Bomberman (2005 video game)

Bomberman (ボンバーマン, Bonbāman) is a 2005 video game developed by Racjin for the Nintendo DS. It was released by Hudson Soft in Japan on May 26, 2005, and published worldwide by Ubisoft.^[2] The game is notable for its chibi art style, previously seen in the Bomberman Land series.

Bomberman
North American cover art
Developer(s)	Racjin
Publisher(s)	JP: Hudson Soft WW: Ubisoft
Director(s)	Hideki Yayama Takeshi Murata
Producer(s)	Hiromi Tomisawa
Composer(s)	Morihiro Iwamoto
Series	Bomberman
Platform(s)	Nintendo DS
Release	JP: May 19, 2005 NA: June 21, 2005 PAL: June 30, 2005[1]
Genre(s)	Action, Puzzle
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer

Part of the Bomberman franchise, it is the first entry to be released on the platform. A sequel, Bomberman 2, was released in 2008.

Gameplay

The single player mode features 10 levels with 10 stages each, a bonus stage after the 5th stage, and a boss battle for the 10th stage. A new mechanic is the item screen. All items collected are added to a stock. Using the touch screen, the player can use the items to power Bomberman up; thus, if Bomberman dies, the player can use any reserve items available to restart a stage with some power or even full power.

The multiplayer mode uses the touch screen to expand the playing area, with tunnels connecting the two screens. Some arenas make use of the microphone to do certain things like setting off remote bombs and using the shield.^{[citation needed]} The revenge bomb setting adds a whole new level to multiplayer gameplay by allowing a player to throw bombs after they are eliminated from the game by flicking them off the touch screen with the stylus. If Super Revenge mode is activated, if a player blows up another player using a flicked Revenge bomb, the player respawns where their opponent fell.

Bomberman is one of many games on the Nintendo DS which allows a player without a copy of the game to participate. Players are able to temporarily download a full copy of the multiplayer game from someone who has the game.^[3]

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	75/100[4]

Review scores

Publication	Score
Edge	7/10[5]
Electronic Gaming Monthly	7.5/10[6][a]
Eurogamer	8/10[7]
Famitsu	26/40[8]
Game Informer	6/10[9]
GamePro	[10]
GameRevolution	B[11]
GameSpot	7.8/10[12]
GameSpy	[13]
IGN	7.5/10[14]
Nintendo Power	7/10[15]
Nintendo World Report	8/10[16]
Pocket Gamer	[17]
Detroit Free Press	[18]
The Sydney Morning Herald	[19]

Reception

The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.^[4] In Japan, however, Famitsu gave it a score of 26 out of 40.^[8]

Notes

1. In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review of the game, two critics gave it each a score of 8/10, and the other gave it 6.5/10.