{"id":35794,"date":"2023-09-25T19:46:46","date_gmt":"2023-09-25T18:46:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.xtremeservers.com\/blog\/super-bomberman-r-2-review\/"},"modified":"2023-09-25T19:46:46","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T18:46:46","slug":"super-bomberman-r-2-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.xtremeservers.com\/blog\/super-bomberman-r-2-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Super Bomberman R 2 Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When it comes to arcade classics like Bomberman, the secret to longevity is keeping it simple. Though there have been dozens of iterations of Hudson Soft’s absorbing competitive puzzler, they’ve all largely adhered to the same principle: blowing things (and people) up in a candy-colored paradise. Just about every one of them has a new gimmick waiting around the corner, whether it\u2019s the spacious areas of action-flavored Bomberman Generation or Bomberman Tournament’s Zelda-like Quest Mode. That’s how Super Bomberman R 2 manages to keep the hits coming: with some clever modes that put a new spin on things. Of course, Bomberman has always been at its best when played with others, so it’s no surprise that’s where this feature-rich sequel shines in contrast to its repetitive single-player story mode and largely empty open world. <\/p>\n

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True to the format of the top-down, 2D original, the fun of Super Bomberman R 2\u2019s multiplayer modes comes from throwing down explosives to blow up destructible obstacles while avoiding your own blasts and those of everybody else. When you aren’t narrowly escaping an enemy’s explosion, you’re looking for ways to trick or trap them into walking into yours. As a result, you\u2019re always forced to go on the offensive, constantly calculating where your next bomb is going to go, all the while keeping an eye on enemies who are doing the same.<\/p>\n

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There are tons of ways to play with friends via local or online multiplayer, including the 64-player Battle 64 mode that has you fighting through a knock-down, drag-out battle royale. (Fortunately there\u2019s crossplay, so there\u2019s no trouble filling games.) It doesn\u2019t jam 64 people on one map \u2013 that would be chaos \u2013 but rather takes a smarter, more manageable, tournament-style approach. You start out in a traditional four-player Bomberman match, while the other 56 combatants duke it out elsewhere in 16 other rooms simultaneously, much like the Switch\u2019s now-defunct Super Mario 35. A timer counts down from 60 seconds, and when it hits zero, play areas are removed one by one. That leaves the last few players scrambling to survive, with one player being crowned victor. You can travel through the other boards during the Movement Phase to stay away from elimination zones, so it’s smart to keep track of where everyone else is, too. It’s humbling to finish dead last your first few rounds, but like any good battle royale, the drive to improve kept me coming back over and over again.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t jam 64 people on one map \u2013 that would be chaos.<\/section>\n

Also new is Castle, an exciting and surprisingly strategic asymmetrical multiplayer mode that designates one Bomberman character as “king” and pits them against 15 other players. On the castle side, the king defends a number of treasure chests scattered throughout the stage by editing the map to their liking and setting traps and obstacles, and it\u2019s fun to watch the attacking side try to get through it all. For example, gimmicks include parts like the Conveyor Belt, which can move players and bombs alike, and are meant to be part of enemy-stalling strategies. Weapons are simple but effective, with options like cannons that shoot bombs that can fly over walls, blades that you can plant to slash enemies in close proximity, lasers for long-range targets, and more. It may seem like a one-sided fight, but even when I was playing as one of the 15 attackers it can be difficult to suss out and capture all the treasure chests when you\u2019re playing against a smart king. These matches are just as tense and unpredictable as Battle 64. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Another mode, Grand Prix, returns from Super Bomberman R: you and other players are divided into two teams to compete in four types of minigames. While they aren’t drastically different from one another, each serves up a unique challenge that adapts familiar multiplayer rules like Capture the Flag. For instance, one mode has you competing to steal five “Balloms” from the other team to bring them back to your base. Crystals is just a race to see which team can collect the most crystals in a certain amount of time. If you don’t feel like a lengthy Castle battle or want to spice things up beyond regular Bomberman matches, these quick Grand Prix rounds are a good alternative. <\/p>\n

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On top of that there’s a robust level editor (similar to what’s available to the king in Castle mode) that you can use to make your own traditional Bomberman stages. Conceptually, it has a lot in common with Super Mario Maker, including the ability to share and download levels with others online by way of nine-digit level codes. Alternatively, you can browse what\u2019s available until you see a level you like. In practice, unfortunately, the controls are cumbersome, making painstakingly placing each map detail block after block feel like a chore. For those who do decide to invest in some serious building time, there are absolutely brutal maps that can be crafted, as evidenced by my sifting through the maps already online and finding some real challenges. <\/p>\n

The editor has a lot in common with Super Mario Maker… unfortunately, the controls are cumbersome.<\/section>\n

As with most online games these days, there\u2019s a whole progression system to advance through, and moving up the ranks means earning currency to unlock fun character skins, player quotes, and more. Importantly, you\u2019re racking up currency whether you\u2019re playing online or offline modes, win or lose, and there are no real-money microtransactions at all \u2013 but it\u2019d take a long, long time to earn everything. <\/p>\n