Super Bomberman 2 Remix
- AlWo73
- 21 minutes ago
- 5 min read
From Russia With Bombs
SUPER BOMBERMAN 2 REMIX
(ZX Online, 2023)
I wonder if the well of Spectrum games is beginning to dry up somewhat. A slightly depressing thought, but I suppose as time goes on, that is surely bound to happen. It's a wonder we get as many as we do really, and Putin's Ukrainian obsession hasn't helped the recent flow any either. But not everything in life revolves around the Spectrum, I suppose.
My recent stint with happening new Speccy mag BreakSpace has exposed me to quite a lot of the most recent software, and being part of a team was rather fun. But I did end up with a feeling that the real gems only come around now and then, and to find them you have to sail the seas of mediocrity quite often. I struggle to find much to say about platformers these days, so I left that to more technical minds than mine, whose enthusiasm is to be applauded.
So when we are possibly slightly starved of shiny new things to admire, what can we do? My advice is to dig deeper into our already overflowing catalogue and see what hidden treasure can be unearthed. That's kinda been my philosophy all along really, I love me a hidden gem or an obscure oddity, as you'll know. There's still plenty to admire and harp on about, so not to despair!
Anyway, onto the job in hand. Here's another impressive looking Russian title, slightly confusingly titled Super Bomberman 2 Remix. I didn't actually spot the original Super Bomberman, or the unremixed sequel, but maybe I'm just uninformed. Unless they've got a bit carried away with the title there...
On further investigation, this game was made by none other than Marie Slip, Gogin and Nik-O. Marie, who is possibly not as female as he sounds, did a seemingly unknown version of this game back in 2001 apparently, so that explains the sequel treatment. Gogin's main claim to fame is being author of the remarkable, if remarkably hard, Nothing from a few years back. And Nik-O did the choonz. Good lad.
Hudson Soft in 1983 released the original Bomberman on some now long obscure systems. There was a NES version, and I myself played a version on PSP which was frankly dullsville. So that doesn't bode well for this game. Thus far the only Bomberman action we experienced on the Speccy was Sinclair Research's very own Eric And The Floaters, which I duly checked out. Obviously it's a pretty ancient game, but it seemed rather a half hearted effort, which didn't set the bar very high at all.
Once upon a Wednesday, aliens land on the planet Bomber without explanation, or phoning ahead (rude), and begin merrily obliterating the major cities. Once half the planet has been destroyed their horrible buggish leader demands the people's subservience. Only two heroes are ballsy enough to stand up to this dumb jerk, top girl Pommy and top... ant perhaps... Black. Armed to the teeth (ants have teeth don't they?) they must blow up the enemies crawling around each level they move through, and find the exit. They're terrorists really. But they're on our side so that's okay.
So you have unlimited bombs at your disposal (I think that's possibly a joke, not quite sure) which kaboom a few squares vertically and a few horizontally. The trick is to catch the unwitting baddies in the blast and not yourself. The action can get frenzied so that's easier said than done. Some enemies stick to a set pattern while others are loose cannons and wibble wherever looks good to them at any given moment.
There are 9 different objects you can unearth to help you on your explosive quest, granting you treats such as invulnerability or turning your bombs remote control. All very handy and most considerate. But the main emphasis is on anticipating the enemy patterns or planting your weapons in the most destructive places. There are four worlds to blast through, and at least 20 levels, culminating in a boss fight with da big, bad boss bug.
In between each world comes a mini game where you have to match up icons to get a life or bonus depending. For some reason this game is proving rather dull to describe, unless my gaming muse has deserted me after a few weeks' neglect? So I suppose the game is no great shakes then...
Clearly this isn't the case and I'm just being a tricksy hobbit and having you on. It's true that the gameplay is fairly simplistic and potentially repetitive, so in that case the entire enterprise hinges on just how good or bad the execution might be. After all, some of the best Spectrum games are pretty repetitive, but when done properly, addiction usually sets in and you're hooked. Jetpac. Deathchase. Bomb Jack. Tank Trax. None are rocket science but all are bonafide classics, I can declare without fear of reproach from anyone ever.
The gameplay is straightforward but no less addictive for it. I wonder if a time limit might have added a welcome element of urgency possibly, as quite often when you finish off the baddies, you have to spend a minute or two blowing walls up to locate your exit. Which seems a bit pointless as it is, but would really get tense if you were up against the clock. Even as it is, in your haste those naughties often get you trapped into a corner, leaving you with little choice but to invite them to your suicide party. Grim.
ZX Online games tend to have some awesome presentation, and this title is no exception. A brill load screen, great tunes all the way through, a swish intro with more ace pics, it all checks out. The in-game screens don't look quite as dramatic but the sprites are cute and move a treat. It's not easy to make a Bomberman look nice but this title manages it with ganache, sorry, panache.
The only slight pity is that the experience doesn't last a little longer. It feels like things are just getting going when you reach the end of the game, so maybe there's the possibility of an expanded version coming out some time in the future? Having said that, Super Bomberman Remix 2 does not lack for different game modes. There are two difficulty levels, a 2 player co-op mode and a 2 player versus mode.
This is impressive stuff all round, but for some reason this game didn't seem to get much coverage when it was released a couple of years ago - I'm pretty sure new Crash have somehow missed it, so I've cued them up nicely for a future CrashBack feature. You're welcome, guys! I myself played the demo but forgot about it for a while, but was pleased to find it was still available to buy the other week. So a few quid later, the game was mine. And I'm glad I did buy it, as now a few more people might hopefully come to realise that this is a cracking good modern Speccy arcade game, which is incendiary fun for all the family.
SUPER SCORES 2 REMIXED
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