Although I've been a gamer since Jimmy Carter was in office, I've come to realize that I missed some pretty important titles during the 8-bit era. The Megaman phenomenon completely passed me by, as did Metroid and Castlevania. Recent re-issues, compilations, or remakes have given me the chance to revisit those classics, and decide for myself whether their legendary status was truly deserved, or merely the creation of foggy nostalgia. Bomberman DS is the next step in the long-standing series, not a retread, but I thought it was still a great chance for me to find out what the fuss has been about all this time. I mean, if a series manages to stick around for more than a decade, it must be pretty good, right?

You dropped a bomb on me, baby…

Anyone who's ever played a Bomberman game before can feel free to skip the next few paragraphs, but for my fellow noobs, here's the deal: the Bomberman playfield is set up like a grid, with only horizontal and vertical movement allowed. The goal in the single-player version of the game is to kill off the wandering enemies by dropping bombs in their path. Once the enemies have all been killed, the explosions are used to clear off obstacles on the board and find the hidden exit. Once through the exit, it's on to the next arena. And so on, and so on, and so on.

It sounds pretty simple, and in theory it is, but as the levels progress, it becomes more difficult to drop the bombs without running into an enemy or simply getting caught in the explosion. Bomberman can also acquire useful powerups throughout the game that give him abilities like a shield or a little extra oomph in his bombs. Unlike previous titles, these items aren't used immediately when they're picked up, but stockpiled in an inventory that can be accessed from the touch screen. Using items is simple and spices up the stock gameplay a bit, but it can make getting past certain levels far too easy for veteran players.

Where's the party?

The single-player experience of Bomberman DS runs its course fairly quickly, and players who were expecting an addictive, frenzied game are going to be sorely disappointed. I know I was. I'd always heard how great Bomberman was, how fast and furious, and this was all I got? Really? Oh, but there is multiplayer, my friends. And it is glorious.

Bomberman is, was, and ever shall be, best when played by a bunch of friends just dying to beat the snot out of each other. Up to eight different DS jockeys can play off of one cartridge (joy!) and enjoy a multiplayer mode more robust than some first person shooters I could mention. Dozens of arenas, team play or every man for himself, powerups galore, and bots. Bots! It all combines to make a satisfyingly deep and frantic multiplayer menu of bomb-dropping glee. Though most of the arenas stick to the top screen only, some of them take advantage of the possibilities afforded by using both screens, something I wish more DS titles did. Apparently wanting to hit all the DS highlights, Bomberman DS even makes use of the microphone, a gimmick I found more annoying than enjoyable. Players can shout into the microphone to detonate their bombs, which sounds like wacky fun until one actually pictures eight children all shouting over and over and over again. I think I saw a birth control ad like that once.

Bomberman never was a series known for being a graphics powerhouse, and nothing has really changed this time around. The colors are bright, the characters are cute, and the animations are smooth, but who really cares about the scenery when there are bombs going off left, right, and center? The sound is similarly forgettable, but at least it doesn't try to be overly cutesy with "Ka-boom!" type noises. (Although I guess they'd have to pay Activision a royalty if they did that, huh?)

Use the buddy system

Fans of the Bomberman series will find everything they've come to love and a little bit more, while newcomers to the franchise will be able to jump right in and enjoy the fun without feeling like they've been handicapped by their lack of experience. Simply put, any DS owner that has other DS-owning friends should pick up a copy of Bomberman DS (or at least persuade his buddy to do it). The multiplayer game has tons of options and is fast-paced, easy to learn fun. Those friendless folks who find themselves in possession of a DS should give this title a pass, as the single player mode just isn't satisfying enough to make it worth buying.