Bomberman Live: Battlefest

3 cert, Hudson Entertainment, Xbox Live***

The first ever Bomberman was released in 1987. The classic game involves working your way around a maze (viewed from above) and planting little explosives at appropriate junctures to take out your enemies. In this Darwinian battle, the object is to avoid other people’s explosions while planting your own. It’s a lively, addictive concoction. This latest version has numerous playing options, but the classic option is still the best. Bomberman is perfect for multiplayer, and indeed, up to eight players can duke it out online. I prefer the local 1-4 player option, though – it’s exciting, just the right side of chaotic. You expect cutesy games like this to be easier, but one-player mode is fast-paced and tricky. The game-play doesn’t vary much, but you will find it hard to put down.