Bomberman 64: The Second Attack! (1999)

I've finally gotten around to playing this almost 3 years after finishing the first Bomberman 64 (which was also one of my very first reviews on this site!).

Second Attack as a whole is a lot more polished without any of the gold card fuckery of the first game. It's also got a really fun cast of characters, plenty of collectibles, multiple bomb types, and retains many of the classic Bomberman tropes like the bomb kick, bomb throw, pumped bombs, remote bombs etc. The boss fights are a standout as well, fun to learn their patterns and just the right amount of difficulty.

This game is not without its flaws, however. The level design and pacing is unbalanced at times. Respawning enemies, tedious backtracking, something that is not helped at all by the fact that your base walking speed is snail-like. I often found that I needed an hour-ish of unbroken time to finish a stage. If you exit a level, your progress does not get saved.

These issues don't get too in the way though! I enjoyed playing this game to the end (good ending btw). Would recommend to anyone looking to fire up their N64 again.

This Nintendo 64 Bomberman entry is one of the more experimental entries in the long-running series, pushing the formula beyond its traditional maze-based battles. The game offers a fully fleshed-out single-player adventure, where Bomberman explores diverse 3D environments, solves puzzles, and battles bosses using an expanded elemental bomb system. Each element, fire, water, wind, and more, adds variety to combat and puzzle-solving, giving the gameplay a sense of progression that earlier Bomberman titles lacked.

A standout feature is Pommy, Bomberman’s creature companion, who can evolve into different forms depending on how you treat and feed it. This mechanic adds personality and replay value, making the adventure feel less solitary, and while we had other companions in the past, especially in the SNES entries, this one in particular is very unique. The game’s story, while simple, is surprisingly developed for the series, with cutscenes and characters that give the journey more weight than most Bomberman titles.

That said, the game has its flaws. The camera can be clunky in 3D spaces, occasionally making platforming sections frustrating, and the pacing sometimes drags due to uneven level design. Its multiplayer mode, usually the highlight of any Bomberman game, is present but less engaging than earlier entries, as the focus was clearly on the single-player experience. Despite these shortcomings, The Second Attack has become a cult favorite. Its ambition, depth, and charm make it stand out as one of the most unique Bomberman games, even if it isn’t the most polished.