Top 10 Best Bomberman Games

You know the old saying: when life gives you bombs… blow up your friends, what else? Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Bomberman Games.

Based off a Japanese anime of the same name, “Bomberman Jetters” is a cel-shaded, adventure game with enough cutesy charm to crack even the “manliest” of men. The game allows you to switch between Bomberman and his ally, Max, which will depend on the situation as Bomberman can use the Pokémon-like creatures called “Charaboms” and Max can utilize a screen-clearing blast…which takes forever to charge. There are also plenty of boss battles and animated cutscenes in between, though the voice acting is a bit cringe-y at times(insert Bomberman Jetters Boss cutscenes clip at 0:42). Still, “Bomberman Jetters is a solid title with a lengthy single-player mode and, of course, multiplayer fun.

In the late 80s and early 90s when consoles usually only had two controller ports, the Super Multitap (insert Super Multitap image) was gift from the gaming gods and it came bundled with “Super Bomberman.” This game not only added 4-player battle mode, but it also introduced cooperative play to its single-player mode so that you and a friend can finally play together without wanting to murder each other…okay we can’t promise there won’t be some shouting. With awesome graphics and a rocking soundtrack, “Super Bomberman” perpetuated the fever that only Hudson’s little bee could bestow upon the world.

Well here it is, the game that introduced the West to the explosive-laying lad. No frills here, just bomb the enemies in each stage and get to the exit and, if you’re lucky, you might find a power-up or two along the way. Though it lacks the bells and whistles of the later releases and even a multiplayer mode, there’s something appealing about the simple graphics, music, and straight-forward gameplay. “Bomberman’s” 50 levels of retro gaming bliss are absolutely worth the 10 bucks you can find the cartridge for today.

SNK’s arcade juggernaut the Neo Geo MVS was the ultimate gaming machine for its time and, luckily, the “Bomberman” franchise got its own entry on the system. The “Bomberman” formula is perfectly suited for the arcade experience since it’s an easy game to pick up, difficult to master, and even harder to put down. You’d be hard-pressed not to plunk down quite a few quarters for some quality B-man action: there’s just something so satisfying about watching blocks and enemies burn to ashes under your bombs. We’ll bet many players frequented arcades for this title since there was never a release on any home system.

This GBA gem can be described as an action-adventure, puzzle game with role-playing elements; imagine Zelda combined with Pokémon and loaded with explosives. Do we have your attention yet? “Bomberman Tournament” is a prime example of how to take a franchise in a completely new direction and make it a memorable experience. This game has Bomberman traveling to different towns, collecting items to create new bombs, and battling with ally creatures called Karabons. Did we mention it has a classic, arena battling multiplayer mode via the Link Cable? This tiny cartridge is just bursting with content.

In the mid-90’s everything was transitioning into 3D and “Bomberman” was no exception. The first three-dimensional “Bomberman” ditched the classic arena-style levels and offered bigger worlds that relied more on exploration and puzzle-solving. You’ll venture through cities, climb skyscrapers, and even navigate the frozen tundra with nothing but your trusty explosives. The “Bomberman” purists out there needn’t worry because the battle mode is as addicting as ever, especially with the variety of stages that all play completely different from one another. It even had a cheesy commercial, which may or may not have been inspired by a certain web-slinger.

The TurboGrafx-16 was largely ignored back in the day because of bigger names like Nintendo and Sega and gamers missed out on some quality titles, case in point: “Bomberman ‘93”. The vibrant graphics and cheery, chiptune music make this game just an overall fantastic experience that could easily compete with anything found on Super Nintendo or Genesis at the time. In classic “Bomberman” fashion the multiplayer fun is here along with a loaded single-player adventure. Nowadays, the best way to check out “Bomberman ‘93” is on the Wii Virtual Console because affording an original T-16 copy will probably involve selling a kidney…

Bomberman’s third and final installment on the N64 improved on everything from the first “Bomberman 64” and then some. Bomberman has a cute little partner called Pommy this time around, which can be controlled by the AI or another human player. Together they must escape a prison and once again foil the plans of evil. There are plenty of items to collect along the way, like food which makes Pommy stronger. There is also a shop where you can buy a plethora of things, including stages for multiplayer. This game never came out in Europe and acquiring a cartridge today will cost a pretty penny.

A re-published version of the Japan-only “Bomberman ‘94”, “Mega Bomberman” has our hero traveling to different sections of Planet Bomber to eliminate some robotic pests. Each area contains large stages to explore that are jam-packed with enemies. Along the way you can acquire a Kangaroo-like creature to ride on, which can allow Bomberman to jump over obstacles and even take a hit for you in a pinch. Though the music may not be as memorable in this one, the gameplay is refined and fluid. And let’s not forget you fight a monkey controlling a giant banana.

Before we blow up the number one spot, here are a few honorable mentions:

“Bomberman Hero” (1998)

“Bomberman Generation” (2002)

“Bomberman Blast” (2008)

… And here’s one dishonorable mention:

“Bomberman: Act Zero” (2006)

4 Words that seal it’s #1 spot: Ten. Person. Local. Multiplayer. The “Bomberman” franchise had been pioneering multiplayer gaming practically since its inception so it only makes sense that it holds the achievement for the most intense local multiplayer game ever. To be fair, the game also has competent single-player mode in which the player must destroy all of the glowing pedestals in the level to continue, all the while avoiding enemies and collecting power-ups. The cartoonish graphics are beautifully animated and the game has a relaxing soundtrack to bomb to. “Saturn Bomberman” has its place in history as one of the best local multiplayer games ever-- it is, in fact, the bomb.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite Bomberman game? For more Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com