Bomberman Ultra Review

Bomberman Ultra is jam packed with everything fans have come to love about this classic.  When I say classic, I do mean classic.  Bomberman has been around since 1983, and there is much reason as to why this series is still alive and well:  Simple and addictive gameplay, fun music, cute little bomber dudes, and more explosions than Transformers 2.     

The first thing I noticed when firing up Bomberman Ultra was how much I enjoyed the music.  My girlfriend must have felt the same way.  It was not uncommon for me to look over and see her playfully bopping along to the menu tunes.  Admittedly, I’d join her in a mini dance quite often, and then proceed to whoop her ass, at Bomberman, not for real.  The graphics are simplistic and colorful.  They work really well in tandem with the music to create a vibrant and friendly overall aesthetic.  Don’t expect normal maps and high poly’s in this little gem of a game; that’s just not necessary.  The game offers tonnes of character customization, although not as deep, reminded me of Little Big Planet’s character appearance options.  I just love dropping bombs on other bomber dudes in my little peg legged pirate gear.  Speaking of blowing up other players, the online play is where the real strength of this game is at.

Forget playing against the computer.  Even set to hard they are not so bright.  Up to 8 online multiplayer is what will keep you coming back for more.  With several different arenas that each feature unique gameplay elements you’ll have plenty of options to keep things fresh.  Be prepared to choose between several game types as well, like your traditional last man standing, revenge mode, and my favorite Zombie Mode.  Zombie Mode is an exciting fight to the finish as you try to paint as many tiles in your characters color by exploding bombs over them.  It’s called Zombie Mode because if you die, although you will loose your painted tiles, you will immediately revive.  As usual you also have at your disposal an arsenal of power-ups: extra bombs, fire power, and my favorite, speed ups, just to name a few. 

Bomberman hits on all the right notes for the most part, but there are a few fairly minor frustrating aspects.  Sometimes trying to start an online match takes forever, because you are waiting for a set amount of players to ready themselves.  Very often it seems there is one person who is not readying themselves, and because the online match is waiting for a set amount of players this person is holding everyone up.  Instead of the game just starting after a set amount of time you have to wait, forever, for that one person to check themselves in.  Usually they don't check in at all, for whatever reason.  Also, during gameplay a prompt comes up on center screen warning you when time is running out.  This prompt often gets in the way of your character if you are near center screen.  It can be disorienting and very frustrating, especially if it results in your character being blown up.  Finally, some of the arenas board colors are too similar.  This causes difficulty for the player to see which object he can blow up and which are non destroyable objects.  Other than these few blunders this game is very solid overall.

This game is tonnes of fun; especially when you play it amongst friends.  I remember playing Bomber Man during lunches amongst classmates while I was attending college for 3d Animation.  There was never a dull moment.  Students from other programs would peer into our class just to see what all the hoopla was about.  This latest installment comes with all the joy and excitement you’ve come to expect from a Bomber ­Man game.  This is classic gaming at its finest.  With its quirky characters, fun personality, and great multiplayer fun, this game is a great one for casual and hardcore gamers alike.  Oh, and yes, you did hear me correctly earlier when I mentioned that my girlfriend and I play this game together.  I FINALLY got her to consistently game with me.  Only problem is, now I can’t get her to stop asking me to play Bomberman Ultra!  Before I go, here is one last tip: Be careful saying anything aloud about Bomberman, or bombs in general while on a plane.

Bomb up!

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Review Scoring details for Bomberman Ultra

Gameplay: 8.5

There are a variety of game modes, power-ups, and character customization to keep this game from growing old too quickly.  Gameplay is very rewarding and feels great when you are having a successful match and have gained several speed power-ups and bomb power-ups

Graphics: 7

Overall visuals are simple and fun with great character, lots of character customization options, and several level designs.  Some levels do not offer enough contrast and are a little difficult to navigate.

Sound: 8

Music and sound effects are very effective and provide a lot of the character and charm in this game.

Difficulty: Easy (offline) Medium - Hard (online)

If you are a fairly accomplished gamer the computer AI isn't going to give you much of a challenge, even on hard.  Online play is a whole other story.  Some of these players are really good.  A little practice will be necessary to keep up with the best of them.

Concept: 9

The concept is simple and effective.  This franchise is still alive and well today because of how strong it is conceptually.

Multiplayer: 8

Online play is where the true fun in this game starts and local multiplayer make this game an excellent party game.  Sometimes it takes too long to start an online match, and a simple tweak in match setup up design could fix this problem.

Overall: 8.1

Classic gaming at its finest.  This is one of a few classics that have stood the test of time with minor iteration over the last three decades.  Simple and fun for everyone.  If you can't get your girlfriend to play any games with you, give this one a try!