Bomberman Blitz (DSiWare Review) by Leroy S.

Bomberman Blitz
Publisher: Hudson Soft
Developer: Hudson Soft
System: Nintendo DS (DSiWare)
Release: November 9, 2009

March 16, 2011, by Leroy S. - Bomberman Blitz is another entry in the illustrious Bomberman series, spanning over the past 28 years since the original game released in 1983. Developed and published by Hudson Soft, the game saw release in the North American Nintendo DSi Shop on November 9, 2009 for 500 DSi Points. Does this Bomberman have enough firepower to warrant an interest?

It's safe to say this now, but if you came searching for a single player mode of sorts, you'll be fairly disappointed as Blitz is strictly catered for the multiplayer audience: there isn't any such adventure/single-player mode available, only the "Bomberman for Beginners" mode, a "single-player" mode that's nothing more but a glorified practice area and also local and online multiplayer functionality. Like countless other Bomberman games, it throws you into a maze with up to 7 other Bomberman doppelgängers with no other motive but to survive their onslaught. There are 10 stages in all, each with their own special affinity: conveyor belts, spikes, trapdoors or even a permanent boost in speed. Arenas also have a large or small setting, with "large" taking up both screens and "small" only occupying the bottom screen.

The CPU player difficulties are customizable, with the range being "super easy" to "hard". There's also a special handicap by which you can apply power-ups to your character (and computer players). There are 7 powerups in all, more recognizable ones such as the ability to kick bombs or extended bomb capacity are included. Options are also available for fully customizable matches: how long you'll battle each round, players' start positions, the "revenge" feature (which allows players to re-enter the battle after being eliminated) and also the pressure blocks which close in the stage when the timer hits the 30 second mark.

The local multiplayer works like any other DS title before it, you'll have to offer up friend codes in order to play against specific people, especially if you wish to have fully customizable battles. This mode supports up to 8 players. If you're looking for any sort of challenge, that is where the online multiplayer really comes in handy. This is definitely the best mode available as you can connect and battle with others in the Battle Dojo area. A drastic change however, is the reduction of the player count from eight to four. There is a choice of a domestic battle (within regions) or a world battle. The online match functions like any other, but without any access to special perks added such as handicaps or other special options. Stages are randomly chosen and are usually placed on the small setting. You earn a bomber ranking whenever you compete in the dojo, which comes in handy with the addition of an online leaderboard to Blitz.

But does all this mean that Blitz is a proper Bomberman game? It's relatively hit-and-miss, as only specific crowds of people will be open to the game, especially those who relish multiplayer features.

The Verdict

Sound
9/15 - The music in the game is fairly disappointing as the game features some rather generic music without any considerations for bringing back any memorable tunes.

Graphics
14/20 - Bomberman delights with its 2D visuals, although there isn't anything to special to expect from it.

Appeal
17/25 - The main focus of the game is multiplayer, so if you're looking for a single player escapade, you're out of luck. The online multiplayer is very functionable, and the addition of a leaderboard makes for intense competition between players.

Gameplay
25/40 - The gameplay here is standard Bomberman fare: place bomb here, duck for cover, and blow others up. The stage design is also fairly standard with a few perks here and there. It's a typical Bomberman game, with nothing too special to break the mold.

Overall
65/100 - It would be shameful to write off Bomberman Blitz as anything else but a shameless cash-in, but it does have great potential to be a great standout in the DSi Shop among other Wi-Fi games on the DSiWare service. At 500 points, it does seem optimal but proceed with caution.