Bomberman '94 is a 1993 installment in the Bomberman franchise for the PC Engine, the follow-up to Bomberman '93 and a predecessor to Super Bomberman 3. The game introduced series mainstays Rooi the kangaroo-like creature, and Buggler, the franchise's primary Big Bad.
In distant space from Planet Bomber, Buggler, from within his artificial comet, sends his minions onto the planet to destroy the Spirit Pictures, sources of great power and causing Planet Bomber to be split into five pieces. Bomberman then heads out to restore Planet Bomber, and defeat Buggler.
In 1994, the game was ported and localized as Mega Bomberman for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive. Despite being on a more powerful console, the port had inferior graphics, and multiplayer only supported up to four players instead of five even though the console was capable of five players with the right MultiTap. Due to these flaws, it is passed up in favor of the original Japanese version for worldwide re-releases, including the Wii Virtual Console, PlayStation Network, Windows 8.1 via the Windows Store, the Wii U Virtual Console and the PC Engine Mini / TurboGrafx-16 Mini.
Then in 2008, Bomberman '08, a mobile remake of '94, was released which had completely redone graphics in the style of modern Bomberman games. The remake was once thought to be lost to time until a Bomberman Board member found the files for a Windows Mobile port (renamed Bomberman) and released them in 2017.
This game provides examples of:
- Anthropomorphic Food: The first boss, Bananacher, is a large walking Banana with a face that's controlled by a minature monkey.
- Attack Drone: The first phase of the fight against Buggler has him summoning several battle drones to attack.
- Bat Out of Hell: The fourth boss, Komori Count is a giant bat who flies around the area and attacks by splitting himself into mini-bats.
- Big Bad: Buggler, who initiated the attack on Planet Bomber by sending his forces to break the planet apart.
- Big Boo's Haunt: The fourth world, Kura Kura Jō / Crankin' Castle is set in a nighttime castle with a Blackout Basement and bat enemies.
- "Blind Idiot" Translation: While truer to the PC Engine original over the Mega Drive port, Bomberman '08, a mobile phone version, suffered from this. Just check out the Game Overview as soon as you select "Help" on the main menu..."Bagura has destroyed “Spirit’s Portrait” the energy source for Bomba Planet’s spirit, and the planet has been shattered!! Collect the scattered pieces of the portrait, restore Bomba Planet, and defeat Bagura!!"
- Colony Drop: After Planet Bomber is restored, Buggler attempts sending his artificial comet crashing onto it, but gets stopped by Bomberman.
- Construction Is Awesome: Genbāman / Construction Bomber averts this; despite being dressed as a construction worker, his priority as a COM is block destruction.
- Death Seeker: Fireball will run towards any bomb aligned horizontally or vertically. When it dies (either by bomb or cart), it will smile just before it disappears.
- Dismantled MacGuffin: The Spirit Pictures are shattered into fragments across each world, with Bomberman gathering every piece to restore it and bring one part of Planet Bomber back together.
- Dub Name Change: Mega Bomberman changes many names, including Planet Bomber to Bomber Planet, Rooi to Louie, Bomber Family to Bomberman Team, Buggler to Bagulaa, and localizing the Japanese Onomatopoeia as Alliterative Names for the five areas. However, all re-releases revert them.
- Giant Enemy Crab: The third boss is Grub Robs, a giant red crab that unleashes a Bubble Gun to prevent bombs from harming him.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: You can actually get hurt by your own bombs if you aren't careful.
- Humongous Mecha: After his drones are destroyed, Buggler summons The Dragoon, a dragon-like machine that he personally controls to engage Bomberman for the second phase of his fight.
- An Ice Person: The fifth boss, Queen Oyobee, is a mage-like being that performs ice attacks while also swinging her crown around.
- Inconsistent Spelling: The hidden Sound Room spells Buggler's robot as both Doragoon and Dragoon.
- Instant Bandages: After Bomberman restores the first world, the other Bombermen are swiftly defeated by the other bosses and then shown wearing bandages and plasters on the map screen.
- I Will Only Slow You Down: If Bomberman defeats Buggler with a Rooi, the two attempt to escape but realize the ship is too small to carry them both. Despite Bomberman's desperation, the Rooi kicks him into the ship to save him as he escapes alone in defeat.
- Jack of All Stats: Plain Bomberman as a COM in the Battle Game is a balanced opponent.
- Jungle Japes: The first world is Mori Mori no Mori / Jammin' Jungle, which takes place in a jungle-like area surrounded by trees and filled with flowers.
- Lethal Lava Land: The second world is Achi Achi no Yama / Vexin' Volcano, with enemies that breathe fire and mine-carts around to travel between areas more faster.
- Living Statue: The second boss is Pyramid Gan:G, a stone guardian that attacks by blasting its hands around the area while hopping around.
- Maniac Monkeys: Saru is a miniature that controls Bananacher in the first boss fight to attack Bomberman.
- One-Hit-Point Wonder: If Bomberman is hit even once, he'll lose a life.
- Repetitive Name: All of the names for each world are alliterative, such as Cura Cura Castle and Yuki Yuki Land.
- Sequential Boss: In the Final Area, Buggler is fought with four rotating orbs, then in the Dragoon, and finally in his "Bomberman" form.
- Shattered World: The game starts with Buggler sending his minions onto Planet Bomber to destroy the Spirit Pictures within several temples, resulting in the planet being split apart while Bomberman gathers the fragments to restore it.
- Sinister Silhouettes: The stage select screen of each world features a silhouette of the main boss.
- Slippy-Slidey Ice World: The fifth world is Yuki Yuki Land / Thrashin' Tundra is set in a snowy area with snowmen, decorated trees, and penguins.
- Space Zone: Bomberman uses his spacecraft to traverse between the fragments of the planet — and finally to the artificial comet.
- Squashed Flat: In the castle area, Bomberman can use his bombs to remove the supports from giant barrels, which can roll over any enemies who may happen to be in their path.
- Marilyn Maneuver: Queen Oyobee when hit by a Bomb holds onto her dress to prevent it from being blown away.
- Tertiary Sexual Characteristics: Bomber Lady's appearance is literally just Bomberman with a bow.
- Time-Limit Boss: Every boss has a five minute time limit to defeat it.
- Timed Mission: Every stage is given a timer proportional to its size. In the Final Area, the player has ten minutes to reach Buggler.
- Underwater Level: The third world is Buku Buku no Umi / Slammin' Sea, taking place within Underwater Ruins and filled with fish enemies.
- The Very Definitely Final Dungeon: The Final Area is Buggler's artificial comet.