Bomberman is back for the first time on the PlayStation 3 and Hudson has not forgotten the ingredients that made it such a fantastic series. Bomberman Ultra is a simple and addictive game that has everything a PS3 owner is looking for. For those who have been looking for a fun experience, is the game for you?

Gameplay

If you never played a previous Bomberman game from back in the day, it is a competitive action title where you control a character called Bomberman. You move your character around a rectangular battlefield placing bombs in order to free up space, control a section or defeat your opposition. Depending on the map type, you will always start by placing bombs to open up space on the map, but then it becomes a battle against other Bombermen (or Bomberwomen) for map supremacy.

Bomberman Ultra does not shy away from the options available for you to choose from. There are 14 diverse maps with more than 6 different modes available. Some maps have more modes than others, but there is always something to play. Each map is varied from the last and each one has its own special traits that alter the way you will play them. Of all the available modes to choose from, the one I most enjoyed playing was Zombie. Zombie mode gives you unlimited life but you need to be alive and controlling the most blocks on the map at the same time to win.

The customization offered in Ultra is through the roof. First off, there are so many pieces to collect, which allow you to personalize your Bomberman; it won’t take you long to create a truly unique character. Also, each map and game mode can also be modified in a number of different ways, including adjusting the length, available pick-ups and requirements to win. You can play the same map a dozen times but each time be a completely different experience.


Although Bomberman Ultra is very fun and easy to pick up, it isn’t exactly a walk in the park, especially for first-time players. The learning curve on being able to master a map and/or game mode can take sometime. New players might get confused at first when it comes to understanding the actions on the screen and the requirements for winning a mode. Just play a map few times to familiarize yourself and then you will fell right at home.

If you really want to have fun with Ultra, you need to play it with up to three other friends locally or with seven other people online. While playing with the CPU is ok at first, there is no greater satisfaction than destroying your buddy sitting next to you and rubbing it in their face.

Graphics and Sound

The cartoony look of Bomberman Ultra is excellent for the PSN as the game runs smoothly regardless of the action on the screen. Thanks to the customization available, both in terms of characters and modes, there is a lot to look at. The menus and in-game maps all use a great amount of color and it looks great on any HD television.

The game’s music will bring back memories of the 16-bit era of Bomberman titles. It’s not exactly the best sounding in terms of catchiness, but when you’re droppin’ bombs on the competition, you won’t be paying much attention to it anyway. Surprisingly, the girlish voice that pops up to warn you of the time left or the winner of the round is not annoying.

Value

Thanks to all the customization, 14 maps and plenty of game modes, there is a lot to enjoy with Bomberman Ultra. I strongly suggest calling over some friends to your place and playing together locally. Online does offer play with up to 7 people but I did encounter a lack of people playing online to have any really frantic or large group games. It’s not that big a deal, but sometimes it is just so much more enjoyable and satisfying to be able to dominate a larger group than just one or two people.

Conclusion

With everything that Bomberman Ultra offers you for only a ten dollar download, there is no doubt that this should be a game in your PSN collection. Those who grew up with Bomberman in the 80s and 90s will be completely satisfied and first time players will only take a few moments before they become addicted to the game.