Taking an old school game and using it as pure inspiration is a great way to get a project started. This is exactly what Dashing Strike did when they developed Splody! This game is the purely inspired multiplayer from old school Bomberman!

While the game doesn't have a campaign to play through, it is still one to bring entertainment even when you are playing alone because their computers don't go down easy! While the multiplayer is mainly shown off as local couch gaming, there is also an online option.

Gameplay

This game plays just like I remember the multiplayer worked on Bomberman 64 that I used to play against friends all the time! Placing a bomb and having to take cover because the blast is going to go in all directions is a challenging play style for sure.

Each level could be of various sizes and you could have multiple players playing with you. Any players missing could be filled in with a bot, but this isn't really an advantage if you put them on at least Normal! I didn't even get to the Hard difficulty myself thanks to how much trouble it is to take down the foes!

Each level will put the opponents on different corners of the field that would have a series of debris in the way to be cleared with your bombs. Each piece cleared would drop something, but that's not always good! You could get anything from dynamite, which is just like C4 with a controlled explosion, to bomb blast extension, to a bomb suppressant, which is what makes you unable to place a bomb for "x" amount of seconds!

My favorite power up is the dinosaur you get, which gives you an extra hit. He reminds me back to my days on Mario and getting my companion Yoshi, my favorite Mario universe character, to help me take down my enemies!

After you finally get out of the debris, you will be facing an opponent so hopefully, you gathered some power ups before going out to battle! There are also teleporters, which have a designated location that it takes you to, so you have another way around the map, but you will need to learn how it works fully first!

Check out the trailer:

Graphics

The game looks entirely cartoonish, but it also holds a similar style from its inspiration; Bomberman. With average sized bodies and a big head, it is easy to see where your player is at no matter how much chaos is going on around you!

Sound

The game has upbeat and high-intensity music, which fits well with the chaos! The bomb sound effects also differ when you have the dynamite or if it is a more powerful bomb, which is a nice touch.

Replayability

This game is nothing but replayable thanks to how massive the multiplayer can end up being! After you finally get the hang of the controls and start forming a strategy, you still got to work on your skill if you want to be the best!

What Could Be Better

I would have liked to have seen a campaign mode, but otherwise, the game is pretty well made and balanced.

Final Verdict

Fun game with an addictive play setting that I could see many people finding themselves absorbed into. I am far from being among the best, but it will be fun climbing the skill ladder. I hope to see the online multiplayer become more popular!

"It was just like versing friends from my Bomberman 64 childhood days!"