Difficulty:

Very Easy

Time Spent:

100 or More Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Check your bargain bin"

NOTE: I'm reviewing the Japanese version of this game, so there should be some changes...

Bombrerman is a very simple concept: plant bombs and eliminate other players. Hudson keeps trying to change the formula, which can lead to disaster (See: Bomberman Act Zero for the Xbox 360). Bomberman should stick to what it does best: two dimensional, top-down play. It works well with this game.

Story mode is a pretty big disappointment. You can save, but it creates a temporary file. If I accidentally shut off the DS without saving the temporary data, then I have to restart where I left off last time. Which is a pain in the butt when you consider the uninspired enemies in this game. Single Player mode is a total snoozefest, ful of crap and boredom.

Multiplayer, as anyone expects, is where this game shines, and takes the darkness from single-player away. Its has over 15 different levels, and you can edit the basic stuff, like random slots, # of wins needed to win, and so forth. All battles also go on in two screens, so that in most levels they are connected by tunnels, which I thought was better then having one gigantic arena in which you don't know if a bomb was placed in the "dead space" on your DS. Best part is the single card multi-play, so I can have up to 7 other buddies (which I always do at school lunch) and kick all their asses, because, I do own the game. Some of the modes come straight from the other games (such as the cones level), and some are new, such as the mic and shield level, where you have to blow your mic to shield yourself from bomb blasts. One level got me really upset, which was the one where you have rwemote controlled bombs, and to blow them, you have to, well, blow on the mic. Which sucks, comparing to the fact that everyone around you is talking, and the mic is sometimes so sensitive that I kill myself on that level.

Overall, its a great experience, and very fun to play over and over again. I some places, I see this game for $10 (which is the best price, considering the hellish story mode), so this game isn't such a bad investment. Buy it cheap, and you'll leave satisfied.

Score: 8.5/10