Top Story
New Bomberman in the works
According to a number of sources on Twitter, Konami very quietly announced a new Bomberman title at TGS. Very little information is currently available, but a Reddit post has outlined a few of the details.
The game “has apparently been in development since 2017 and will feature an art style faithful to the work of Shoji Mizuno, the pre-reboot character designer for Bomberman from SB2 onwards” according to Reddit user u/FinalKnuckle, who also stated that Shigeki Fujiwara will be working on this project.
Bomberman is returning to his roots
Many fans complained about Super Bomberman R’s voice acting, and it appears that Konami has heard these complaints and is willing to go back to what made people love Bomberman in the first place. Kazuko Sugiyama is returning to reprise her role as the white bomber once again, having last voiced the adorable demolitions expert in 1998’s Bomberman Hero.
The style of the most recent Bomberman games has been inconsistent, to say the least – but it seems like Konami finally realized that they were just messing up a winning formula: The latest Bomberman title is going back to original character designer Shoji Mizuno’s classic style, which will only disappoint fans of Bomberman: Act Zero.
Time For A Quick Daily Quiz?
What has been the longest gap between Bomberman games?
- 1 Year
- 3 Years
- 5 Years
- 6 Years
The answer will be revealed at the end of this issue!
News Bits
First 3 Dragon Quest games for Switch
Dragon Quest, Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line and Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation will all arrive to Switch on September 27th. Forming The Erdrick Trilogy, the Switch versions borrows graphics from their respective mobile phone ports.
The three releases will have different price points, with Dragon Quest available for $4.99, Dragon Quest II for $6.49 and Dragon Quest III for $12.49. If you’re still in the mood for more Dragon Quest after these three, their release happens to coincide with Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition.
Gears 5 best Xbox launch since Halo 4
Bringing in over three million players in its first weekend, Gears 5 has officially smashed the records, making it the biggest Xbox Games Studio launch this generation, as reported on Xbox.com. For context, this is around twice the number of players that Gears of War 4 reached in its opening week.
As you’d expect, this has also paved the way for a very successful period for the Xbox Game Pass, which has also seen a record number of subscribers. Considering game had a rocky few days during its Early Access period, it has still managed to attract close to three times the number of PC players, largely due to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. According to reports, it has also sold well on Steam.
Daily Fact
Never forget: the most ill-advised reboot of all time was Bomberman: Act Zero
Around the release of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the Bomberman series had grown rather stale. The Super Bomberman formula remained one of the greatest multiplayer games of all time, but 1993 was a long time ago and the series hadn’t changed significantly since then. Naturally, Hudson Soft decided it was time for a dark, gritty reboot.
And what a dark and gritty reboot it was! 2006’s Bomberman: Act Zero was darker and grittier than vantablack gravel, and basically ruined the term “dark and gritty” forever. At the very least, it made sure that anyone hearing the phrase would think of Bomberman: Act Zero.
Hudson Soft turned the cute Bomberman into a menacing dime-store Iron Man hauling his bulk around overly detailed, realistically rendered environments that made the graphics very hard to read – you could barely see the skimpy thongs both male and female characters were dressed in!
It didn’t help that the game was straight up bad, sporting boring gameplay, odd camera angles and missing a save function. But before you pillory Hudson Soft for messing up everyone’s favorite mad bomber, consider this: They were trying to appeal to the American market, perceived as preferring edgier games. So maybe it’s actually America’s fault?
Game Spotlight - Jet Kave Adventure
Jetpacks make everything better
(7Levels – Nintendo Switch)
Release Date: September 17th 2019
Jet Kave Adventure is 7Levels’ new 2.5D platformer that introduces you to a prehistoric world. Playing as Kave, a caveman that has been banished by his tribe, you’ll stumble across an extra-terrestrial aircraft and a jetpack, changing how you interact with the world around you.
This adventure begins like any standard platformer, with you jumping over gaps to traverse the level and attacking enemies as you go. However, it all changes once you find the jetpack. Using the jet pack you can zoom forward, reach higher platforms and, using your abilities to slow down time, find items that you wouldn’t have been able to reach otherwise.
This mechanic instantly improved what can be achieved with the platforming in this game, encouraging players to explore every corner of the level, both vertically and horizontally. While collecting shells and items of food to keep you alive, you’ll also find that Jet Kave Adventure is packed with new abilities that you’ll be able to utilise on your journey. After beating one of the early bosses, you’ll unlock the Slingshot, which can be used to throw rocks forward to take the risk out of attacking an enemy close-up.
The game also keeps early levels feeling fresh by introducing new mechanics often. In just the first four levels, we saw Kave smash through walls of rock, pull large blocks out of the way, soar through a cavern using a paraglider and use long bamboo sticks to propel himself forward across chasms.
You’ll also have to keep a close eye on your jetpack as you make your way through each area as to avoid running out of fuel and potentially plummeting to your death. This will become particularly important on the levels where you’re being chased by a large mammoth, where you’ll have to ensure you stay ahead of the angry creature and glide to safety before it catches you.
New mechanics keep things feeling fresh
Furthermore, it’s a good idea to collect as many shells as possible on each level as these are used as the currency for upgrades. You should also try to keep your health in check as having more hearts at the end of a level will give you a nice shell bonus. Upgrades on offer include extra fuel for the jetpack, a longer club for attacking at greater distances, additional food slots to boost your health, and statues of animals and cavemen that you may have met.
With thirty-six levels and thirty different enemies to encounter, Jet Kave Adventure has a lot to offer. We were pleasantly surprised by how consistently it was able to introduce new mechanics, adding a little bit extra with each new level.
While a lot of the platforming feels very familiar, this is a nice example of what you can achieve when you blend solid level design and mechanics together. Each level is quite short, making it a very convenient game to play on the Nintendo Switch, and little snippets of story tie everything together quite neatly.
After completing the first ten levels, you’ll also unlock three challenges: speed-run, no damage and collectibles. When replaying levels a speed-run timer will appear and begin counting down, so you’ll always be aware of exactly how much time you have left to finish the level.
In addition, each completed level will display how many shells you’ve collected to give you an idea of how many more you’ll need to 100% it. Golden collectible statues will also be proudly displayed in front of each level in the selection screen.
Jet Kave Adventure has been tailor-made for the Nintendo Switch and will release on the eShop on September 17th. The game is currently available for £17.99
