Bomberman Live is the newest version of the classic split-screen multiplayer party game that has its roots all the way back to 1983. In this Xbox Live Arcade version, you’ll be getting classic Bomberman action (and style, thankfully) that you would come to expect from the Bomberman franchise.
Bomberman Live has both offline multiplayer as well as Xbox Live support. Included are eight maps for you to bomb your friends on, as well as four to five different gameplay modes depending on which map you are playing on. The number of modes might sound impressive, but two of them are just painting the tiles on the map with your bombs, and the only variation between them is the amount of lives you have before you’re booted from the round. (Ranging from 1 to infinite)
While the number of modes might be sparse and lack some differentiation, the map designs are great and will get you hootin’ and a hollerin’ with your buddies in no time. Trapping someone in between two bombs is a priceless moment, and you’ll have plenty of those while playing. Xbox Live supports up to eight players and seems to run fairly smooth with the exception of some lag/warping that did occur from time to time.
All in all, the 800 point price is a bit high for what you’re getting, but this is still a fun party title that fans of the series and new players alike will have fun with.