Bomberman (1990 video game)
| Industry | Video game development and publishing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1973 |
| Headquarters | Japan |
Key people | Tsukasa Kuwahara (lead designer for Bomberman) |
| Products | Bomberman series |
, known in Europe as Dyna Blaster, is an action-maze video game developed and published by Hudson Soft for the PC Engine in Japan on December 7, 1990, and subsequently released in North America for the TurboGrafx-16 by NEC in 1991. As a reimagining of the original series launch, it belongs to the Bomberman franchise. The title was later adapted for various home computer platforms, each featuring unique platform-specific modifications. Although additional ports were planned, they never reached release. Upon its debut on PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 and home computer systems, the game received favorable reviews from critics.
Bomberman is acknowledged as the pioneering video game to introduce last man standing or battle royale style gameplay.
Single-player
Players assume control of White Bomberman tasked with rescuing Lisa, the daughter of inventor Dr. Mitsumori, who is held captive within Black Bomberman's fortress. The adventure spans eight distinct worlds, each containing eight maze-like levels populated by various enemies. Bombs are used strategically to destroy blocks and eliminate adversaries, revealing concealed exits that allow progression. Power-ups scattered throughout stages enhance bomb quantity, blast radius, or grant other abilities. Each world culminates in a boss encounter at the final stage.
Multiplayer
Supporting up to five participants through the TurboGrafx-16 Multitap, multiplayer mode mirrors single-player gameplay but restricts power-ups primarily to Bombs and Fire enhancements. An alternative Skull Mode introduces hazardous skull power-ups hidden beneath destructible blocks, adding an element of strategic risk to matches.
Development and release
The PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 iteration of Bomberman was chiefly developed by Hudson Soft’s core team under lead designer Tsukasa Kuwahara. Programming was handled by Atsuo Nagata and Yūji Muroya, while pixel art contributions came from Hideyuki Ogura and Mika Sasaki. The soundtrack was composed by Jun Chikuma with sound programming by Keita Hoshi. Hudson Soft launched the game in Japan on December 7, 1990; NEC followed with a North American release in 1991. In Europe, it appeared under the title Dyna Blaster on platforms such as Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS due to concerns regarding the original name’s association with terrorism. Versions intended for Atari Lynx and Commodore 64 were developed but ultimately never published.
PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16
The PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 version of Bomberman was met with generally positive critical feedback. Hans-Joachim Amann of Aktueller Software Markt expressed reservations about the graphics but praised both audio and gameplay elements. Reviewers Paul Glancey and Richard Leadbetter from Computer and Video Games commended visuals, music, gameplay mechanics, and multiplayer capabilities. French publication Génération 4 appreciated animations and playability while noting some shortcomings in visuals and sound quality. Marcos García of Hobby Consolas highlighted straightforward graphics alongside sound design, gameplay fluidity, and multiplayer enjoyment; similarly, Jean-Marc Demoly from Joystick lauded both gameplay and multiplayer features. German magazine Mega Fun provided a positive evaluation, paralleled by strong popularity rankings among Japanese readers of PC Engine Fan.
Dieter Kneffel from Play Time offered mixed opinions on audiovisual aspects but praised gameplay performance. Olivier Scamps of Player One noted similar ambivalence regarding graphics and sound yet endorsed gameplay and multiplayer modes enthusiastically. Heinrich Lenhardt from Power Play criticized audiovisual presentation but acknowledged strengths in gameplay and multiplayer functionality. Staff at Raze emphasized that although single-player mode was solid, multiplayer was where the game truly excelled—becoming a daily play staple for them. Conversely, Alain Huyghues-Lacour of Tilt delivered a more balanced critique overall. Michael Hengst from Video Games pointed out some flaws but maintained an overall positive stance. Joshua Mandel of VideoGames & Computer Entertainment appreciated the cartoon-style graphics and sound effects but criticized the brevity of the single-player campaign.
The critical success of the TurboGrafx-16 edition contributed to its inclusion in the 2010 publication 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die, highlighting its enduring significance within the gaming industry.
Amiga
The Bomberman adaptation for the Amiga platform was met with considerable critical praise. Jason Simmons of Amiga Action commended its visual presentation, audio quality, and the effective combination of puzzle and arcade gameplay, describing it as "undoubtedly" among the finest straightforward games available. Daniel Whitehead from Amiga Computing emphasized the vibrant graphics, sound design, engaging gameplay, and multiplayer mode, although he mentioned that solo players might feel somewhat overlooked. Linda Barker of Amiga Format applauded the vivid visuals and compelling gameplay but expressed reservations about the audio design. Ashley Cotter-Cairns at Amiga Mania praised the rapid gameplay, sound, and graphics but questioned how long the game would remain engaging, suggesting multiplayer as a means to extend its appeal. Matt Bielby from Amiga Power lauded the multiplayer experience, calling it a "PC Engine perfect conversion," while also pointing out the relatively high retail price attributed to the inclusion of a multitap adapter.
Dan Slingsby of CU Amiga valued the graphics, sound, replay value, playability, and energetic multiplayer mode but found that single-player levels could become monotonous over time. Similarly, Frank O'Connor from Computer and Video Games appreciated the visuals, audio, gameplay mechanics, longevity, and multiplayer aspects. Winfried Forster of Germany's Power Play offered mixed opinions regarding graphics and sound but praised both gameplay and multiplayer features. Jacques Harbonn from Tilt complimented the visuals, animation quality, music, playability, longevity, and multiplayer functionality. The Amiga edition received a perfect rating from Emilus of Top Secret. Martin Pond from Zero gave favorable remarks on its visuals, sound design, addictive gameplay, and overall execution.
Other versions
The X68000 iteration of Bomberman was highly regarded by critics. Yoshida Kenji from Oh!X praised its presentation and gameplay elements, while Technopolis also offered strong commendations for this version.
The Atari ST version received positive feedback as well. Jason Dutton of ST Action highlighted its graphical fidelity, audio quality, gameplay mechanics, and multiplayer capabilities. Rob Mead from ST Format praised its presentation, pacing, gameplay experience, and multiplayer features but noted some issues with unresponsive controls. Wayne Legg at ST Review acclaimed the graphics, sound design, and overall playability, describing it as "one of the best games on the ST," despite its initially simple concept.
The MS-DOS release attracted generally favorable reviews with some mixed opinions. Sébastien Hamon of Joystick appreciated support for four players, responsive controls, visual elements, and sound quality. Oliver Menne from PC Games criticized aspects of the audio and expressed ambivalence about the graphics but valued its gameplay innovation highly. Richard Löwenstein of PC Joker rated it slightly above Kingsoft's Bug Bomber. The German publication Play Time offered positive comments on sound design, visuals, and gameplay mechanics. Richard Eisenmenger from Power Play had mixed reactions to graphics and audio but commended the multiplayer functionality.