Bomberman
Review

Bomberman (2018) is the spiritual ancestor to last-player-standing battles like Fortnite and Apex Legends, but here you all play on the same screen and have the same bomb weapon. There are lots of versions, but in all of them you battle with up to eight players in a variety of modes, power-ups and abilities.

As in games like Fortnite or Apex Legends, everyone fights to be the last player remaining. Here, though, you can see what the other players are doing the whole time because of the shared screen, and it becomes a game of bluff and double-bluff. Also, each round only lasts a few minutes so it’s easier to stop when its dinner time.

Although skilled and competitive, the simplicity of the levels and limited ways to attack make this game accessible for all abilities. It’s raucous, explosive fun that fits into family life.

A version of Bomberman is available on most systems, although it’s worth reading a review of the specific versions before purchasing. For example, there are many versions for the Nintendo DS, but the original Bomber man game works best for families as it includes a ‘Download Play’ option, which allows you to download the game to up to 8 other DS consoles then battle using a local wireless connection:

• Bomberman
• Bomberman Land Touch!
• Bomberman Land Touch! 2

Super Bomberman R Online takes a highly customisable version of the game online in battle royale style. Exclusive to Stadia, this version pit up to 64 Players against each other. The game will be one of the first Stadia titles to take full advantage of Crowd Play, a feature that allows players to jump into a game with professional players on YouTube.

Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Bomberman 3 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 10 months ago.