Review: Bomberman Live [Xbox 360]

The Bomberman series has existed in some form or another since 1983, gracing several different consoles in many different incarnations. The lastest release is Bomberman Live, an Xbox Live Arcade title for the Xbox 360. At 800 Microsoft Points (about $10) this game offers great multiplayer action, and is well worth the price in my opinion.

Bomberman Live is at it’s core follows the standard Bomberman formula. It does away with any type of story or mission based objectives, leaving just a handful of game types. The normal mode is a deathmatch, where you place bombs around the board to try to blow up your opponents. By picking up powerups you can place more bombs, and they can make a larger explosion. Up to 8 characters will be on the screen at once (up to 4 can be controlled by humans in a local game, all 8 can be humans on Xbox Live) making the game a fast-paced frenzy to get the powerups and destroy the opponents.

There is some level of customization available, with options to allow vanquished opponents to toss in bombs from the sidelines, or to have a sudden death finale where blocks fall around the perimeter of the board, shrinking it until somebody is finally declared the winner. There are also a few alternative game modes, including paint bomb (where you try to paint the most squares your color using bombs) or zombie, which is a version of paint bomb where you can’t actually die.

Over several hours of playing the game, we usually stuck with the normal mode. There are several maps, with each area having it’s own special features. The futuristic level has teleportation squares, while the jungle level has quicksand that stops your movement for a few seconds. This helps keep the game relatively fresh. Also, my girlfriend and I were very surprised that, even after playing for a while the music remained catchy.

There are numerous costumes that are unlocked by picking up special items that randomly appear within games. You can then adjust the look of your bomberman, although the selection is pretty basic. One of my favorite things is the achievement “The Good, The Bad, and the Bombed” where you must get a frag on an Xbox Live game while wearing the full cowboy costume.. only the person you frag must also have that costume on.

Overall Bomberman Live is a great experience on the Xbox, and is especially good when you play against other humans, either locally or over Live. Hopefully Hudson will provide some new levels, new costumes and perhaps even new game modes to help expand this winning formula.