The start of a timeless saga. Plant bombs, trap enemies, collect power-ups. In multiplayer it's pure social magic. One of the most elegant concepts in gaming.
Your verdict
Category
Action4 players3+
Description
Action game in which Bomberman plants bombs to eliminate enemies and destroy walls in mazes. Published by Hudson Soft, released in Japan in 1985. Bomberman in top-down view planting bombs, upgradeable power and range with power-ups and enemies to eliminate to progress. The founding original of the Bomberman series on Famicom.
Bomberman review
3/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Polished"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Dropping a bomb, dashing to safety and watching the blast open a path or trap a rival: the loop hooks from the very first room and never lets go. The tension rises with every wall that falls, and multiplayer turns the living room into a hilarious minefield. Instant strategy and gleeful chaos, a timeless pillar of group play.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Drop a bomb, blow open a wall and dash clear before the blast: the loop reads in seconds, and each stage cleared releases a bonus that boosts your range or cadence. Clearing the maze to find the exit settles into a methodical rhythm that proves strangely gripping. The repetition of the rooms eventually shows, but this gradual rise in power keeps a definite appeal.
The Famicom origin of modern Hudson Bomberman, more mythologised than truly scarce. The Japanese cart stays affordable loose, but it remains a mandatory starting point for any Hudson collector, especially those who carry the line into the PC Engine Bombermans. Clean boxed CIB sets mostly attract purists who want to document the genesis of multiplayer bomb-blasting, more than speculators.
Better with friends
A pioneer of maze bomb-dropping that comes into its own in multiplayer, trapping each other on a grid riddled with destructible walls. The competition is pure and readable: planting a bomb in the right spot, anticipating the other's escape and grabbing the right power-up decides everything. Unpredictable and snappy, it triggers vengeful explosions and laughter, perfect for short, frantic rounds.
Is Bomberman still worth playing in 2026?
Bomberman on NES marks the start of a timeless saga. Place bombs, trap enemies, gather power-ups and look for the hidden exit on every screen, the concept holds rare ludic elegance. The solo mode is calmer and more strategic than its multiplayer sequels, but reading the grid stays a pleasure. One of the purest, most reproducible concepts in video games. For Hudson classic fans, puzzle-action lovers and NES heritage hunters, still a foundational cart today, especially to understand the birth of an icon.
