Bomberman Party Edition
A PlayStation port of the 1983 Bomberman with enhanced graphics.
Bomberman Party Edition, released as simply Bomberman in Japan and Europe, is a PlayStation port of the original 1983 Bomberman. The single-player mode offers classic graphics, but players can also switch to an upgraded visual style. It later arrived on the PlayStation Network as a PSone Classic—first in Japan on May 28, 2008, then in North America on December 10, 2009.
In single-player, the gameplay closely mirrors the 1985 version. You control Bomberman across a grid filled with breakable and unbreakable blocks. Bombs destroy the breakable ones, which may drop power-ups that boost speed, blast radius, bomb count, or let you detonate bombs manually, walk through walls, or pass through bombs. Some power-ups are temporary, granting immunity to enemies or explosions. Each level requires you to eliminate all monsters, then find a hidden door under a random block.
Every few stages, a bonus level appears. Here, you’re invincible and face an endless wave of monsters. The goal is to rack up points until you earn an extra life. Like Super Bomberman, the single-player mode includes several themed worlds. A battle mode is also included, featuring eight courses with three levels each.
According to Famitsu, Bomberman Party Edition sold about 34,945 copies in its first week in Japan and roughly 156,600 units overall in the region. Critics gave it mixed reviews, earning a 72.75% average on GameRankings from eight reviews. GamePro’s Mike Weigand praised the colorful graphics, solid audio, and controls, but noted the limited single-player modes and long loading times as drawbacks.
- Platform
- PlayStation
- Release (Japan)
- May 28, 2008 (PSone Classic)
- Release (North America)
- December 10, 2009 (PSone Classic)
- Genre
- Action-puzzle
- Sales (Japan)
- Approximately 156,600 copies lifetime
- Review aggregate
- 72.75% on GameRankings (based on 8 reviews)
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Metro Corporation
- Publisher
- JP · Hudson Soft · EU · Virgin Interactive · NA · Vatical Entertainment
- Director
- Shigeki Fujiwara
- Producer
- Hiroaki Baba
- Designer
- Ikuya Ochi / May. / Mamoru Ichimura
- Artist
- Shoji Mizuno / Kozue Satoh
- Series
- Bomberman
- Released
- JP · December 10, 1998 · EU · July 1999 · NA · November 7, 2000
- Composer
- Jun Chikuma
- Genre
- Strategy, maze
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Platforms
- PlayStation
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The single player mode closely resembles the 1985 release of Bomberman. The player controls Bomberman in a wide area filled with destructible and non-destructible blocks. Destroying blocks with bombs may reveal power-ups that increase walking speed, bomb explosion size, number of bombs, or grant abilities such as remote detonation, walking through walls or bombs. Some power-ups are temporary, granting immunity to bombs or monsters. Each level requires destroying all monsters and then finding a door hidden under a random block.
After every few levels, a bonus level appears where the player is invincible and must destroy an endless stream of monsters to build score until a bonus life is awarded. The single player mode includes multiple level themes similar to Super Bomberman. A battle mode is also included, featuring 8 courses with 3 levels per course.
Reader's Guide
Bomberman Party Edition represents a transitional release for the Bomberman series, bringing the classic 1983 gameplay to the PlayStation with both retro and enhanced visual options. Its sales in Japan, approximately 156,600 units, indicate a modest commercial performance. Critical reception was average, with a GameRankings score of 72.75% from eight reviews. GamePro's Mike Weigand praised the colorful graphics, solid audio, and controls, but noted limited single-player modes and long loading times. The game's later release as a PSone Classic on the PlayStation Network extended its availability to a new generation of players, preserving the original Bomberman experience for digital download.
Did You Know?
- The game is known in Japan and Europe as simply Bomberman.
- It sold approximately 156,600 copies during its lifetime in Japan.
- The battle mode includes 8 courses with 3 levels per course.
- GamePro's Mike Weigand criticized the limited single-player modes and long loading times.
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