Super Bomberman Collection Revives Hudson Soft Classics on Nintendo Switch 2
Over the past few years, Konami has built a strong reputation for revitalizing its library of classic games on modern consoles such as the Nintendo Switch.
Iconic franchises, including Castlevania, Contra, Gradius, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Metal Gear, and Yu-Gi-Oh, have all made their way to contemporary hardware, to the delight of long-time fans and new players alike.
Now, Konami is expanding this preservation effort to include the treasured works of Hudson Soft—one of Japan’s pioneering third-party developers—through the release of Super Bomberman Collection, available on the Nintendo Switch 2. Super Bomberman Collection is a carefully curated anthology, chiefly featuring the five Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES) entries in the beloved Bomberman series.
As an added bonus, both NES Bomberman titles are also included.
The collection, however, does not encompass Bomberman releases from the TurboGrafx-16, Mega Drive, or SEGA Saturn platforms.
While some fans may wish for a more comprehensive archive, the focus on the SNES and NES classics ensures a strong and accessible experience for players looking to revisit Bomberman's formative years. A highlight of this collection is the localization of two games that were previously only available in Japan.
The efforts to fully translate these titles for a global audience, although the games themselves are not text-heavy, demonstrate Red Art Games’ and Konami’s dedication to inclusivity and attention to detail.
The collection’s front-end also stands out, featuring interactive recreations of original game packaging, regional variations, and digital scans of instruction manuals.
Players can easily review each title’s multiplayer capabilities—a longstanding hallmark of the Bomberman series—from the intuitive game selection menu.
The Super Bonus section further enriches the offering with the NES duo, an extensive art gallery, and a music player. In keeping with expectations for modern retro collections, Super Bomberman Collection offers several quality-of-life enhancements.
These include a rewind feature, support for up to three save states per game, customizable controls, and a user-accessible instruction booklet.
However, the suite of display options has room for improvement, with some scaling issues that can result in image shimmering.
It is anticipated that future updates may address these visual concerns.
Notably, the Nintendo Switch 2 version adds GameShare support, allowing local multiplayer with friends—a feature well suited to the series' party-friendly gameplay.
While online play is unavailable, existing Bomberman titles on the Switch platform offer that functionality.
Additionally, each SNES installment includes an optional boss rush mode for added replay value. Red Art Games, a new collaborator for Konami in project development, has put considerable effort into enhancing both presentation and extra content in Super Bomberman Collection.
However, the actual gameplay experience is somewhat diminished by discernible input lag, which can affect precision during intense moments, as well as minor, non-recurring emulation bugs.
Though these issues do not render the titles unplayable, they may be noticeable to dedicated fans familiar with the original releases. Despite these drawbacks, the selection remains strong, particularly for those who appreciate the enduring appeal of Bomberman’s multiplayer chaos and the variety found in its single-player modes.
While the original NES Bomberman may feel dated, its sequels and all five SNES games continue to provide engaging, timeless action.
The thoughtful localization, detailed interface, and the inclusion of GameShare collectively ensure that Super Bomberman Collection is both a worthy introduction and a nostalgia trip for fans of the franchise. Super Bomberman Collection is now available for Nintendo Switch 2, representing a successful collaboration between Konami and Red Art Games, and is a testament to the lasting legacy of Hudson Soft in video game history.
Iconic franchises, including Castlevania, Contra, Gradius, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Metal Gear, and Yu-Gi-Oh, have all made their way to contemporary hardware, to the delight of long-time fans and new players alike.
Now, Konami is expanding this preservation effort to include the treasured works of Hudson Soft—one of Japan’s pioneering third-party developers—through the release of Super Bomberman Collection, available on the Nintendo Switch 2. Super Bomberman Collection is a carefully curated anthology, chiefly featuring the five Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES) entries in the beloved Bomberman series.
As an added bonus, both NES Bomberman titles are also included.
The collection, however, does not encompass Bomberman releases from the TurboGrafx-16, Mega Drive, or SEGA Saturn platforms.
While some fans may wish for a more comprehensive archive, the focus on the SNES and NES classics ensures a strong and accessible experience for players looking to revisit Bomberman's formative years. A highlight of this collection is the localization of two games that were previously only available in Japan.
The efforts to fully translate these titles for a global audience, although the games themselves are not text-heavy, demonstrate Red Art Games’ and Konami’s dedication to inclusivity and attention to detail.
The collection’s front-end also stands out, featuring interactive recreations of original game packaging, regional variations, and digital scans of instruction manuals.
Players can easily review each title’s multiplayer capabilities—a longstanding hallmark of the Bomberman series—from the intuitive game selection menu.
The Super Bonus section further enriches the offering with the NES duo, an extensive art gallery, and a music player. In keeping with expectations for modern retro collections, Super Bomberman Collection offers several quality-of-life enhancements.
These include a rewind feature, support for up to three save states per game, customizable controls, and a user-accessible instruction booklet.
However, the suite of display options has room for improvement, with some scaling issues that can result in image shimmering.
It is anticipated that future updates may address these visual concerns.
Notably, the Nintendo Switch 2 version adds GameShare support, allowing local multiplayer with friends—a feature well suited to the series' party-friendly gameplay.
While online play is unavailable, existing Bomberman titles on the Switch platform offer that functionality.
Additionally, each SNES installment includes an optional boss rush mode for added replay value. Red Art Games, a new collaborator for Konami in project development, has put considerable effort into enhancing both presentation and extra content in Super Bomberman Collection.
However, the actual gameplay experience is somewhat diminished by discernible input lag, which can affect precision during intense moments, as well as minor, non-recurring emulation bugs.
Though these issues do not render the titles unplayable, they may be noticeable to dedicated fans familiar with the original releases. Despite these drawbacks, the selection remains strong, particularly for those who appreciate the enduring appeal of Bomberman’s multiplayer chaos and the variety found in its single-player modes.
While the original NES Bomberman may feel dated, its sequels and all five SNES games continue to provide engaging, timeless action.
The thoughtful localization, detailed interface, and the inclusion of GameShare collectively ensure that Super Bomberman Collection is both a worthy introduction and a nostalgia trip for fans of the franchise. Super Bomberman Collection is now available for Nintendo Switch 2, representing a successful collaboration between Konami and Red Art Games, and is a testament to the lasting legacy of Hudson Soft in video game history.
