Super Bomberman

Infobox VG
title = Super Bomberman


developer = Hudson Soft
publisher = Hudson Soft
distributor =
designer =
engine =
version =
released = flagicon|Japan April 28, 1993
flagicon|USA 1993
flagicon|Europe November 20, 1993
genre = Action
modes = Single player, multiplayer
ratings =
platforms = Super NES, Mobile Phone
media = 4.12-megabit cartridge
requirements = Super Multitap for multiplayer
input =

"Super Bomberman" is the first video game in the "Bomberman" series to appear on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is also the first 4-player game that was released on the SNES.

Gameplay

The basic gameplay involved in "Super Bomberman" is relatively simple. The game takes place on a single non-scrolling screen. The screen shows the top down view of a 7x6 grid. The grid restricts the movement of characters so they can only move horizontally or vertically around the screen. Pressing the 'A' button will make your Bomberman drop a bomb at his feet. This bomb will pulse for a few seconds (allowing you time to run away) and then explode, shooting flames horizontally and vertically. The game revolves around the idea of using these bomb blasts to destroy walls and enemies.

If a bomb explodes and the flame hits another bomb it will cause this second bomb to detonate early. This can cause large chain reactions.

If the flame from any bomb hits any character it will injure or kill them (unless they are currently ).

Most levels start with the grid being partially filled with destructible soft walls. If a bomb blast hits one of these soft walls then it disintegrates allowing characters to pass through the now empty space. Levels can quickly be cleared of soft walls, but it is usually useful to leave some making it easier to trap enemies.

Once a bomb is laid it is usually impossible to walk past until it has detonated. This leads to the tactic of trapping enemies with bombs and forcing them into bomb blasts.

Special items can be picked up by walking over icons on the screen. These items are normally revealed when destroying walls or killing enemies. There are many different items which give you different abilities, these change a players tactics and the way the game is played.

Normal Game

Normal Game consists of 6 themed worlds each with its own set of enemies. Each world has 8 stages with the last stage being a boss fight.

You make progress through the game by clearing all the enemies from the stage and then exiting via a door that is hidden under one of the destructible walls.

World 5 differs from the rest because you fight robot Bombermen in an arena. The arena has no destructible walls or exit doors. The end of each stage is not defined like the other worlds. Instead, once you have cleared the arena of one set of robot Bombermen, then the next set walk into the arena, thus making this world one long continuous battle.

The normal game can be played by 1 or 2 players. In 2 player mode the aim is to work cooperatively to defeat the enemies, although it is still possible to blow up your team mate with your own bombs.

The game utilized a password system to save your progress. Each stage you were given a 4 digit password that would allow you to return to that stage by entering it on the options screen. There was also a special password ("5656") which would make all your Bombermen really tiny (although this had no effect on the gameplay)

tory

Far to the north of Bomberman's hometown, Peace Town, lies the modern metropolis Diamond City. There, the evil Carat Diamond and his cohort, scientist Dr. Mook, are holding a Robot Tournament with robots specially designed for their combat and offensive capabilities. Hoping to steal Bomberman's advanced combat capabilities, Diamond has created a fake Bomberman to go to Peace Town and kidnap the real Bomberman. Aware of Diamond's plot, Black Bomberman heads out alone to face the fake Bomberman. But Black Bomberman is defeated and his castle is taken. Somehow Black Bomberman escapes and seeks refuge with White Bomberman, and warns him of Diamond's evil plan. Soon, wave upon wave of enemy robots begin their advance toward Peace Town. Now our two heroes must join forces to overthrow the evil Diamond II.

Battle Mode

Battle Mode is played by 1 to 4 players, controlled by either humans or the computer. Because the standard SNES control deck only has 2 controller ports, if you want to play with more than 2 human players you have to use a multitap device.

The battle takes place on 1 of 12 themed stages. The aim is to blow up the other players whilst staying alive yourself. All bomb blasts are instantly fatal in Battle Mode.If you are the last player remaining you win the round and receive a gold trophy. The overall winner is the first person to win a set number of gold trophies (i.e. the first person to win a certain number of rounds). The number of trophies needed is configurable when starting the game and ranges from 1 to 5.

Each round has a time limit of 2 minutes. If nobody has won after 2 minutes then the round is declared a draw and no trophies are given. It is also possible for a draw to occur if all remaining players are blown up at the same time.

After 1 minute the game displays a message to "Hurry Up!" and then starts dropping indestructible walls around the edge of the play field (starting bottom left and travelling clockwise), effectively reducing the area you can move around in. If you get hit by one of these dropping walls you are instantly killed.

Battle Mode can be extremely fast paced and hectic, this is reflected in the fast paced music score that accompanies it.

Item pickups

Special items appear for ammo supply as players destroy walls, enemies, or opponent Bombermen. During a Normal Game, the effects of all items except fire power, number of bombs, and speed will be lost when the player loses a life. During a Battle Game, the effects of all the items last for one battle only.

uper Multitap

"Super Bomberman" was originally bundled with a multitap device to allow more than 2 players to play simultaneously. The Super Multitap was long and grey with 4 controller ports in a row on one side. It plugged into either of the controller ports on the SNES deck. This meant a total of 5 controllers could be plugged in with the fifth controller plugged into 2nd port on the SNES. Although "Super Bomberman", as well as "Super Bomberman 2", only allowed the use of the first 4 controllers to play the game, other Bomberman games: "3", "4" and "5" allowed to use 3-5 controllers and the 5th controller would allow a sound test to be accessed by pressing the R shoulder button on the option screen.

Hudson later released a second multitap (the Super Multitap 2) on its own for people that had purchased "Super Bomberman" unbundled, or one of the other multitap enabled games. This second version was designed in the shape of a Bomberman's head and had the 2 controller ports on the front and 1 on each side. It was also designed to be used with future games. Eventually there were 54 (mainly sports) SNES games that utilised the multitap. [http://gamersgraveyard.com/repository/snes/peripherals/supermultitap.html]

ee also

* List of Bomberman games
* Multitap
* Super Bomberman 2, the second SNES Bomberman game

External links

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