Bomberman Tournament
{{Short description|2001 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Bomberman Tournament
| image = Bomberman Tournament cover art.jpg
| developer = Hudson Soft
| publisher = {{vgrelease|JP|Hudson Soft|WW|Activision}}
| designer =
| director = Shigeki Fujiwara
| producer = Hiroyuki Mikami
| composer = Koichi Seiyama
Jun Chikuma
| artist = Shoji Mizuno
Kozue Satoh
| series = Bomberman
| released = {{vgrelease|JP|April 27, 2001|NA|June 26, 2001{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/04/18/bomberman-and-pinobee-for-us-launch|title=Bomberman and Pinobee for US Launch|last=Harris|first=Craig|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=April 18, 2001|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922052512/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/04/18/bomberman-and-pinobee-for-us-launch|archivedate=September 22, 2022|url-status=live|accessdate=February 14, 2024}}|EU|August 10, 2001{{cite web|url=http://eurogamer.net/release-dates.php|title=UK Release Dates (2001 Releases)|website=Eurogamer|publisher=Gamer Network|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010816115417/http://eurogamer.net/release-dates.php|archivedate=August 16, 2001|url-status=dead|accessdate=November 27, 2023}}}}
| genre = Action-adventure
| modes = Single player, multiplayer
| platforms = Game Boy Advance
}}
Bomberman Tournament{{efn|Known in Japan as {{nihongo|Bomberman Story|ボンバーマンストーリー|Bonbāman Sutōrī}}}} is a game in the Bomberman series for the GBA. The game contains a multiplayer battle mode between linked Game Boy Advances. The player and up to three others can compete in any of the game's eight multiplayer battle arenas, each of which has its own unique gameplay twist.
Story
On the edge of the galaxy sits a small planet, Phantarion. From the cutscene at the beginning of the game, it is given that five meteors (the five Dastardly Bombers, from Super Bomberman 2 and Super Bomberman 3) hit the planet. Shortly thereafter, a large fortress was erected, and in turn the land around the tall, tower-like fortress and the fortress itself began to freeze over. The people of Phantarion sent out a distress call, and Professor Ein sent Max to investigate. Upon arriving on the planet, Max makes his way to the base of the tower. Once inside, he is confronted by a huge bird creature (later found to be Plasma Bomber in his transformed state). He is knocked out by the bird by one fell blow, and is either sent to the top of the tower or down a hole (the exact cannot be determined, Max is only shown being pulled into a dark, foreboding circle in the center of the screen). When Doctor Ein talks to Bomberman a week later, Bomberman tells him that they have lost all contact with Max. Bomberman is then sent by Ein to save Phantarion and find Max, thus beginning the playable portion of the story.
Gameplay
Tournament was generally lauded for its simple, approachable gameplay. In order to score (in multiplayer mode), players must lay time bombs in order to trap and obliterate their opponents, with the last player alive becoming the winner. As the player defeats enemies and clears away obstacles, a variety of power-up tiles appear. Randomly selected from a pool of 10 different items, these tiles have a number of effects, such as increasing bombs' blast radius, increasing the player's bomb capacity, or even reversing a player's controls.
Unlike other Bomberman games, Tournament's single-player quest mode is an action-adventure game with influences of Zelda, Pokémon and especially Hudson's Neutopia.
The majority of the action takes place in 2D from a top-down vantage point, while Karabon battles and select minigames are presented in a side view. Each of the game's six different environments possesses only a minimum of rectangular features but is detailed with other features, such as trees that topple over or an earthen giant collapsed in the middle of a road.
Development
Bomberman Tournament was developed by Hudson Soft. The game was first announced at the 2000 Nintendo Space World, with a single screenshot shown to the public.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-gba-games-announced/1100-2619274/|title=New GBA Games Announced|author=GameSpot staff|website=GameSpot|publisher=Fandom|date=August 24, 2000|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010621224154/https://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2619274,00.html/|archivedate=June 21, 2001|url-status=live|accessdate=August 30, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/02/24/bomberman-tournament-2|title=Bomberman Tournament (Preview)|author=IGN staff|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=February 23, 2001|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926090224/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/02/24/bomberman-tournament-2|archivedate=September 26, 2018|url-status=live|accessdate=February 14, 2024}} Publisher Activision was given publishing rights to release Tournament in Europe and North America.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-announces-two-more-for-the-gba/1100-2709528/|title=Activision announces two more for the GBA [date mislabeled as "May 17, 2006"]|last=Ahmed|first=Shahed|website=GameSpot|publisher=Fandom|date=April 18, 2001|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20011006005414/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2709528,00.html|archivedate=October 6, 2001|url-status=live|accessdate=August 30, 2022}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| GR = 83%{{cite web|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/gba/477602-bomberman-tournament/index.html|title=Bomberman Tournament for Game Boy Advance|publisher=GameRankings|accessdate=7 November 2024|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209013646/https://www.gamerankings.com/gba/477602-bomberman-tournament/index.html|archive-date=9 December 2019}}
