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Bomberman [PC Engine]
ボンバーマン [PCエンジン版]

7 Dec 1990




   
While the Famicom Bomberman (1985) was a great game, it only scratched the surface of its potential; and it's amazing to think that it took Hudson close to five years to come up with an update of the formula. But it was well worth the wait: the 1990 PC Engine Bomberman is nothing short of a masterpiece.
Every single aspect of the game has been tweaked to perfection: the 'Normal Game' is now a colourful, varied and fun password-based adventure that sees our hero face off against the legions of the evil Black Bomber. As the game progresses, you can pick up a whole selection of different icons and power-ups - mostly the same ones as before, but this time there are numerous other hidden bonuses; some obvious, some less (see 'Tactics' section below).
It's simple, it's fun, and horrendously addictive. After a half dozen stages or so, you'll be triggering devilish bomb patterns, and setting the screen alight.
 

 
 
 
 

 
The one-player game is good, but in truth it really isn't that special. When it comes down to Bomberman's ultimate appeal, it’s all about the 'Battle Game' (right).
Here anything up to 5 players can face off against each other, locked together in mortal combat inside a single-screen arena. There is only one rule: last man standing wins.
And that's pretty much it - there isn't much else to say about the game save the fact that this might well be a front-running candidate for the grand prize of 'Best Videogame Ever'. Hudson made the most out of the PC Engine's under-used 5-Player adaptor, and came up with a hilariously funny, addictive, and downright merciless versus game.
Tricks, traps, team-ups, promises, lies, double-crossing... anything goes. A good game of Bomberman will turn the most kind, generous and friendly of people into vicious and ruthless killers. Some even subconsciously resort to inducing pity, mercy, love and/or sympathy - before blackmailing and coercing you into traps and doom.
Simply put: if you haven't tried 5-player Bomberman, do it now!
 

 


 
Bomberman
ボンバーマン

PC ENGINE
DETAILS
Format PC Engine
Released 7 Dec 1990
Publisher Hudson
Product ID HC90036
Size (cm) 14.2 x 12.4 x 1
Weight (kg) 0.10
PRICE
STATUS
Aside from Dungeon Explorer (1989) and Moto Roader (1989), there wasn't any real reason to invest in a 5-player adaptor until this genial game came along.
The best multi-player game ever!

Standard PCE case, 2Mbit HuCard, 8-page colour manual.

Bomberman Users Battle
ボンバーマン ユーザーズバトル
PC ENGINE
DETAILS
Format PC Engine
Released 1990
Publisher Hudson
Product ID n/a
Size (cm) 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.2
Weight (kg) 0.01
PRICE
STATUS
Promotional HuCard released through the Hudson Soft Fan Club, featuring the multi-player 'Battle Game' only.
Limited to something around 1000 copies only, and now a very sought-after item by PC Engine aficionados.

2Mbit HuCard in sleeve.

Bomberman
ボンバーマン
X68000
DETAILS
Format X68000
Released April 1991
Publisher System Soft
Product ID ?
Size (cm) ?
Weight (kg) ?
PRICE
STATUS
Direct conversion of the PC Engine Bomberman for X68000.
Currently unavailable, and seemingly quite hard to find - the picture is from a 'System Soft Software Catalog'.
More info as it comes!

Unknown packaging, 1 x 5" floppy disk, manual.

 





 
TACTICS
(Normal Game)

SPECIAL SELECT ROOM:


Play a game, register a hi-score of 300, and die.
Choose 'End', and wait for the game to go through its demo mode. When the title screen re-appears, press and hold:
+ Select + I + II
Keep holding these buttons - press RUN to start, RUN again to skip the intro: the menu will appear.


SOUND TEST:


This one is easier: enter 'Password', and input:
BOMSOUND
The password will clear as if it were no good, but then input:
MWFWJQYY
The screen will blank and 'SOUND-00' will appear.
Press I or II to select a sound, and RUN to play.

SECRET ITEMS:

SHUTTLE
(18,800 pts)
Destroy all of a stage's blocks without hitting any enemies
 

COREGRAFX
(24,800 pts)
This one is easy: stand completely still for 3 minutes straight
 

SUPERGRAFX
(39,800 pts)
Super-hard: Destroy all the enemies without hitting any blocks
 

PROFESSOR
(111,110 pts)
Lucky bonus:
If the last block destroyed is the exit block
 

GIRL
(123,450 pts)
Leave 1 enemy alive, stand on the exit with 3:33 left on the timer
 

SAX
(10,000,000)
Get to the end of the game (Rd 8-7) without losing any lives

MISC PASSWORDS:
1-1
<START>
 
3-3
ROCCNOZC
 
5-2
MKONVWVH
 
8-8
RWOOHVVV

 

 

'Bomberman' and 'Hudson' are registered trademarks of Hudson Soft Co., Ltd.
'PC Engine' and 'NEC' are registered trademarks of NEC Corporation
Bomberman [PC Engine] TM & © 1990 Hudson All Rights Reserved
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