History VideoGame / Bomberman

* AllegedlyFreeGame: ''Super Bomberman R Online'' is ''technically'' free on Stadia... for Pro subscribers. For those that don't have a Pro subscription, you'll have to buy the $9.99 premium pack, which gives you the guest characters from ''Super R'' as well as other cosmetics (the pack was also offered free for the first month of the game's launch). This means you can either get a "free" version with only the main bomber family playable... or you can buy the premium pack and dominate with [[VideoGame/SilentHill Pyramid Bomber.]] The game ended up being actually free when it was ported to other platforms, though most of the guest characters were still part of a premium pack.

* ''Bomber Man'' (1983) - [[UsefulNotes/PC88 PC-8801]], PC-6001mkII, MZ-700, MZ-2000, X1, FM-7, UsefulNotes/{{MSX}}, UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum[[note]]Retitled ''Eric and the Floaters'' in Europe, due to sensitivities over UsefulNotes/TheTroubles.[[/note]]
** ''3-D Bomberman'' (1983) - [[UsefulNotes/PC88 PC-8801mkII]], PC-6001mkII, X1, FM-7, MSX (Japan only)
* ''Bomberman'' (1985) - [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]], MSX,[[note]]As ''Bomber Man Special''[[/note]] Disk System

* ''Bomber Boy'' (1990) - UsefulNotes/GameBoy[[note]]Released in Europe as ''Dynablaster'' and in North America as ''Atomic Punk''.[[/note]]

* ''Bomberman'' (2008) - Wii (Japan only)[[note]]Battle Mode released ouside Japan via UsefulNotes/WiiWare as ''Bomberman Blast''.[[/note]]
* ''Custom Battler Bomberman'' (2009) - Nintendo DS (Japan and Europe only)[[note]]Retail version released in Europe as ''Bomberman 2''; Battle Game released ouside Japan via UsefulNotes/DSiWare as ''Bomberman Blitz''.[[/note]]

* CharacterNameAndTheNounPhrase: ''Eric and the Floaters'', an alternate localized title for the UsefulNotes/{{MSX}} and UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum versions of ''Bomber Man''.

* HundredPercentCompletion: The N64 and [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]] games, most notably.

* SuperTitle64Advance: Bomberman probably has more examples than any other series (including Mario). ''UsefulNotes/{{Super|NintendoEntertainmentSystem}} Bomberman'', ''[[UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis Mega]] Bomberman'', ''UsefulNotes/{{Neo|Geo}} Bomberman'', ''UsefulNotes/{{S|egaSaturn}}aturn Bomberman'', ''Bomberman [[UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 64}} 64]]''... need I go on? It helps that practically every game console and computer OS has a version of ''Bomberman'' released for it (except, sadly, for the latest generation).

** At a 1984 computer show, Hudson used an UsefulNotes/AmstradCPC version to demonstrate their new Bee Card (memory card) technology. What a pity that neither game nor card-reader were released.

* ''[[VideoGame/RoboWarrior Bomber King]]'' (1987) - MSX, NES[[note]]Released outside Japan as ''Robo Warrior''.[[/note]][[/index]]

In 2018, Bomberman made his ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' debut as an Assist Trophy in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', with a Mii Fighter costume coming as DLC in 2020.

* {{High Heel|FaceTurn}} [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor Face Revolving Door]]: Pretty Bomber. She is either [[TheDarkChick one of the bad guys]] in the main games[[note]]specifically, one of the Five Dastardly Bombers, the series' only recurring QuirkyMinibossSquad[[/note]], or one of the good guys in the spin-offs. ''Somehow'' she's ''both at once'' in ''Super R'', where she can be unlocked as a playable character and is the boss of World 4.

* ArtificialStupidity: Present several times over ''Bomberman'' games both in the story mode and battle mode COMs:

* CartoonBomb: The main character's weapons.

* ColorCodedMultiplayer: Typically present in all multiplayer Battle modes in all Bomberman games where the mode appeared, and some co-op story/campaign modes. Usually, Player 1 is White Bomberman and Player 2 is Black Bomberman. In the era of 5-player multiplayer games, Player 3 is Red, Player 4 is Blue, Player 5 is Green. The DS games with up to 8-player battles adds Yellow (Player 6), Pink (Player 7) and Aqua (Player 8). Coincidentally, these also later become the colors used to distinguish the Bomberman Bros. In ''Super Bomberman R'' series.

