Bomberman once again comes to the DS, this time in the form of Bomberman Land Touch! GamersInfo.net met with Atlus’ editors, Nich Maragos and Bill Alexander to go over a few key details in the latest installment of Bomberman scheduled to be released later this year.GamersInfo.net: There was a Bomberman title for the DS already, what makes this one different?
Atlus: First of all, the new Bomberman is Battle Pack compatible. Not only will anyone who has this game be able to play with anyone in the world over Wi-Fi, which is already a first for handheld games in the series, they’ll also be able to play against anyone who buys future Battle Pack-compatible releases. Second, the Story Mode with lots of stylus-controlled minigames is all new. If you like games like Wario Ware, then you’ll love this mode.
GamersInfo.net: There seems to be a lot of gameplay packed into this version of Bomberman. How does the Story Mode vary from previous Bomberman games? Can you tell us a bit about the storyline of the single player game and what the gameplay is like?
Atlus: The Story Mode of this game is unique because it’s not just a single-player version of the battle mode; it’s been developed specifically for the DS to make use of its features. You play as Cheerful White, who’s been invited to a birthday party at a pirate theme park. Everyone at the party gets involved in a competition to earn the title of Pirate King.
To do so, you’ll have to complete the various games, called “attractions,” which are fun mini-games you play using your stylus. Naturally, since this is Bomberman, they all relate to bombs--for example, on one stage you have to draw the fuses between matching bombs as quickly as possible to hit the target goal and earn a “piece” for that game. You collect pieces to open up new areas of the park.
GamersInfo.net: Single-card play is a great feature for people to test the game out with their friends. Are their any limitations to this? Would there be more maps or other mini-games if everyone were to have their own cartridge?
Atlus: There aren’t any limitations to single-card play; in fact, it’s almost the reverse! Using a single card and Download Play, you can host full-blown 8-player Battle Mode matches. Furthermore, Download Play is the only way to face off in multiplayer versions of the Attractions unlocked in Story Mode.
GamersInfo.net: How is the touch screen and stylus used in Bomberman? Is it an integral part of the gameplay?
Atlus: In Battle Mode, you use the standard button layout, but in Story Mode, the stylus is everything. All of the minigames are controlled with the stylus, and you even use it to move Cheerful White around Bomber Island. Choosing different costumes, using special bombs, and even saving your game are all done with the stylus, so “integral” is a pretty apt word for it.
Atlus: There are over 30 minigames in Attraction Mode, so pretty much anything you can think of using bombs and a stylus is in there. Some of them emphasize quick thinking, some need a very steady hand, some emphasize perfect timing, and some of them are pure reflexes.
GamersInfo.net: What can we expect in terms of the music?
Atlus: A lot of it is pretty breezy, upbeat island stuff, to go with the theme park. In the port area things are more subdued, while there’s more of a jungle thing going on in the densely wooded areas. For the minigames themselves, the music is a little more intense to egg you on.
GamersInfo.net: What are some of your favorite mini-games, maps or mode of play?
Atlus: A couple of my favorite Attractions are Search & Rescue, where you have to shine a spotlight on shipwrecked pirates to rescue them, and Bomb Factory, which has some wicked delayed-reaction timing. As for battle mode maps, I’ve always been partial to the conveyor belt stages, which become even more fun when you’re playing across the DS’s two screens.
GamersInfo.net: Will Atlus be bringing over similar types of games in the future?
Atlus: We’ll certainly be considering some, but we don’t have any definite plans to announce yet.
I am a Canadian living in California with my husband and my precious baby Bailey (95lbs of labrador fun). I work full time and go to school, so finding the time to play video games is tough. I still manage to sneak some time in, whether it's playing on my GBA while I wait in line or sitting in the back seat of my car so I can use our dvd player to play the Gamecube on long trips. I've always been fairly decent at playing games to give my younger brother some competition. I started at the early age of 6 when I inherited an Atari 2600. I played any computer game I could get my hands on during those Commodore 64 days. Now I'll play anything from RPGs to first person shooters, racing games or basically anything that's fun and allows me to play with at least 3 other people.
