Bomberman Jetters

"Best Bomberman game ever?"

Introduction

Bomberman Jetters is a sequel to the last GameCube Bomberman game, Bomberman Generation. Bomberman Jetters is also based on the anime show of the same name.

Jetters is an interesting case. This game has been delayed time after time after time. It was originally supposed to come out October 27th 2003. But that got pushed to December 31st 2003, which got delayed to Febuary 23rd 2004, to March 1st 2004, to March 15th 2004, to April 5th 2004. But the game was shipped on March 14th at a retail price of $19.

Gameplay: 10/10

Single Player mode: 10/10

This is by far the greatest single player mode in any Bomberman game. You are Bomberman and MAX (you can switch at any time) and the Hige Hige bandits are attacking planet bomber. The story isn't great, but the adventure and action make up for it. You have your elemental bombs like usual. The Charabom's make their reappearance and are better then ever. Charabom's are little animals that have special abilities to aid Bomberman and MAX in their quest. The Charabom's provide abilities such as a shield, boat, flight, electricity, and a lot more. The Charabom's get more power if you feed them fruit. There are 16 Charabom's in total.

The camera is not perfect, but unlike other games like Sonic Adventure, the camera is easily maneuvered and stays where you want it to stay. Other then that the controls are easy to learn and you will have the hang of it within the first minute.

Multiplayer mode: 8/10

This is classic Bomberman. You can choose which character you want to be and they all have one special move. There are several different modes of multiplayer, but they are all similar in that your object is simple: kill your opponents.

After every match, there is a digging mini-game to get power-ups. This is by-far the worst part of Bomberman Jetters. It is not very fun, but luckily, it only lasts 20 seconds.

Bomberman is still and always will be the game to play with your friends and it will provide hours of entertainment. However, it is just like all previous Bomberman multiplayer modes, so I had to take some points off.

Graphics: 10/10

This game uses the Cel-Shading form of graphics (like Zelda: Wind Waker and Jet Set Radio) and boy, do they look great. The environments are beautiful and the characters look amazing. It suits the Bomberman style perfectly. Bomberman himself is very animated, and even with all the impressive graphics, there is zero slowdown and it runs at a perfectly consistent frame-rate. There are also some cut-scenes from the anime that look great as well.

Sound: 9/10

The sound effects are all good, and the voices for the characters suit them very well. But as with any translated cartoon, the voices sometimes don't line up with the characters mouths. The background music suits the levels good, but they are repetitive. But since you will be busy blowing enemies up, you won't notice the background music very much.

Play Time/Replayabilty: 10/10

Once you beat the game, you will still want to come back and get everything like level up all your Charabom's and find all the secrets. You may play through the single player over and over because it is extremely fun and doesn't get old. The single player takes about 7-13 hours to beat, but it is the Multiplayer that will keep bringing you back for more. It is fun blowing your friends up over and over again - it's a proven fact.

Overall: 10/10
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Final Recommendation

This game retails for only $20, and in my opinion is one of the best games available on the GameCube. If you see this one in a store, buy it immediately. Don't rent it, as that is a waste of money you could be using to buying it. If you enjoyed Bomberman Generation, then what are you waiting for. This one is a steal at $20.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/18/04