Bomberman, also referred to as "White Bomberman", "White Bomber", "Cheerful White" in (Bomberman Land Touch!Bomberman Land Touch!Bomberman Land Touch! is a puzzle video game developed by Hudson Soft for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console....
), "Bomber John" (in Bomberman Touch), and (in Japan) Shirobon, is the hero of the series. In the standard games, he is the protagonist and player-character. He is usually portrayed as the heroic yet cheerful type, often saving his home planet from disaster. Like all Bombermen, he has the ability to generate bombs in his hands. In later games, such as Bomberman MaxBomberman Maxis a video game released for the Game Boy Color on May 14, 2000. The game was followed by Bomberman Max 2 which was released for the Game Boy Advance on June 4, 2002. There are two versions called Bomberman Max: Blue Champion and Bomberman Max: Red Challenger...
and Bomberman TournamentBomberman TournamentBomberman Tournament was a game in the long standing Bomberman series for the GBA. The game contains a fully realized multiplayer battle mode between linked Game Boy Advances...
, he is shown to be part of an interplanetary police force stationed at Bomber Base. The White Bomberman also made appearances in other games, such as Wario Blast, a Bomberman game featuring NintendoNintendois a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
mascot MarioMariois a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
's rival, WarioWariois a fictional character in Nintendo's Mario series. The character was designed as another antagonist to Mario , and first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy title Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins as the main antagonist and final boss...
(although that was not the case in Japan). He also appears in DreamMix TV World FightersDreamMix TV World Fightersis a 2003 multiplayer fighting video game for the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in Japan. It features licensed characters from a few well-known Japanese companies, including Konami, Hudson Soft, and Takara.-Story:...
—a Hudson fighting gameFighting gameFighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
with characters from Hudson Soft, KonamiKonamiis a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
, and TakaraTakaraTakara Co., Ltd. was a Japanese toy company founded in 1955, that merged with another prominent Japanese toy company, Tomy Co., Ltd., on March 1, 2006 to form Takara Tomy, also known in English as TOMY Company Ltd....
. He even make a giant playable appearance in Star ParodierStar ParodierStar Parodier is a shoot 'em up developed by Hudson Soft for the PC Engine CD-ROM. It is a parody of the Star Soldier series, similar to Konami's Parodius series, and was originally only released in Japan, though it was also intended to be released in North America under the name Fantasy Star...
, a spoof of the Star Soldier series, which is also developed by Hudson Soft. He has been featured in three animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series; Bomberman B-Daman BakugaidenBomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden, commonly abbreviated as Bakugaiden or BBB, is a CoroCoro Comic series created by Koichi Mikata, based on Bomberman and B-Daman. The animated television series was broadcasted on Nagoya TV...
and Bomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden VictoryBomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden VictoryBomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden Victory or Bomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden V is a Coro Coro Comic series by Koichi Mikata, based on Bomberman and B-Daman. The animated television series is broadcast on Nagoya TV...
are based on the marbleMarble (toy)A marble is a small spherical toy usually made from glass, clay, steel, or agate. These balls vary in size. Most commonly, they are about ½ inch in diameter, but they may range from less than ¼ inch to over 3 inches , while some art glass marbles fordisplay purposes are over 12 inches ...
shooting game B-DamanB-Damanis a marble shooting toy produced in Japan by Takara. In 2005, Hasbro licensed the "Battle B-Daman" configuration of the toy. In 2004, Hasbro joined forces with Takara and Fox Entertainment Group to bring it to the Japan and USA....
while Bomberman JettersBomberman Jetters, often abbreviated as "BMJ" by Japanese fans, is an anime based on the popular video game series Bomberman created by Hudson Soft. The show ran for a total of 52 episodes in Japan on TV Tokyo. The soundtrack was composed by Kazunori Maruyama...
is inspired by the video game of the same name.
Characters
- Black Bomberman (Cool Black in Bomberman Land Touch!Bomberman Land Touch!Bomberman Land Touch! is a puzzle video game developed by Hudson Soft for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console....
) looks identical to Bomberman, only he is colored black and doesn't have white pants. In many of his first appearances, he was shown to be the main rival of Bomberman, often performing acts such as robbing banks to fight him. He eventually becomes a gradual friend of Bomberman, and acts as the second player in the two-player story modes of the games. Hudson has given him a cool and collected personality in the later games. He also leads Red Bomber, Blue Bomber, Green Bomber and Yellow Bomber.
- Max first appears in Bomberman MaxBomberman Maxis a video game released for the Game Boy Color on May 14, 2000. The game was followed by Bomberman Max 2 which was released for the Game Boy Advance on June 4, 2002. There are two versions called Bomberman Max: Blue Champion and Bomberman Max: Red Challenger...
as one of the main characters. He is somewhat competitive and arrogant, as shown in that despite the urgency of the mission, he challenges Bomberman to a contest to who can gather the most karabons. Max wears a black suited armor with a helmet that completely hides his face. He is also a playable character in the game Bomberman Jetters, where he joins Bomberman in the fight against the Hige Hige Bandits again, and he is an unlockable character in Bomberman GenerationBomberman GenerationBomberman Generation is a video game released for the Nintendo GameCube. It was later followed up by Bomberman Jetters.-Gameplay:Bomberman Generation consists of six worlds consisting of about five levels each...
. He is also unlockable in Bomberman 2 DSBomberman 2 DSBomberman 2 DS is a video game for the Nintendo DS and is the sequel to Bomberman DS. During the game, Bomberman, collects various bits of Armour which allows players to customize their own Bomberman with unique power ups and skills.This game in terms of Gameplay and setting is a huge departure...
.
