Play report on the latest "Super Bomberman R 2" test play!　Media Competition "BOMBERMAN BATTLE! Battle! The winner is Akiba Research Institute! 10 prizes for 10 people!

The event featured an explanation of the new "Castle" mode in "Super Bomberman R 2," the latest title in the Bomberman series to be released on September 14. After that, media companies competed for 10 copies of the software to be given away to readers as prizes in the "Castle" mode! Battle! was held.

With its roots in "Bomb Man" released in 1983, the "Bomberman" party game series has continued to evolve since the first "Bomberman" released in 1985, while keeping the simple and clear basic rule of "placing bombs" unchanged to make the game more competitive and game-like.

Super Bomberman R 2" is the latest in the series, following "Super Bomberman R" and "Super Bomberman R ONLINE". In addition to the well-known "Story Mode," the game modes include the standard "Standard," "Grand Prix," in which players can enjoy up to three-on-three team battles, and "Battle 64," which allows up to 64 players to play together, and the new "Castle" mode, which is the highlight of the new title.

In the "Story" mode, new stories and characters have been added, allowing players to play through the game alone.

In addition, a new feature called "Grade Match" has been added to online matches. This feature allows users to enjoy random online matches with people who are close to their own level of skill. Two types of rules are selected for each time slot: "Standard," "Grand Prix," "Battle 64," and "Castle," so you never know which rule you will be assigned to. It will be necessary to practice to win in any of the rules.

Whether you defend or attack depends on your tactics! New "Castle" Mode

This media event, "Minna de Bong! Battle! was the new "Castle" mode.

The "Castle" mode is a new way to play with one versus many players (up to 15 players), where the player is divided into two groups: the "Castle Side," the lone defender of the treasure chests placed on the map, and the "Attack Side," the multiplayer challenger who aims to seize the treasure chests.

The "Castle Side" seems to be at a disadvantage, as it requires a single player to defend the treasure chest against a large number of opponents, but the "Castle Side" can use defense gimmicks and traps such as "cannons" and "beam ropes" to block enemy invasions, and "Elons," which are automatically controlled companions, to help the "Elons" appear. The "Castle Side" can also be equipped with auto-controlled "Elons" and "Elon Gates" that allow the "Elons" to appear. Elons are characterized by their ability to fire energy projectiles at enemies and to repel enemies with whom they come in contact. Also important is the placement of special armaments called "Weapons. Weapons include "lasers," which can fire energy projectiles that penetrate in a straight line, "blades," which can cleave and attack in a fan shape, and "barriers," which generate a dome-shaped field that defeats opponents on contact.

The Castle side is not at a disadvantage because you are alone, but rather it is important to have a strategy to use these traps, elongated gates, and weapons to create a battlefield that is favorable to you.

On the other hand, on the attack side, the player must capture power-up items that appear when walls are destroyed by bombs, etc., and while powering up himself/herself up, he/she aims to capture the key and the treasure chest.

Although the game seems less strategic than Castle Side, there are too many obstacles such as Castle Side, Elon, traps, and rivals to fight alone, so players inevitably cooperate with other Attack Side players to conquer the game right from the start.

Only one treasure chest can be opened with one key. The number of treasure chests in a stage is limited, so the key is to outwit rivals and open treasure chests at the right moment. This is where the game comes into play.

Of course, you can play solo, fighting alone from start to finish, or you can play treacherously, cooperating with your rivals but leading them to the castle side so that you can be killed by them.

Stage Editor" that allows people from all over the world to create stages

The "Castle" mode is not the only highlight of this title! The "Stage Editor" function, which allows players to create their own stages, is also not to be missed.

In the "Stage Editor," you can create your own original stages by arranging the wall parts and gimmicks that you obtain through battles and storylines as you wish. Of course, the colors of the parts can also be changed.

By taking advantage of this feature, I have a feeling that artistic stages with parts that look like dots and difficult stages with clever traps will be created all over the world.