* DoubleKnockout: Mass-mutual [=KOs=] are common in multiplayer, due to the hectic pace of battle.

* EvilTwin: Black Bomberman. [[HeelFaceTurn For a while, at least.]] He's become one of Bomberman's good friends.

* MercyInvincibility: A very generous amount is given to you at the beginning of every level in the first ''Super Bomberman'' game, so much that a trick could be used to take advantage of it. Lay a bomb, and wait for it to explode, then keep tapping the A button to lay more bombs which will immediately explode because they are within an explosion. Walk around the level while doing this and you can get a very nice head start.

** The Geta/Clog sandal item reduces your speed by one level. It's technically useful if say, you don't want to go too fast and accidentally walk into your own bombs' explosion ranges.

* ThrowDownTheBomblet: Bomberman himself, of course, along with numerous other characters.

* WingdingEyes: The Bombers all have these, generally consisting of a their eyes turning into upside-down U's to represent their happy face. On some games when they get hurt these eyes will turn into a the (> <) signs (or sometimes just a big X overiding their eyes).

* ArtificalStupidity: Present several times over ''Bomberman'' games both in the story mode and battle mode COMs:

* BrainwashedAndCrazy:

* ColorCodedMultiplayer: Typically present in all multiplayer Battle modes in all Bomberman games where the mode appeared, and some co-op story/campaign modes. Usually, Player 1 is White Bomberman and Player 2 is Black Bomberman. In the era of 5-player multiplayer games, Player 3 is Red, Player 4 is Blue, Player 5 is Green. The DS games with up to 8-player battles adds Yellow (Player 6), Pink (Player 7) and Aqua(Player 8). Coincidentally, these also later become the colors used to distinguish the Bomberman Bros. In ''Super Bomberman R'' series.

* StuffBlowingUp: This speaks for itself.

* TimedMission: All of the classic 2D games which don't play like "''Bomberman'' [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''" have a timer. If Bomberman doesn't complete the stage in time, he spontaneously dies for no logical reason (except for ''VideoGame/BombermanDS'', where he's instead [[StalkedByTheBell besieged by a never-ending stream of Pontans]]). [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in all of the 3D games, for the most part.

* WindingEyes: The Bombers all have these, generally consisting of a their eyes turning into upside-down U's to represent their happy face. On some games when they get hurt these eyes will turn into a the (> <) signs (or sometimes just a big X overiding their eyes).

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The original home computer versions had, amongst other differences from the NES game onwards, no music, no pickups other than the exit door, a long death animation for the titular Bomberman (which oddly involves decapitation), sounds effect accompanying the enemies' death animations, killing all enemies being an instant win condition instead of having to find the exit[[note]]the exit is instead a pickup allowing you to immediately go to the next level[[/note]], balloon monsters[[note]]later known as Baroms or Balloms[[/note]] changing emotions depending on mood, only one enemy type in the game, and a totally different human design for the main character. Its NES port changed the design to look more like his now iconic appearance, but also [[spoiler: has him turn into the human protagonist of ''Lode Runner'' at the end, the only time he's ever been portrayed as a normal human.]]

* BossGame: ''Bomberman Quest''.
* BossOnlyLevel: Common in most of the 3D games.

** [[spoiler:MAX]] in ''Bomberman Tournament''.
** [[spoiler:Nitros]] in ''Bomberman Hero''.
** [[spoiler:The Dastardly Bombers]] in ''Super Bomberman R''.

** Yellow and Green were both made this in ''Super R''.

* CollisionDamage: 2D games kill you on contact with enemies. ''VideoGame/{{Bomberman 64}}'' and [[VideoGame/Bomberman64TheSecondAttack its sequel]] tend to just stun you for a few seconds instead if you walk into most enemies instead of killing you outright (it depended on the enemy), but the stun could easily be long enough for the enemy to deal a killing blow (assuming that the enemy had some sort of kill-move, which all but the most basic enemies did). ''VideoGame/BombermanHero'', ''Generation'', and ''Jetters'', however, played this trope completely straight.
* ColorCodedMultiplayer: Typically present in all multiplayer Battle modes in all Bomberman games where the mode appeared, and some co-op story/campaign modes. Usually, Player 1 is White Bomberman and Player 2 is Black Bomberman. In the era of 5-player multiplayer games, Player 3 is Red, Player 4 is Blue, Player 5 is Green. The DS games with up to 8-player battles adds Yellow (Player 6), Pink/Fuschia (Player 7) and Aqua/Cyan (Player 8). Coincidentally, these also later become the colors used to distinguish the Bomberman Bros. In ''Super Bomberman R'' series.

