Relaxing Explosions: Bomberman

In summer/fall 1998. My mom bought me the my first Famiclone, and as far I as I remember I played my first ever video game there: Bomberman. I probably played it for thousands of hours, sometimes with my mom. The green background is still in my mind, dying to my bombs thousands of times, writing down overly long passwords to save my progress, setting up maybe millions of bombs for at least good 5-6 years.  So when I was gonna review it, I suspected a massive nostalgia bias. Thankfully, when I played it once again, it was still pretty great, perhaps I like it more than I did in the past in certain ways.

(Note that the American release has a different looking title)

Yes folks, this is one of those simple games I like. You walk around, set up bombs, kill the monsters and destroy the bombs. You need to destroy all the monsters and find the door before your time runs out, while touching monsters or getting caught up in your bombs fire will make you literally disintegrate. So, what's really great about this game?

(War, war never changes...)

1. Graphics

Despite the plain green background, the game looks pretty cute, mostly by great monster design. Especially for a 1985 title, monster design is very lively and full of personality, it's amazing how even turning eye balls around makes a whole difference. Embracing a cutesy design made it also timeless, 33 years later and the game looks still good as ever. Although I must say it makes me somewhat bad about killing them. I truly feel like the bad guy there, invading the world of cute monsters and make them literally explode, so what if you disintegrate if they run over you, it's not even clear they do it intentionally. Also I love them protagonist killing featureless enemies got accidentally swapped here, you are just a masked emotionless husk killing adorable monsters.

(Clearly I am the true monster here, just busting a party like that)

2. Bombs

Making things explode is always fun. But this game doesn't want you to just cause unrestrained mayhem. Quite the opposite, you need to set your bombs so that both monsters will explode and you will not caught up in the bomb's fire, of course you need to be also away from where monsters running around. Sometimes walls tactically benefit you, sometimes it will benefit monsters. You don't also want to accidentally bomb your power-up and doors, it will make i spawn enemy monsters, expect when deliberately calling them to kill some more monsters! You need to also be mindful of time too. I don't normally like time as a challenge feature, but here it mostly works well, forces you to just quick enough to not turning the game into a Sunday walk, but still not breaking the carefree, chill atmosphere of the game.

(Fire is always so pretty...And I am a well-adjusted person)

3. Progression

This is one of the game where early game is more difficult and also where the luck matters the most. Because levels are randomly generated when loaded each, it might take a lot of time to find the door, the power up and killing all enemies --as it takes quite a bit time to just do it with a single 1-tile range bomb -- and you are somewhat left to the game's mercy. But as you get more bombs, make your bombs stronger, get the ability of controlling bombs, passing walls and bombs, moving faster the game quickly picks up and gets into the real fun, in just couple of the game. The game is very forgiving with lives too, you get additional one at the end of the each level. But the risks are increasing too, it shouldn't be too surprising that it's rather easy to blow yourself up with having lots of bombs with long-range at your disposal. The game has quite a bit of levels, in fact maybe a bit too much, with levels get randomized it can get a little stale, however the levels can be short when you are strong enough and the game gives you a break every 5 levels with a bonus stage.

(Suprise your audience with your flashing performance)

4. Music

I think what truly makes this game is its soundtrack, which I mean it's 4 tunes. I really love the main background music, it's low-key, it adds to the cute and chill atmosphere a lot, it's a simple but memorable tune. I love how music changes when you get a power up too, it just gets faster and spice up just enough to feel merrier but still overall very chill, adorable and memorable. Listen until 3:29, then listen until level ends, the tone just changes a lot yet stays so similar too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ9Pu9Usk5o

(Also shout to the player who fights against the purple coins just with a single bomb, what a champ)

5. Try out these cool bombs

Overall, Bomberman is a very solid recommendation. An excellent game to just pick it up and relax when you are tired. Sit back and enjoy the simplicity!

