Bomberman (1990)

is a Video game of action-reflection, developed and published by Hudson Soft in 1990. Initially left on PC Engine, it was adapted in 1992 on Amiga, Atari ST and PC (DOS) under the title Dyna Blaster . This new episode of the series Bomberman is to be differentiated from the preceding versions, left as from 1983. The play inaugurates new elements of Gameplay, proposes a mode solo with the new history and implements a playable mode Multijoueur to five into simultaneous, a first in the history of the series.

Gameplay

Concept

The concept of Bomberman holds of the play of labyrinth. The player controls the character in decorations represented for top and forming a alambiqué network of galleries; the goal of the play is to get rid of the enemies by posing time bombs. The principle, which recquiert tactical direction and Synchronization, takes all its dimension in mode Multijoueur.

Solo mode

The boyfriend of Bomberman was made kidnap by Black Bomberman. To join the castle of its enemy, Bomberman must cross 8 areas divided into 8 sections, that is to say a total of 64 Niveaux of play.

Levels

The levels can be compared with a apron, with lines of positioned indestructibles blocks both cases and, for the remainder, either of the empty boxes, or of the boxes occupied by destructible elements. The levels can be posted in integrality with the screen or extend on several screens in width or height via a scrolling. To finish a level consists in getting rid of all the enemies present on the adventure playground and finding the Téléporteur dissimulated under a destructible element. Bomberman dies if it comes into contact with an enemy, if it is reached by an explosion or if it does not finish the level before the end of assigned time (4 minutes). The provision of the elements (obstacles, enemies, traps, power up and teleportor) is generated by chance and varies from a part to another. A system of Password makes it possible to safeguard the progression.

Bombs

The bombs explode approximately three seconds after being posed. The Explosion, contained by the indestructibles blocks (which form barriers of protection), is propagated with more in four directions (in form of “+”). The Front of flame destroys the obstacles and the enemies whom it meets. So at the beginning only one bomb can be posed at the same time and that the range of the explosion is limited to three boxes, progressively from the Power up S come to increase these characteristics, reinforcing the Firepower and widening the tactical possibilities. It becomes for example possible to generate chain reactions to multiply the probability of touching the enemies (the explosion of a first bomb starts that of the second, which starts that of the third, etc).

Enemies

The play proposes various types of enemies, with the variable behavior. Some follow a predetermined course, others take into account the position of the hero, to see track it inlassablement. They can be constrained to move within the limits of empty space or on the contrary, to be able to pass above the obstacles. They are wary also more or less of the bombs. The 8th level of each section constitutes a particular challenge with one () adversary (S) new (S) and more coriaces, that it is necessary to touch with repetition to demolish.

The power ups

Each level dissimulates a Power up which modifies the characteristics of the character or the bombs:

the yellow flame : increase by two boxes the amplitude of the explosion (from 3 to 11)
the bends in more : increase by a unit the number of bombs which the character can simultaneously pose (of 1 with 5)
the detonator : makes it possible to explode the bombs at the desired time
the roller skates accelerate displacements of the character
the pass-wall makes it possible to the character to span the destructible elements of the decoration
the pass-bends makes it possible to the character to pass over the bombs (by defect, a bomb posed is an insuperable obstacle)
the fire-resistant combination makes the character invulnerable to the explosions during a time limited
the icon professor an important no-claims bonus of points constitutes. It is optenu by chance, by destroying the block dissimulating the teleportor after having destroyed all the other blocks of the level.

After a range over, all the characteristics are given to zero except for the number of bombs posables simultaneously and the range of the explosions.

Multijouor mode

The mode “battle” makes it possible five players simultaneously to take part (four on PC). Each player plays for his account (in theory) and seeks to demolish the characters controlled by the other participants. The last survivor gains the sleeve. The final winner is designated at the end of a definite number of gaining sleeves (from 1 to 5). Two modes are available: normal and skull . In this last, items symbolizing a cranium make their appearance; those bring a handicap, definite by chance, which still makes the parts more dubious (reduction or drastic acceleration rate of travel, automatic laying of the bombs, etc).

An accessory is necessary to connect more than two controller S: the Turbo Tap on PC Engine and a micro quadruplor of joystick on S (included with the play), the fifth player inheriting the keyboard.

Development team

Range Designer: Tsukasa Kuwahara
principal Programmer: Atsuo Nagata
Programmer secondary: Wrecker Muroya
Originator of graphics: Hideyuki Ogura, Mika Sasaki
Type-setters of the musics: Atsuchi Chikuma
Programmer of the sound: Keita Hoshi

Exploitation and reception

Bomberman left on PC Engine the December 7th 1990 to Japan and spring 1991 to Europe. The versions Amiga, Atari ST and PC, were distributed by Ubi Soft to the Printemps 1992 in Europe. A version Sharp X68000, developed by SystemSoft, also was born in Japan.

Bomberman was appreciated for its simple and addictif concept, particularly in mode Multijoueur. A less nuisance of the micro versions, become null and void with the emulation, is the absence of management of the second button of the joystick S, which obliges the player to resort to the Barre of space to use the detonator .

Amiga Format 87% • C+VG 93% • CU Amiga 84% • Generation 4 90% • Tilt 16/20

To note

On Microcomputer S, the play was announced and sometimes tested under the title Bomberman . The title finally selected, Dyna Blaster , was also used in Europe to qualify Bomber Servant boy on Game Boy (1990, Atomic Punk in the United States), Bomberman on Terminal of arcade (1991) and Bomberman II on BORN (1991).

See too

The series Bomberman belongs to oldest of the Histoire of the video game. First episodes:

1983 - Bomberman on MSX, ZX Spectrum and Famicom
1990 - To bend Servant boy - Dyna Blaster in Europe
1990 - Bomberman - Dyna Blaster in Europe
1991 - Bomberman on terminal of arcade - Dyna Blaster in Europe
1991 - Bomberman II on BORN - Dyna Blaster in Europe
1992 - Bomberman '93 on PC Engine
1992 - Bomberman World on terminal of arcade
1993 - Bomberman '94 (Mega Bomberman) on PC Engine and Megadrive
1993 - Super Bomberman on Super Nintendo
…

Other famous plays of labyrinth:

1979 - CAP-Man
1983 - Boulder Dash

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