Today I'm reviewing Bomberman 64 The Second Attack. Just in case you wonder what the 'Second Attack' is, this is actually the sequel of a game of a similar name, Bomberman 64. Back then, it was one of my most favorite games ever. It was Bomberman in an adventure game, while also including a version of the classic Bomberman on the N64. But how well does the sequel hold up? Let's find out.


Gameplay:

If you've ever played Bomberman 64, you'll know this game is a action adventure that uses the controls of Bomberman to reach the end of each world by blowing up enemies, solving puzzles, and defeating a boss midway through the level. Now, what separates this from Bomberman 64? Well for starters, this game uses Elemental Bombs that can be used once you get the certain Elemental Stone for it. The Elements are as they follow: Fire, Wind, Ice, Stone, Lightning, Light, and Shadow. These bombs each have their own different effects, such as the Wind Bomb hurling you in a direction until you hit something. This was the first game to do this, which then used the same idea in Bomber Generations and Bomberman Jetters (The game, not the anime, though the anime also has the Elemental Bombs, but in the fashion of the stones as medals.)  You are not alone in your fight, as you have a special Charabom known as Pommy by your side. If you have a second controller, you can have the second player control Pommy, who can stun foes, and be thrown to collect items. However, in boss fights, Pommy will cower in fear and hide in a corner. Another new thing this game adds to the table in comparison to its predecessor is a type of currency that be used to buy items, character parts, Battle Mode maps, and tips on bosses.

Later in the game, Pommy will transform into different type forms. How Pommy will evolve is based on food items you find in stages. This will change the effects of Pommy and how it will fight. If you want to get a certain type, check the Bomberman Wiki on Pommy, as it has an evolution chart. As far as I know, Pommy has no specific gender, or rather it has no clear gender as it’s said to be a male here, due to it having a crush on Lilith, a character they meet throughout the planets. Yet in Generations, it's determined to be a female. One thing Bomberman retains across both games is his inability to swim, causing to die instantly when his body is submerged in water. It seems he's only safe when his feet are in a submarine motor. Your enemies are the Astral Knights, who are controlling planets inside of a black hole. Each planet, you will have to fight one of them and a Gravity Generator, one of seven machines controlling the black hole holding the planets captive. The main method for success in battles with the Astral Knights is to kick a bomb at them or throw a bomb on their head. This will usually stun them, and you only have to get a hiton them to damage them. If you’re wondering what the Battle Mode is all about,
it’s basically a classic 4-player Bomberman deathmatch. But you can customize your Bomberman with parts you’ve collected in Story Mode to create your own custom Bombermen! Unfortunately, you can only use these in Battle Mode. And I really wanted to play as a samurai Bomberman…


Graphics: 10

The graphics look really good for N64. The textures are well designed, and the cutscene images on the person's face look really cool. I especially like Bomberman's emotional gestures.


Sound: 9

The sound is great, but I feel like I hear it looping. I don't know if that's just me, but I guess when you go across these levels, there's really no change in the music, that is until you come to a boss, where the music changes.


Addictiveness: 7

Story Mode is cool and all, but Battle Mode is what really sells the game on coming back to it. There's always so many opportunities to win. Even if you don't have anyone to play with, you can always fight with the CPU's.


Story: 9

The story is that Bomberman has found a mysterious egg on his adventures, so he takes it back to Planet Bomber. On the way there, a black hole suddenly swallows Bomberman's ship up, and Bomberman must crumble Rukifellth's plan and destroy the Gravity Generators to destroy the black hole. The plot unfolds further as you proceed through the game. Every time you destroy a Generator, you get a cut scene involving Rukifellth and the Astral Knights.


Depth: 7

You can upgrade your heart meter and get other helpful things at the item shop, but the customization is where it's at. You can mix and match parts any way you want, then go into Battle Mode as your creation. When can you ever say you blew up Bombermen in a dress with a cat helmet on and swords in hand?


Difficulty: 8

This game is pretty tough, mostly because of its camera angles not telling you if you'll land safety, or straight to your doom. But the game is generally hard. But one thing I absolutely hate is that in some certain rooms, the controls are changed. There's even one room where your movement is completely reversed. This makes it feel very clunky as you're fumbling around trying to get out of range of your bombs with the mixed controls. This isn't for every room, but its really a problem as your health will diminish very quickly in these rooms. My best advice is to get out of them as fast as you can. (This is actually only an issue on emulator, because sometimes N64 games suffer from poor emulation.)


OVERALL: 8.8

So, that was Bomberman 64: The Second Attack. ...And I didn't even mention what the second attack was. Nevertheless, Bomberman 64: The Second Attack is a good game. I don't know what else to say, except I wish you all a happy day, or afternoon. Until next time, I leave you with this review.


Do YOU want me to review a certain game?
PM me for suggestions!

Bomberman isn't too bad, but I wouldn't call myself a big fan of the franchise. I guess the element of the games aren't really my style, but I can say this is an interesting game to play when you're bored.

Great review! I'm really enjoying the detail you have been putting into them. I really hope to see more from you.

As far as this game goes, I do enjoy Bomberman from time to time, but I have to admit that I have never played this title. I remember seeing it when it came out and have always thought that an adventure game featuring "Bomberman" sounded weird.

Looks like a game I need to check out though.