Of course, no matter how clever the traps are or how artistic they look, they are meaningless if they cannot be cleared, so in order to share them with the world, they must pass a check called a "clear check," in which you actually battle using the Castle's basic rules and clear the game yourself. You have to pass the "clear check" check, in which you have to actually do the battle and clear the game yourself, in order to share it with the world.

Akiba Soken will give up in the middle!

In this event, after the explanation of the "Castle" mode, "Everybody Bong! Battle!" practice time before the main battle was set up.

The author, who was called to the Akiba Research Institute for this event, is a veteran gamer who played the original "Bomberman" in real time. When weighing the scales between his 40 years of gaming experience and his physical decline, it would be a delicate question as to which would work in his favor.

Other media outlets have apparently sent younger players in their 20s and 30s, so the author would not have been expected to win in a game like "Bomberman," where reflexes are the key to victory.

Nevertheless, in order to gain as much advantage as possible in the game, I took full advantage of my practice time to study the strategy.

The hall was quiet as participants from other media also practiced earnestly.

Everyone's idol "White Bong" appeared!

In the midst of all this, Bomberman's mascot-like character "White Bong" made an appearance to cheer the players on! He wandered around the venue and chatted with the e-sports caster, Horseman, who had come to help liven up the event, but I was too busy researching the game to see much of his antics.

Akiba Research Institute looking for a chance

And so the first game began.

A person from the production team was in charge of the Castle side, and all the media played on the Attack side.

Since it was the first time for everyone on the attack side to play, there was no way they could cooperate with each other to advance the attack, and the game turned out to be a mixed affair.

The author succeeded in capturing the key several times, but was unable to reach the treasure chest due to the traps set along the way.

And as roughly predicted, the results were as expected, with game and strategy media occupying first through third place.

The second game counted no votes, as the attack side failed to open a single treasure chest, resulting in a win for the Castle side.

In the third game, the gaming media took first through third place, and in the fourth game, the author finally succeeded in opening a treasure chest, which was a great achievement.

Incidentally, Akiba Research Institute participated in the tournament as player 8, Green Bong. The character was designated by the tournament organizer and cannot be changed.

Akiba Research Institute's Struggle?

At the end of all four games, there was a tie for first through third place, so a final round, which was not originally planned, was to be held.

In the final round, due to time constraints, an announcement was made that "the winner of this match will be the winner regardless of the previous results," and a ray of hope shone on Akiba Soken, which had already given up on winning the tournament!

If we were the first to open the treasure chest here, we would win!　And they will receive 10 copies of "Super Bomberman R 2" as gifts for our readers!　For the sake of the readers who always read Akiba Research Institute, I wanted to win at any cost! With this in mind, the author has come up with a strategy.

The number one cause of death in "Bomberman" is "self-destruction," so the strategy I adopted was to not place any bombs, to hide my presence, to take the key discreetly, and to open the treasure chest stealthily.

This strategy worked, and in the final round, I succeeded in opening the treasure chest!

And for the first time in Akiba Research Institute history (?) And for the first time in Akiba Research Institute's history (?), they won the game competition!

The author, having achieved this feat, wants to take a commemorative photo with Hakubon.

The "Castle" mode is expected to become popular.

I was allowed to play the "Castle" mode in the actual game format, and I found that the Castle side, Attack side, and both sides have their own strategies and strategies, and the speedy game progression combined with the game's speed makes the game exciting not only for players but also for spectators.

This game will be a great addition to the eSports tournaments that have been gaining momentum in Japan in recent years.

The easy-to-understand "place the bomb" gameplay can be easily understood and enjoyed by players of all ages and genders, and we hope that this game will lower the hurdle for eSports, which has been difficult for beginners and those who do not play games very often.

Akiba Research Institute is giving away 5 copies each of the PS5 and Switch versions of "Super Bomberman R 2" as a commemorative gift to the winners! Please check out the entry requirements below, and enter the giveaway!