* DarkChick: Artemis (of the Masker Trio) in ''Bomberman 64'', Natia (of the Four Devils of Garaden) from ''Bomberman Hero'', Beauty Bomber (of the Crush Bombers) in ''Bomberman Generation'', and Bomber Mermaid (of the BOMB-A-LYMPICS / Bomber Shitennou) in ''Bomberman Online'' and ''Bomberman Jetters'', among several other examples. Not much of a surprise, considering that each game tends to have its own QuirkyMinibossSquad.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The original home computer versions had, amongst other differences from the NES game onwards, no music, no pickups other than the exit door, a long death animation for the titular Bomberman (which oddly involves decapitation), sounds effect accompanying the enemies' death animations, killing all enemies being an instant win condition instead of having to find the exit[[note]]the exit is instead a pickup allowing you to immediately go to the next level[[/note]], balloon monsters[[note]]later known as Baroms or Balloms[[/note]] changing emotions depending on mood, only one enemy type in the game, and a totally different human design for the main character. Its NES port changed the design to look more like his now iconic appearance, but also [[spoiler: has him turn into the human protagonist of ''Lode Runner'' at the end, the only time he's ever been portrayed as a normal human.]]

** Bomberman and [[spoiler:Regulus]].

** [[spoiler:Plasma Bomber almost did]] in ''Super Bomberman 2''.

* LargeHam: Mujoe [[NoIndoorVoice (especially him)]], Machbom, Thunder Bomber, Gold Bomber, and Constructor X.
* LightIsNotGood: The final boss of ''Bomberman 64''.
** At least two bosses from ''The Second Attack!''
* LoadBearingBoss: Nearly every final boss in the whole franchise.
* ManOnFire[=/=]InfernalRetaliation: One of the skull effects in ''Bomberman 64'' and its sequel set the player on fire, which would force him to use his body to kill off everyone else before the fire killed him.

* {{Mon}}: The Charaboms.
* MonsterClown: The boss of the second world in ''Super Bomberman'' is a giant clown head.

* OneHitPointWonder: In the early games, getting caught in explosions or [[CollisionDamage colliding with enemies]] meant instant explodey death. Grabbing the Heart power-up granted you one hit of MercyInvincibility (although you can pick it up again after it's blasted out of you in some games). Later games just give you a heart-based [[LifeMeter health meter]] ala ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'', complete with {{Heart Container}}s either purchased from shops or hidden in the game world.

** The Geta/Clog sandal item reduces your speed by one level.

* RuleOfFun

* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: Again, Altair's robot guardian in ''Bomberman 64''.
** It even states in the instruction booklet that he is in fact, [[LampshadeHanging quite obsessed]] with overkill.

** You ''fart bombs.'' There ''IS'' no other kind of kill.

* WorthyOpponent: Regulus in the N64 games. [[spoiler:Especially in ''The Second Attack!'']]

* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard

** ''VideoGame/{{Wario}} Blast: Featuring Bomberman!'' for the Game Boy (which is actually a [[DolledUpInstallment Dolled Up]] ''VideoGame/BombermanGB'').

* {{BF|G}}B: As if Bomberman's bombs weren't big enough, he can pump them up to jumbo size in ''Bomberman 64'' and ''The Second Attack!'' while holding them. This is actually required to kill some enemies — not from the bigger explosion, but by ''crushing them with the Pumped-Up Bomb''.

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: [[spoiler:MAX]] in ''Bomberman Tournament''.

* CombiningMecha: In ''Super Bomberman 3'', the Five Dastardly Bombers enter into/become a large mecha for Buggler to ride after entering a vortex. They do it again in ''Super Bomberman R'', though [[BrainwashedAndCrazy not of their own free will]].

* ContinuingIsPainful: When you die, you lose all your powerups. Some versions only reduce bomb count and explosion size, but the other major powerups are lost.

* ContinuityReboot: Each successive entry added somewhat contradictory storylines, although arguably ''none of them'' became remotely relevant later on. You ''may'' be able to make sense of it if you squint hard enough, but most fans would probably agree the series' semblance of continuity "truly" began around ''Bomberman '93'', if that.
** ''Super Bomberman R'' most likely rebooted the series again.

