Do I really need to write this review? It's Bomberman, we know it's great. But Bomberman Blast for WiiWare tries to at least push the boat out a little, without straying too far from the classic retro gameplay that has kept Bomberman the world's favourite arsonist for years, and it's all the better for it.

Bomberman Blast has two game modes: offline and online. Simple. You can play with up to 8 players locally, using four Wii Remotes and four Gamecube pads, and is absolutely priceless fun if you can get hold of all the equipment. If not, the empty slots can be filled with CPU opponents on three different difficulty levels. So far, so basic.



But keep going and you'll find that Bomberman Blast isn't content with being 'just another Bomberman game'. There are multiple different gameplay styles aside from the 'Normal' mode, which sees you simply blowing up your mates whilst trying to stay alive yourself. For example, in 'Countdown', you will acquire a stopwatch above your head once you're hit. It will count down from 20, and once it reaches 0, it's game over. However, walking into your rivals causes you to swap stopwatches, so if you're knocking on death's door with 4 seconds, and your enemy is safe with 17, just bump into him and he/she'll be the one panicking as the clock edges towards zero hour, whilst you take a breather, safe and sound.....until another rival pulls to same move and leaves you with two seconds to live. ARGH!

There's plenty of other game modes, some better than others, but enough to ensure that no two multiplayer sessions are the same, and keeps the longevity of the game up. There are also ten different stages, again each with unique features and ideas. Pick the random setting for maximum insanity! Customisable game rules ensure that you play how you want to play, so if you're sick of those fkendish skulls, you can disable them. Great.

And to top it all off, the game boasts 8-player online play, against the world or your continent, and the online leaderboards extend the logevity still further. Despite the occasional lag when crossing continents, it's an all-round seamless experience, and even when you lose, you'll permanantly have a massive grin stapled to your face. And being able to have your Mii deal out the fiery damage just makes it that bit sweeter.

Overall, Bomberman Blast is a joy to play, and is exactly the kind of game that should be on WiiWare. It looks fantastic, it plays even better and has enough replay value to keep you here long after the Wii has been discontinued. My one gripe is that the soundtrack is based on newer Bomberman games, rather than the old SNES/NES versions, and given the fact that the game is as old-school as it gets, one wonders while Hudson didn't just use the old music. Regardless, it is still a game worthy of your 1,000 Points. Explosive stuff.

If you fancy giving me a game, here's my FC:
3609-8638-2557

Thanks for reading.
Ruairi

Hmm... I hope this also applies to the one on 360.

Good review, but you should divide it into sections for easy reading; such as Gameplay, Graphics, Sound, Replay, Overall, etc

Originally Posted by Riot

Hmm... I hope this also applies to the one on 360.

Good review, but you should divide it into sections for easy reading; such as Gameplay, Graphics, Sound, Replay, Overall, etc

I don't really like doing that, I prefer to comment on the game as a whole. That's just the way British gaming articles are written, and also if you divide it into specific categories, it's hard to comment on aspects of the game which may be important, y'see?

[Alphonse]

Sounds good i might get it!

Originally Posted by Alphonse

Sounds good i might get it!

You should, because then we can play online together YAYZ!
But it is a damn good game, well worth $10 (see how I put it in USD? I'm so thoughtful!).

[Kr!sP]

Originally Posted by Ruairi

You should, because then we can play online together YAYZ!
But it is a damn good game, well worth $10 (see how I put it in USD? I'm so thoughtful!).

Wouldn't putting it in Wii points be smartest? It's universal to Wii owners.

Originally Posted by Kr!sP

Wouldn't putting it in Wii points be smartest? It's universal to Wii owners.

Yeah, but this way you see how much it acually costs you, and it shows you the great value for money when you consider that games are usually $40-50. It's all clever marketing crap.

[Alphonse]

Sure ill buy it if you give it to me as a gift ruairi lol.

Originally Posted by Alphonse

Sure ill buy it if you give it to me as a gift ruairi lol.

The vital flaw in your plan is that I don't have your Wii Number! PWNED!
Of course, the other major flaw is that I'm not going to.
(:

[BATMAN]

That looks pretty good,I just might get that.