Minimalist Playground For Drunk Tanks: Battle City

If you have read my review of Eternal Senia, you know I adore simplicity a lot. Solid simple foundations are necessary to build a complex system around it and even the simple can end up being varied. Returning to basics helps us to see things at the core and a simple game can just offer quick, easy fun while still being challenging and without having an entry cost.
In 1985, a lot of Famicom games were not much more than technically advanced Atari 2600 games on terms on design. The most minimal plot possible, generally being in one screen, the games congratulating you for having high points, not having official ends and just starting from beginning, a simple gameplay concept. This is nothing to against their quality of course, but to reflect on the fact they didn't try to become something grand. A studio could put out a new game in less than one year, franchises and marketing was not much of a thing, experimentation was the norm, so studios focused on making a lot of games with a new quirks and concepts instead of giving years to make big improved flagship games.

(The tank in the middle represents the rejection of the imperialism. The bullet is thrown at the system instead.)

Battle City was a game born of exactly from this school of thought. In fact, even for its time it is still minimalistic. Outside of some jingles there are no real music, graphics are as only detailed as it's necessary, controls just consist on four directions and simple button for shooting and levels are just variations of same basic tiles. And this simplicity is exactly what causes the game to shine.
In each level, you need to defend the eagle statue that is encircled with thin brick walls and destroy the all enemies. Enemy tanks are spawn from same the three tiles with regular intervals or whenever tanks are destroyed from field; brick walls need to be destroyed for opening passes, steel walls can't be destroyed unless your bullets are powered up enough, sea tiles can't be moved over but bullets can be pass through, forest tiles makes tanks hard to see and ice tiles cause your tank to slide uncontrollably. You also can get power ups by shooting flashing enemies such as upgrading your tank or stopping time.

(Your sins are calculated at the end of each level.)

What all this results in a really chaotic battlefield. It really is a battle city, there are just drunk tanks that attacks uncontrollably which you need to destroy. Really, you might end up feel like the evil side, the tanks are just having fun and you destroy all of them just in case a cheap statue might be destroyed. Thankfully don't think about this too much, because you need to make a lot of moment to moment decisions, opening a walk for yourself may also get leave you exposed, being close to where tanks spawns makes you shoot them easier but it makes you harder to defend the eagle. Power ups spawn at random places, will you risk to leave your defences or leave it away? You can't just stay at one comfortable place either, you need to defend the eagle from all fronts. The game is not forgiving at for those who doesn't pay attention, you need to especially keep an eye on forest tiles. At the same time, you need patience too, it all takes an unexpected turn from enemy to get shot. Even power ups can be double-edged swords, you might end up removing tactically useful walls and even shooting the eagle accidentally! There is also 2 player co-op mode, which doubles all the fun and all the risks!

(I might just camp in my position, but leaves the right flank open. This level is relatively easily, but later levels really are designed in a way to punishing you for standing in one place for too long.)

Normally music is really important for me but here I can look away from not having music. The motor and grinds of your tank combined with sounds of bullets and explosions is really satisfying. and the developers made the wise decision of not trying to be realistic, the sounds of explosions and simple tiles create a cheesy, casual and unique atmosphere. The sound of your tank destroyed is especially effective, unlike enemy's tanks, it's alarming and annoying to hear, as if something is exploded to your face. The game never gets overwhelming sound or visual wise (unless you are exceptionally sensitive), just chaotic enough to keep your blood pumping and feel good when the last tank in the level is destroyed and everything gets silent.

(I might just give a quick kiss of death - literally - the tank at the bottom, but I would rather not risk losing my power up so I must patiently wait the little dork to decide to come upward.)

The game is also quite packed with content wise, it consists 50 levels, they feel different. You are never too strong to pass through levels effortlessly, it just takes a couple of mistakes might cause you just lose all your sweet upgrades. As per early Famicom title tradition the game doesn't really end, you can loop the levels until the game eventually runs out of memory or just you lose, at which you might be congratulated for earning a HIGH SCORE with a catchy jingle and overly flashy text.
You also have an editor mode where you can use our creativity. Unfortunately the game doesn't save them but you can get around this if you use an emulator.
There are two versions of this game. One the standard version, Battle City, the other is 90 Tank, levels are more creative and harder and there are even different modes for making even more variety! Both versions are heavily recommended.
Give your couple of minutes to play some Battle City, or even better find a friend to play together. It's super easy to get into, full of tension and super satisfying! If you are too accustomed to the big games of today, you can just return to basics and see the creative level designs in its purest form.