* {{Crossover}}: ''VideoGame/{{Wario}} Blast: Featuring Bomberman!'' for the Game Boy (which is actually a [[DolledUpInstallment Dolled Up]] ''VideoGame/BombermanGB'').

** ''Super Bomberman R'' has a few cameos by other Konami characters: [[VideoGame/{{Twinbee}} Gwinbee]] is a boss in story mode, and Bomberman-ified versions of [[Franchise/{{Castlevania}} Simon Belmont, Dracula]], [[VideoGame/{{Gradius}} Vic Viper]], [[Franchise/SilentHill Pyramid Head, a Bubble Head Nurse]], [[VideoGame/RumbleRoses Reiko Hinomoto]], [[VideoGame/GanbareGoemon Goemon]], [[VideoGame/ZoneOfTheEnders the Jehuty and the Anubis]] are playable characters.

* DarkerAndEdgier: ''Bomberman Act:Zero'', a prime example of how this trope can be misused.
** ''Bomberman 64: The Second Attack!'' is also this to a lesser extent.

* DestroyableItems: Practically all games in the series. In some games, only good items can be destroyed by accident -- the Skull just gets blasted across the arena!

* DivergentCharacterEvolution: In most games with the exception of White and Black, the different colors of Bomberman used in multiplayer (with the occasional minor role in single player) have very little (if any) characterization. In ''Super Bomberman R'', the eight Bombermen that have been playable since the DS incarnation of the series are all given unique personalities.
* DolledUpInstallment: ''Wario Blast: Featuring Bomberman!'' was originally ''Bomberman GB'' in Japan. Wario was added when it was ported, making it a Dolled Up IntercontinuityCrossover. There is also ''[[VideoGame/RoboWarrior Bomber King: Scenario 2]]'', which was given a ''VideoGame/BlasterMaster'' title InNameOnly outside Japan.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The original home computer versions had, amongst other differences from the NES game onwards, no music, no pickups other than the exit door, a long death animation for the titular Bomberman (which oddly involves decapitation), sounds effect accompanying the enemies' death animations, killing all enemies being an instant win condition instead of having to find the exit[[note]]the exit is instead a pickup allowing you to immediately go to the next level[[/note]], balloon monsters[[note]]later known as Baroms or Balloms[[/note]] changing emotions depending on mood, only one enemy type in the game, and a totally different human design for the main character.

* EnemyMine: Bomberman and [[spoiler:Regulus]].

* EvilLaugh: Buggler in ''Hero'', Rukifellth and Zoniha in ''The Second Attack!'', [[spoiler:Sirius]] in ''Bomberman 64''.

* EvilTwin: Black Bomberman.
** [[HeelFaceTurn For a while, at least.]] He's become one of Bomberman's good friends.

* HeelFaceTurn: Black Bomberman. Originally the antagonist in the [=TurboGrafx-16=] ''Bomberman'' up through about ''Bomberman '93''. After that, he's portrayed as a sidekick, companion, and perhaps rival to White Bomberman when MAX isn't taking that role instead, to the point where he's the second player character in co-op.

* {{High Heel|FaceTurn}} [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor Face Revolving Door]]: Pretty Bomber. She is either [[TheDarkChick one of the bad guys]] in the main games[[note]]specifically, one of the Five Dastardly Bombers, the series' only recurring QuirkyMinibossSquad[[/note]], or one of the good guys in the spin-offs.

* ''Super Bomberman R Online'' (2020-2021) - Google Stadia, Nintendo Switch, PC, [=PlayStation=] 4, Xbox One

To put it plainly and simply, the ''Bomberman'' series is about a [[BewareTheCuteOnes deceptively cute-looking]] robot guy in a white helmet who can produce an endless supply of bombs, and use them to destroy things. Originally, his M.O. was to escape from a bricks-and-mortar dungeon where [[EverythingTryingToKillYou everything was trying to kill him]], but his quest has since evolved into one of saving the galaxy from another race of rogue bombers.

* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: ''Saturn Bomberman''. They're [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter adorable]] and [[PowerupMount give you a ride]], along with a charging or jumping ability. Also ''Bomberman Fantasy Race'', where they're an optional alternative to the Rooi. Different dinosaurs also show up early on in ''Super Bomberman 4'' as generic enemies... until you blow them up and they turn back into eggs. The first one you walk over hatches back into the same dinosaur and gives you a ride, while any extra ones follow you around like Yoshi eggs.

* PinocchioSyndrome: The NES game's plot was Bomberman's quest to escape the bomb factory, thereby becoming human.