Bombing Bastards

Game Info

At first glance, when looking at Sanuk’s Games’ “Bombing Bastards” all you will be able to see is Bomberman and let’s just throw this out there right now, it IS Bomberman.  I remember the countless hours me and my friends would but into Bomberman when we just got our new multitap on the Super Nintendo back in the middle school years.  Of course Konami owns the rights to Bomberman now (purchased from Hudson Soft) and I guess as Sanuk Games feels, if they aren’t going to make a Bomberman game, then someone has too.

Bombing Bastards actually does have a story line though.  You play as a robot and Dr. Wallow guides you through how to use the power ups and defeat enemies.  The dialogue from Dr. Wallow is actually quite amusing and the well acted.  The single player journey is similar to the mulitplayer aspect of the game, except the critters that you will destroy have set patterns that after a few rounds become quite obvious.  I wish that they would have mixed up the levels a bit instead of going with the standard rectangular level structure in the single player mode.

There is no co-op which is also a shame.  There are however boss battles at the end of each of the 5 worlds that are pretty fun.  They add a different dynamic  to the regular enemies and if they prove to be too difficult you have the option to skip them.

The multiplayer is where the game picks up.  Unfortunately, there is no online modes available.  This is really disappointing being that this game is built around multiplayer.  The multiplaer is 1-5 player local and you can add bots into the mix too.  The power-ups are the same you would expect from a Bomberman game such as The Glove (to throw bombs), The Boot (to kick bombs), blast power increases, bomb increases, ablity to walk through bombs, timer bombs, roller skates (to move faster) and bombs that will go through weak walls.  There are even downgrade power-ups in which you will want to avoid of blowup.

There are only 5 multiplayer levels available (the same as in the single player mode) which is also a turn off.  Each has it’s own environmental differences which will add to making it more difficult to survive the mix.  In the ice world, the ice cracks and you are unable to cross the gaps, in the grass level you get teleporters or arrows that the bombs if kicked on will get tossed for a loop.  Each is fun, but you will get through the 5 levels quickly and it will become repetitive, similar to the VS. games on NintendoLand.

Graphically, the game looks superb for a Bomberman style game.  It has a 3D cartoon look and is in crisp HD on the Wii U.  The soundtrack is actually amazing too.  It has some techno/electric remixes of classic songs like Flight of the Sugarplum Fairies.  It is really really good and catchy.

The Recommendation

I highly recommend Bombing Bastards to any fans of the Bomberman series, or if you haven’t played Bomberman, a fan of party multiplayer games.  It is very similar to Bomberman, like REALLY similar, but hell if Konami isn’t going to make it, some one had too!