I'm feeling pretty good. That's because Bomberman is BACK.
...well, he's been back, obviously — his new game, a Switch launch title in March, is now the bestselling installment in 20 years. But I just plunked down $50 for a digital copy last night because Konami released a patch that unlocks the framerate in Story Mode and makes Battle Mode run at 60 fps. They've also been updating it with other quality-of-life options, like the ability to shift the camera angle in Story Mode for that classic top-down view (just tap L or R), and new CPU difficulty levels for Battle Mode. Also, I'm not sure if this is new, but you can lock the camera in Battle Mode — so no panning and zooming.
I've been wanting a new Bomberman for awhile, but I didn't feel compelled to buy right away because the game, at launch, seemed unpolished to me. It's difficult for me to support even the most beloved game series if it feels like they're not being paid proper respect. (I've currently held off on Yooka-Laylee for similar reasons, despite being a huge fan of its spiritual predecessor Banjo-Kazooie.)
But this patch pretty much fixes everything.
Now that I'm actually playing it, I'm impressed by what it has to offer. Tight controls, tried-and-true gameplay, fun touches like Revenge Carts and Pressure Blocks, fun stage gimmicks like floor switches and magnets, loads of options and unlocks, shiny graphics, catchy music, slick menus, a challenging Story Mode with cool stage themes (the mechanized planet!) and Saturday morning cartoon-style cutscenes...
You can even play Battle Mode in one-player against a full field of CPUs, which is great for a quick fix when no one's around and you don't feel like going online. Playing this game... Oh man, it's just so good. A great addition to my Switch "arcade" that will soon feature the best Mario Kart, as well. And it's got me wanting to talk about Konami in general and how Bomberman would be perfect for Smash.
Glimmers of hope for Konami: Please don't take this as me jumping the gun. I'm not saying "Konami is back." Bad Guy Konami is still very much a concern. But I'm beginning to feel hopeful that maybe, just maybe, they'll turn things around.
Super Bomberman R likely began life as a low-budget title rushed to market — a move that probably worked out for them, mediocre reviews aside, since hitting launch meant it was a pick-up title for many people buying Zelda. In being rushed to stores, the game wasn't as well-optimized as it should've been. The underlying gameplay and content was solid, but technically it had issues.
Now that the game has sold well, it seems like Konami is reconsidering this and other neglected properties. (See the article at the link at the start of this thread.) Their ongoing support for Bomberman, post-release, is adding things that should've been there from the start... but it still shows that they're listening, and trying to make a successful product even more so.
This is encouraging in a way. I had resigned myself to the notion that MGSV — easily one of the most fun games ever made — would be the last proper game from Konami. I didn't think they'd ever do anything with the Bomberman franchise, let alone try to improve it after launch and continue to support it with free content. But they've been adding performance upgrades, quality-of-life options, new stages to unlock in-game with the currency you earn in-game... They even have new characters on the way, for free:
Konami sits on a MASSIVE treasure trove of classic franchises. Aside from Bomberman, which they acquired, they also have Metal Gear, Silent Hill, Castlevania, Contra, Ganbare Goemon, Gradius, Suikoden, Dance Dance Revolution, Zone of the Enders... Heck, even Frogger. Of those, I really want another Goemon.
A small part of me hopes that maybe we'll see more projects like Super Bomberman R, which apparently started with Nintendo calling Konami and pitching the concept. Imagine another 2D Castlevania, or a Goemon or Contra with two-player co-op perfect for Switch. Probably a pipe dream... but then again, who ever thought we'd see what is effectively Super Bomberman 6, at launch, on the Switch? And with significant post-release updates, to boot?
I know we all want to say "#FucKonami," but frankly, when they fuck up, we lose. So many amazing franchises are missing in action — for my tastes, second only to Nintendo and Capcom. I'm rooting for their return.
Bomberman in Smash:
I just wanted to close by saying how deserved this would be. Bomberman would be perfect for Smash. Even if Super Bomberman R hadn't shown up at launch, I'd still say Bomberman deserves to join the ranks of Mega Man, Pac-Man and Sonic in terms of iconic third-party guest characters.
Coincidentally, his latest game has eight characters that would be perfect for alts. You have the White Bomber, by default, followed by Red, Blue, Black, Yellow, Green, Pink and my favorite, Aqua. Knowing Sakurai, he'd give them their unique animations and expressions while maintaining the same move-set properties. That right there would add a lot of personality to the game (not that Smash has a personality deficit or anything).
His credentials certainly justify it. Bomberman has a long-running history on Nintendo consoles, pumping out installments for nearly the entire time Nintendo's been making games — my personal favorites being Bomberman 64 and Bomberman Hero on the N64. If Smash Switch is a thing — and I don't see why it wouldn't be — then maybe there'll be new characters, and Bomberman will be among them.
Along with Snake and Simon Belmont.
Just imagine pumping up bombs, lobbing and kicking, maybe bouncing them like in Bomberman 64, and unleashing fire pillars that cascade across the stage. Maybe his green rabbit Louie can play a role. Maybe the vehicles from Hero would factor into his recovery. There are endless possibilities here. It just... feels right. Smash is a celebration of gaming (and in many respects, Japanese gaming in particular). Bomberman deserves the invite.
Anyways, I'm just gushing at this point. Proceed to roll your eyes... or share the hype. I'm just happy Bomberman is back. Hopefully the other Konami classics will follow.
