Super Bomb Rush!
Reviewed by Cyril Lachel on
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Super Bomb Rush is simple and flashy, but ultimately shallow. It won't take long to get your fill and you'll spend most of your time staring at 10% of the screen. It's a fast-paced time-waster, but the $8 asking price feels a bit steep given the barebones package.
Rating: 40%
Super Bomb Rush is the kind of arcade game I used to walk past to get to the Street Fighter II cabinet. You know; the type that's loud and flashy at the expense of depth and longevity. The sort of machine that was designed to eat quarters faster than you can fish them out of your pockets. It's the sort of thing that you won't remember in a few days, but passes as a video game when you absolutely must waste a few minutes.
Simply put, Super Bomb Rush is an updated version of Simon, the 1978 electronic game based on memorizing color patterns. The conceit here is that you are expected to defuse a series of bombs by pressing a list of buttons. It starts with the usual up, down, left and right, but quickly adds the enter key just to be tricky.
While all this may sound easy, I assure you that it won't take long for everything to spiral out of control. Super Bomb Rush adds a new wrinkle after every few stages, each designed to make your job a little harder. Early on we're introduced to red arrows, which require players to press the opposite direction. And since you only have a few seconds to defuse each bomb and a single misstep spells certain death, the ever-increasing challenge will leave you a nervous wreck.
But just like those old school arcade games I mentioned walking past, mastering the game has more to do with rote memorization than anything resembling skill. With only a few minor exceptions, the progression plays out the same way every single time. So just as long as you remember the basics of each area, it won't take long to defuse all 50 bombs. That's not to say it will be easy, but most players will get their fill of Super Bomb Rush after a single sitting.
The visuals look good, but are impossible to pay attention to. With no time to spare, any glance away from the list of commands will usually result in an explosion. This felt incredibly limiting, as I found myself paying attention to little more than 10% of the screen. And while certainly in the spirit of those old arcade cabinets, the music and sound effects drove me straight up the wall.
The good news is that there are extra modes to unlock, though not all of them are working as of this review. The co-op mode allows players to work together in order to tackle especially difficult bombs. It offers a few changes to the gameplay that lead to some short-lived fun. Sadly, neither the Beat Rush nor Versus modes are working. I suspect the competitive mode could add some much-needed variety to the game, but it will all come down to the execution.
In its current state, Super Bomb Rush is the kind of game I would have plunked a few quarters into as I waited for the Street Fighter line to dissipate. The concept is simple and shallow, the type of thing that didn't take long to wear out its welcome. It's a fast-paced time-waster, but the $8 asking price feels a bit steep given the barebones package. Then again, it's a lot less stressful than sitting through The Hurt Locker.
Super Bomb Rush is simple and flashy, but ultimately shallow. It won't take long to get your fill and you'll spend most of your time staring at 10% of the screen. It's a fast-paced time-waster, but the $8 asking price feels a bit steep given the barebones package.
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