Super Bomberman R 2 - Switch Review
"Easy to recommend."
Super Bomberman R 2 is an interesting update to the classic pseudo-3D franchise in a pseudo-3D world. Where offence is just as important as defence, strategy is everything, but the game is presented in its newfound emotive anime style; it’s an adorable action-arcade game suited for everyone.
The campaign includes all the little Bomberman crew but adds special little creatures called Ellonites, which give the player the opportunity to reflect on the price between what is convenient and what is correct.
The Good
Super Bomberman R 2 is a game for everyone. While we traditionally tend to categorise games by genres, the game seems to offer a little bit of everything in order to cast as wide a net as possible. This is evident in its top-down action gameplay, its puzzle elements with its level design, and RPG-lite elements where you can gain experience and upgrade your abilities.
Super Bomberman R 2 is packed to the brim with content. One fantastic new feature is the ability to build your own levels in the level editor and then be able to play on your creations with friends and family in the multiplayer section, both online and offline. The level editor is not forced on the player, so it’s nice that they may never have to use it if they don’t enjoy making their own levels; some players may simply want to work through the puzzles that the developers have specifically designed for them, and that’s OK. The level editor is simply a way to cater to both types of players, and it’s a very competent editor at that.
As previously mentioned, the puzzles have a bit of everything and are definitely one of my favourite aspects of the game. They are consistently challenging while maintaining simplicity and being completed in short bursts.
Although the story can be seen as a bit tedious at times as the dialogue can become a bit long-winded (especially since each Bomberman crew member simply must give their opinion in any given moment), this is easily forgiven since the style and animation are nice and pleasant to watch.
TL;DR
- A game for everyone
- Variety of levels and modes
- Challenging and simple
The Bad
As you complete each world, you’ll restart without any of the abilities you’d previously acquired, with little-to-no reason as to why. The game doesn’t justify why you need to start from scratch in each world, creating a sense of disconnection and odd pacing.
The new mode in “Protect the Castle” is fun in theory, involving you in defending against hordes of enemies looking to attack the castle. However, as you get more adept at doing so, you’ll end up having to wait a long time between waves, sometimes minutes at a time.
The translation of Bomberman from a 2D plane to a 3D space can generate some challenges, such as bombs being activated in the air yet killing you even when you are technically on the ground. It all just creates a bit of jankiness that damages the overall enjoyment.
The exclusion of co-op in the campaign mode is quite an oversight. The multiplayer party mode is fun and very much captures the essence of Bomberman as a series; it feels like a standard to be able to play arcade campaigns in co-op.
Moving on to the music, it’s fine at first, but it certainly becomes very repetitive. It’s generally jovial and upbeat, making it fun to listen to, but when a world takes a half hour and you’re listening to one song on repeat, it gets old very quickly.
TL;DR
- Radical restart per world
- Long wait times for enemies
- No co-op story.
Final Score: 8/10
For fans of the Bomberman series, this entry is easy to recommend. It balances a nice combination between the series’ roots being translated into a top-down isometric 3D world. With interesting innovations and challenging bosses, Super Bomberman R 2 succeeds at what it sets out to without losing any of the traditional fun from its rich history.
Thank you for checking out our Super Bomberman R 2 Switch review, thank you to Konami (via Five Star PR) for providing the review code and thank you to our Patreon Backers for their ongoing support:
- Andrew Caluzzi (Inca Studios / Camped Out)
- Bel Cubitt
- Jack Caven
- NintenVania Podcast
- RedHero