A straight port of the Xbox LIVE release but the formula never gets old. Unless you have to play by yourself.
It's hard to believe that someone has not played and is familiar with at least one Bomberman game but just in case I will break down the basic concept. In the game you and up to seven other players battle it out on a top view board filled with blocks which some can be destroyed and some are permanent. You have to make your way through the board collecting blowing up blocks to reach your opponent and collecting power ups on the way help you better defeat your friends or foes. To hurry the match along at about the 40 second mark the game begins dropping blocks making the space to run around in even smaller and you can even customize it to cover the whole board. The concept has held up well over the years and keeps bringing fans back to the game.
What holds fans the most to this long lasting franchise is the multiplayer and now online multiplayer and the customization not only in the game modes but also in your player's appearance. There are 60 total pieces of clothing that you can collect to customize your player which make up 30 different set looks and all are interchangeable so your look can be limitless. You get new costumes by collecting crystals when they appear on the map. The pieces they unlock are random and it sometimes takes you a long while to get exactly the look you have been waiting for. Having the option to pick and choose would have been appreciated. There are some new game modes including a zombie match where you can't die. You win by simply owning the most of your colored squares on the board when time runs out. This is great because it keeps the game going and a new revenge feature allows players who die to ride around the outside of the match throwing bombs in. This option can further be customized by allowing you to return to the match if you bomb another player. There isn't much variety in the look of each map. Colors change and booby traps are different but the overall look hasn't changed much since the beginning. A fan favorite is the Plunder isle board where all the power ups are in the center of the board and you have to blow your way into the center and try grabbing all the pieces first which may or may not give you an advantage.
The game could use some change in the level designs but it doesn't mean the old formula is dull. A lot of time when the formula is tampered with it doesn't go over well but a chance would have been welcomed for some boards. The main downfall with this game is that there just really isn't enough for you to do playing as a single player. It's the same game and playing against the computer just isn't the same. A story mode would have been the icing on the cake but instead you have a game that is only enjoyable with friends or even strangers online. This game offers a lot for a great value and fans of the name will not be disappointed with what they get a trip down memory lane for some and a chance to renew and old rivalry.