What parents need to know
Super Bomberman Collection is a compilation of 7 games from the Bomberman series released for the NES and SNES: Super Bomberman 1 to 5 from the SNES and Bomberman 1 and 2 from the NES.
This compilation includes many tracks that had not been officially released in the United States (Super Bomberman 3 to 5) or in Europe (Super Bomberman 4 and 5).
These games have been translated for the occasion by the enthusiasts of Red Art Games, the French studio responsible for this compilation.
A classic Bomberman game is played this way, each player embodies a character called Bomberman who moves in 2 dimensions on a chessboard. This chessboard is composed of destructible blocks, non-destructible blocks, maluses, bonuses and traps. Characters have the ability to place a bomb on this chessboard. This bomb will create a cruciform explosion after a few seconds, which can destroy the destructible blocks but also some traps, other characters, as well as oneself.
The whole point of the game is then to place your bombs well to trap the opponents while avoiding all the explosions. The game ends when only one Bomberman remains in the arena. He is then the winner of this round. You can accumulate power-ups in arenas to increase the effects of bombs, throw them through the streets, kick them, increase the number of bombs you carry, get a shield, protect yourself from a single explosion, etc.
This compilation was first released in digital format on all consoles and PC. It will be available in physical format for Europeans at Red Art Games , which is also a distributor, and for North Americans at Video Games Plus.
The game was provided by developer Red Art Games for review purposes. It does not influence our opinion.
Details
Level of experience required
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Evaluation
It’s cartoon characters blowing themselves up with bombs, that’s all.
Nothing.
Very childish and optional to know how to read.
Encourages competition and cooperation.
At a high level of multiplayer, the game requires a lot of composure and dexterity, but most of the challenges offered by default are easy.
Only humans and end-game enemies, when you encounter them, will give you a hard time.
No problem. Everything is included in the base game for now.
Local game modes
Each game features a “Story” mode which is a series of boards for 1 or 2 players (starting with the Super Bomberman 2) against CPU-driven enemies.
And a Battle mode that allows humans to compete against each other with or without bots. The Battle mode is the one that has made the legend of the series for 40 years.
Note that Bomberman 1 NES does not contain a Battle mode.
Bomberman 1 is playable with 1 player.
Bomberman 2 is playable with 2 players.
Super Bomberman 1 and 2 are playable from 1 to 4 players.
Super Bomberman 3 to 5 are playable from 1 to 5 players.
Online Game Modes
WARNING: There is no online game mode for this title.
There is a lot of confusion about this, but it is not.
Only the Switch 2 version has a GameShare mode that can be played online only with friends. This means that you can play with your friends even if they don’t have the game with the GameShare feature. It also works locally with local Wi-Fi.
It is impossible to play with strangers online on all platforms.
Our opinion
I love Super Bomberman Collection. I even love the idea of the collection. On every platform, I need my favorite Bomberman games for 40 years, and now it’s a pleasure to find such great games finally after 30 years.
The compilation is well done but I have to point out 2 small things that I would have liked: that Bomberman 1 and 2 are in the same menu as the 5 games of the SNES, and that the gallery mode includes shortcuts to switch from one image to another instantly like in the Capcom collections.
Otherwise it’s all good.
Whether you’re nostalgic or curious about some of the formative games in the series, jump on them!
Now we are waiting for the compilations of the titles PC-Engine, Saturn, PC, etc. 🙂
