Super Bomberman 2 |
Super NES |
||
Review by Joe Santulli |
Hudson Soft |
Arcade |
|
Graphics: 8 |
Sound: 7 |
Gameplay: 10 |
Overall: 9 |
![]() On a more tangible level (sorry, kids!), I also believe that your ability as a video gamer is directly proportional to your ability to survive in Bomberman. I'm not talking about the first time you play, or even the tenth time. Video gaming isn't an instinct. After an hour or so, you'll know. I've seen veteran players pick up the game and deal with its chaos as if it were everyday business, and I've seen non-gamers do the same. Figure out the controls, learn the power-ups, and what you have left is one of the purest forms of gaming and crisis management you'll ever get your hands on. Oh, about the game. There really aren't many games that I can say have changed my feelings about "what a good game should be". And even fewer of those are sequels. The original Bomberman appeared on the NES in 1989 and vastly improved on the Turbografx-16 system in 1992 and STILL I thought it was a terrible looking game. I recall seeing large groups gather around at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show, playing on a giant screen and wondering what the fuss was about. The characters are squat little robot-people with barely any animation. The playfield is exactly the length and width of the screen, so what you see is what you get. It seemed as if a renegade Atari 2600 programmer had joined the ranks of Hudson Soft and whipped up this "throwback" to put some food on his table. It is times like this that I realize that I can be a real horse's ass. You would think after playing these things as long as I have been that I wouldn't automatically associate high-tech with high quality. A lesson learned.
SB2 incorporates all of the features of the past games. The best mode always was, and still is, the multi-player Battle Mode. Inside of one screen, four players have to figure out a way to survive explosions at every turn. There are ten different stages to choose from for the battlefield, some of which include revolving doors, conveyor belts, warp tunnels, and other surprises that can really change the outcome of a game. I prefer the simplicity of the solid brick walls, but the options keep even the "one human vs. Three computer players" game fresh at all times. If you don't have three friends to play with, the computer's skill level can be selected. Even so, the jittery computer players are rarely as cunning and never as unpredictable as even the newest of Bomberman players. You also have the option of playing two-on-two, which introduces cooperative play to the game. Bah! I say. Don't forget those wonderful toys. The power-ups allow you to drop more bombs, increase the size of the explosion, run faster, kick dropped bombs, and even pick them up and lob them over walls... and that's just the beginning. There are also cursed "skull" power-ups that have varying ill effects but can be worked into a good player's strategy because if you touch another player while "infected", you pass the curse on to him. Seeing obstacles as doorways to opportunity. It is the way of SB2.
If you don't already own this game, here's what you need to do. Seek it out. Get a multi-player adaptor for your SNES. Invite three friends over for a night of drinking and Bomberman (you can whisper the "Bomberman" part when you invite them - they'll thank you later), and let the good times roll.
|