- Dr. Ein is a scientist who assists Bomberman. He is eccentric and doesn't seem to show many emotions. He is fat, has white spiky hair, and glasses with spirals covering the lenses. Despite never having a playable appearance, one of the customization sets in Bomberman LiveBomberman LiveBomberman Live is a downloadable video game for the Xbox Live Arcade, developed by Backbone Entertainment. Live is an original version of the classic game Bomberman, an arcade-style maze-based video game originally developed by Hudson Soft. The game was officially announced on May 16, 2007 and...
lets Bomberman wear Dr. Ein's lab coat and glasses.
- Karabon are small creatures that help Bomberman progress by granting him abilities. First appearing in Bomberman Max, each game featuring Karabon feature a unique set of them. Bomberman often find Karabon trapped in cages, and he can partner with one to use its ability. He can also fuse them together and battle them against others. Pommy is a recurring Karabon, who first appears in Bomberman 64: The Second Attack, where he is a loyal, but cowardly sidekick and a mimic. He is capable of shooting lightning and taking on many different forms. In Bomberman TournamentBomberman TournamentBomberman Tournament was a game in the long standing Bomberman series for the GBA. The game contains a fully realized multiplayer battle mode between linked Game Boy Advances...
he can teleport.
- Louie (also known as Rooi) are kangaroo-like animals with rabbit ears who help Bomberman by letting him ride on their backs. In Super Bomberman 4Super Bomberman 4is a multiplayer action-party video game, developed by Produce and published by Hudson Soft for the Super Famicom, released on April 26, 1996. It is the fourth installment of the Super Bomberman franchise for the console....
, they were replaced by various animals, and in Saturn BombermanSaturn BombermanSaturn Bomberman is a video game for the Sega Saturn. It is part of the Bomberman series.-Story:As from the instruction manual:Like most Bomberman games, Saturn Bomberman features a battle mode as well as a story mode. Along with them is a master mode in which the player races to finish a series...
by the dinosaur-like Tirra.
- The Fiendish Bombers (a.k.a the Five Dastardly Bombers) are a gang of five recurring boss enemies in several games of the series. Magnet Bomber sports a scarf-like cape and has a magnet shape attached to his helmet, and uses bombs that are attracted to his enemies. Golem Bomber is much larger than the others and he utilizes fire bombs. Pretty Bomber is distinguished from her male counterparts by her pink skirt, yellow neckerchiefNeckerchiefA neckerchief, necker or less commonly scarf is a type of neckwear associated with Scouts, cowboys and sailors. It consists of a triangular piece of cloth or a rectangular piece folded into a triangle. The long edge is rolled towards the point, leaving a portion unrolled...
, and the large yellow heart attached to her helmet. She also appears as a close friend to Bomberman in several games, where both White and Black Bomber are attracted to her. Brain Bomber is the engineer of the group, who wears a cloak and has the symbol of a crown on his helmet. He is shorter than the other characters and sometimes floats above the group. Plasma Bomber is the leader. Plasma Bomber wears a neckerchief and has a lightning bolt attached to his helmet that can create electric currents.
- Bagura (Bagular in the West) is the main villain in many of the games. He resembles a blue and white, large, elderly man with a bushy white beard, a monocleMonocleA monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct or enhance the vision in only one eye. It consists of a circular lens, generally with a wire ring around the circumference that can be attached to a string. The other end of the string is then connected to the wearer's clothing to avoid losing...
and a cape. He first appears as the main villain of Bomberman '94Mega BombermanMega Bomberman is a video game from the Bomberman series. It was originally released in 1993 as Bomberman '94 for the PC-Engine and was ported to the Mega Drive/Genesis in 1994...
, in which he attempts to run a comet-disguised ship into Planet Bomber after throwing it into chaos. He later appears in several games, including Super Bomberman 3Super Bomberman 3Super Bomberman 3 is a game released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995. It is the third game in the Bomberman series for the SNES.-Description:...
, Super Bomberman 4Super Bomberman 4is a multiplayer action-party video game, developed by Produce and published by Hudson Soft for the Super Famicom, released on April 26, 1996. It is the fourth installment of the Super Bomberman franchise for the console....
, Bomberman HeroBomberman Herois an action video game sequel to Bomberman 64 for the Nintendo 64. Bomberman Hero is more advanced in terms of gameplay, as well as having more levels, bosses, weapons, and character moves. However, it lacks multiplayer and therefore focuses on the single player action...
, Bomberman WorldBomberman WorldBomberman World is a video game for the Sony PlayStation. It is part of the Bomberman series. It was the first Bomberman game to be released for the PlayStation.-Story:...
and Neo BombermanNeo BombermanNeo Bomberman is one of two Bomberman games developed by Hudson Soft that was released for the Neo Geo hardware, the other being Panic Bomber...
. In some odd appearances, he is reduced to a brain that wants to rebuild an empire and wants revenge on Bomberman. In the animeBomberman Jetters, often abbreviated as "BMJ" by Japanese fans, is an anime based on the popular video game series Bomberman created by Hudson Soft. The show ran for a total of 52 episodes in Japan on TV Tokyo. The soundtrack was composed by Kazunori Maruyama...
, he is the true leader of the Hige Hige Bandits, with Mujoe as his second-in-command. Dr. MechaDoc also serves the group by creating technology, such as the Hige-Hige Bandits, small robotic minions who are very weak and serve under Mujoe.
Famicon
The game was originally developed for PC in Japan by Shinichi Nakamoto. However he did the port to the Famicom in one marathon programming session that lasted 72 hours. This version went on to sell over a million copies.External links
- Hudson Entertainment Homepage - New versions of Bomberman
- Bomberman games on MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...