|MC = 88/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bomberman-tournament/|title=Bomberman Tournament|website=Metacritic|publisher=Fandom|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117115743/https://www.metacritic.com/game/bomberman-tournament/|archivedate=January 17, 2024|url-status=live|accessdate=February 14, 2024}}
|Allgame = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=34666&tab=review|title=Bomberman Tournament - Review|last=Semerad|first=Jay|website=AllGame|publisher=All Media Network|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114135400/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=34666&tab=review|archivedate=November 14, 2014|url-status=dead|accessdate=August 30, 2022}}
|EGM = 7/10{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/e/ea/EGM_US_144.pdf|title=Bomberman Tournament|last=Johnston|first=Chris|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|publisher=Ziff Davis|issue=144|date=July 2001|page=91|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119023333/https://retrocdn.net/images/e/ea/EGM_US_144.pdf|archivedate=January 19, 2023|url-status=live|accessdate=February 14, 2024}}
|EPD = 8.5/10{{cite web|url=http://www.elecplay.com/review.html?article=6435&full=1|title=Bomberman Tournament|last=Zimmerman|first=Chris|website=The Electric Playground|publisher=Greedy Productions Ltd.|date=July 20, 2001|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030104033638/http://www.elecplay.com/review.html?article=6435&full=1|archivedate=January 4, 2003|url-status=dead|accessdate=August 30, 2022}}
|Fam = 26/40{{cite magazine|url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=12182&redirect=no|title=ボンバーマンストーリー|language=ja|magazine=Famitsu|publisher=Enterbrain|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220830160524/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=12182&redirect=no|archivedate=August 30, 2022|url-status=live|accessdate=February 14, 2024}}
|GI = 8.5/10{{cite magazine|title=Bomberman Tournament|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=FuncoLand|issue=101|date=September 2001}}
|GSpy = 90%{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespy.com/reviews/january02/bombermangba/index2.shtm|title=Bomberman Tournament (GBA)|last=Bub|first=Andrew S.|website=GameSpy|publisher=IGN Entertainment|date=January 28, 2002|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020602003316/http://www.gamespy.com/reviews/january02/bombermangba/index2.shtm|archivedate=June 2, 2002|url-status=dead|accessdate=November 9, 2018}}
|NGen = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/NextGen79Jul2001/page/n63/mode/2up|title=Bomberman Tournament|magazine=NextGen|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=79|date=July 2001|page=62|accessdate=August 30, 2022}}
|NP = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|title=Bomberman Tournament|magazine=Nintendo Power|publisher=Nintendo of America|volume=146|date=July 2001}}
|NWR = (Metts) 9.5/10{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/3799/bomberman-tournament-game-boy-advance|title=Bomberman Tournament|last=Metts|first=Jonathan|website=Nintendo World Report|publisher=NINWR, LLC|date=August 25, 2001|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220830160522/https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/3799/bomberman-tournament-game-boy-advance|archivedate=August 30, 2022|url-status=live|accessdate=February 14, 2024}}
(Lake) 9/10{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/3804/bomberman-tournament-game-boy-advance|title=Bomberman Tournament|last=Lake|first=Max|website=Nintendo World Report|publisher=NINWR, LLC|date=September 23, 2001|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906230244/https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/3804/bomberman-tournament-game-boy-advance|archivedate=September 6, 2023|url-status=live|accessdate=February 14, 2024}}
}}
Bomberman Tournament received "generally favorable reviews", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. NextGen called it "An established multiplayer classic whose added single-player mode mixes in two of Nintendo's most beloved franchises." In Japan, however, Famitsu gave it a score of 26 out of 40. Michael "Major Mike" Weigand of GamePro said, "Complete with colorful visuals and simple, dead-on controls, Bomberman will be right at home in this Tournament."{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/5/50/GamePro_US_155.pdf|title=Bomberman Tournament|last=Weigand|first=Michael "Major Mike"|magazine=GamePro|publisher=IDG|issue=155|date=August 2001|page=72|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041010121608/http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/gameboy_advance/games/reviews/15047.shtml|archivedate=October 10, 2004|url-status=live|accessdate=February 14, 2024}}{{efn|GamePro gave the game two 4/5 scores for graphics and sound, and two 4.5/5 scores for control and fun factor.}}
According to a sales report from Reuters, Bomberman Tournament contributed to Activision's revenue going up thirty percent to $110 million in the second quarter of 2001. Both Tournament and the Game Boy Advance version of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 accounted for 31% of the revenue.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/article-30961|title=Activision on rise|last=Bye|first=John "Gestalt"|website=Eurogamer|publisher=Gamer Network|date=July 25, 2001|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220830160523/https://www.eurogamer.net/article-30961|archivedate=August 30, 2022|url-status=live|accessdate=February 14, 2024}}
{{clear}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20040804191816/http://www.hudson.co.jp/gamenavi/gamedb/softinfo/bombstory/index.html Official page] at Hudson Soft's Japan Website
- {{moby game|id=/4460/bomberman-tournament/}}
{{Bomberman}}
Category:Action-adventure games
Category:Game Boy Advance games
Category:Game Boy Advance-only games