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SUPER BOMBERMAN R
review | SWITCH
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Publisher: Konami.
Developer: Konami; HexaDrive. Released: March 2017. Genre: Party. Other versions: XONE; PS4; PC. Posted 25th October 2025. By Shane Battams © 2025 |
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It’s fair to say that Konami’s output during recent console generations has paled in comparison to their prolific golden period of the 1999s and 2000s. During the 2010s, many of their best series slipped into inactivity, divisive decisions were met with derision, and a shift in focus towards pachinko machines at the expense of traditional gaming soured perceptions of the once-iconic studio. Super Bomberman R marks an attempt from the publisher to reverse this trend, emerging as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch. Like a few recent retro returns, this Bomberman feels like it has the basic essentials of the classics, but is undone by a few questionable decisions and a lack of content. However, those eager for classic blasting gameplay should find plenty to enjoy with other players.
If you’ve played any Bomberman game before, R will feel familiar. Playing as the titular hero or one of his many siblings, you’re placed on an isometric map complete with blocks, and an infinite supply of bombs with which to destroy said blocks. Power-ups increase the number of bombs that can be dropped, the spread of debris, and multi-block breaking bombs with a wider blast radius. If you’re hit by another player’s bomb, you’re out, but can return via a Revenge Cart to throw bombs at remaining players. There’s a great tension to this series, and its retained in Super Bomberman R. There’s a myriad of ways to experience the game: you can compete against bots, add players using half a Joy-Con each, and even take battles online. Eight-player battles showcase true chaos, and while it’s a shame the customisation is somewhat limited (you can no longer turn off individual power-ups, for example), it’s still good fun.
A new coat of paint, but still recognisably Bomberman. It's not the series' finest moment, but fans will enjoy this overdue reboot
Battle is just one component of Super Bomberman R. Story takes you (or you and another player in co-op) on a colourful journey revolving around the Bomberman Brothers’ quest to defeat Emperor Buggler and his five Dastardly Bombers. Each world is divided into eight stages and a two-part boss. The mission structure is quite varied, featuring normal bombing runs alongside button-pressure challenges, escorting other bombers to safety, and surviving a time limit. Multiple colourful cut-scenes resemble something akin to a Saturday morning cartoon, with over-the-top dialogue and voice acting that fits the zaniness. Sadly, its brevity can see you finish the story in a single sitting. Multiple difficulties ramp up the challenge, but an odd lives system saps away some of the motivation. Gold earned can be used to revive yourself with full lives if you perish, and after respawning twice, you can return for free, which renders the prior action pointless. For solo gamers wanting more, there isn’t much else to properly sink your teeth into.
That leaves the multiplayer component, which also suffers from some issues. Along with standard Battles, the added Grand Prix mode adds a team-based twist and offensive powers to the mix. Both track your performance, with players levelling up with victories while resetting weekly. Grand Prix allows bots, for those wanting to practice their skills before finding other players, though finding human opposition is tricky now. Battle, despite bearing the flavour of classic Bomberman, does have an annoying issue. Many of the maps and characters useable in Battle are locked behind the aforementioned Gold, and neither the story nor battling rewards much currency. Thus, you’re forced either to grind to unlock more content or repeat the same few maps, neither of which is ideal. That being said, when the elements come together, there’s all the frantic action you’d expect here.
That leaves the multiplayer component, which also suffers from some issues. Along with standard Battles, the added Grand Prix mode adds a team-based twist and offensive powers to the mix. Both track your performance, with players levelling up with victories while resetting weekly. Grand Prix allows bots, for those wanting to practice their skills before finding other players, though finding human opposition is tricky now. Battle, despite bearing the flavour of classic Bomberman, does have an annoying issue. Many of the maps and characters useable in Battle are locked behind the aforementioned Gold, and neither the story nor battling rewards much currency. Thus, you’re forced either to grind to unlock more content or repeat the same few maps, neither of which is ideal. That being said, when the elements come together, there’s all the frantic action you’d expect here.
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Super Bomberman R benefits from visuals that are bright, colourful, and smooth, with an attractive, subtle blur effect adding to its fairly basic environments. Characters and enemies look charming, and seeing foes’ exaggerated expressions upon death is amusing. Performance suffers at points, especially with explosive boss fights filling the screen, but it doesn’t affect input too much. The sound works very well, with a slew of retro-inspired tunes that fit the tone and style of the game perfectly. The camp voicework is delivered with enough vigour to avoid annoyance, while the effects feel faithfully ripped from classic Bomberman games.
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Alas, Super Bomberman R proves no more than a modest return to form, rather than the brilliant revival it should have been. Many of the essentials that made this Konami series a favourite remain, notably the accessible, addictive gameplay and a slew of local multiplayer options. On the flip side, a brisk story campaign and lack of other content for solo players make it harder to recommend to the uninitiated, and locking content behind coin grinds even harms the social play element. Those nostalgic for some classic maze-bombing, however, should be able to look past these issues, especially if you’ve got some friends to hand.
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VERDICT"Despite plenty of multiplayer appeal, hiding unlockables behind currency grinds and a lack of solo content mean Super Bomberman R isn’t the brilliant revival it should have been." OVERALL: 6/10 |
OTHER KONAMI GAMES REVIEWED
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Snatcher (1994, Mega-CD)
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