Saboten Bombers is a 1992 arcade platform game developed by NMK and published by Tecmo. It wouldn't receive a home release until it saw ports for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 as part of Hamster's Arcade Archives lineup on April 8, 2021.

Developer(s)NMK
Publisher(s)Tecmo
Platform(s)Arcade
Release1992
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Up to 2 players simultaneously

Gameplay

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Saboten Bombers is a single screen platform game in which the main characters are anthropomorphic cacti named Wanpi (1P) and Tsuupi (2P). The gameplay consists of throwing bombs at the enemy pests that infested a house where player cacti reside and avoiding being hit by bombs thrown by enemies. However, explosions from players' own bombs pose a threat to players as well as enemies. Because players' bombs tend to move fast and bounce off walls during the game, throwing them carelessly are tantamount to suicide. There are a variety of enemies and colorful backgrounds. Some enemies can withstand more than one bomb attack, and some can escape bombs while still being swept away before explosions - both of which compel players to toss multiple bombs at them. Physical contacts with enemy minions do not kill players, but with bosses do. When all enemies are defeated, a stage is cleared, allowing players to move on to the next stage. The game consists of over 100 levels with every tenth stage featuring bosses, and also a versus mode in which the player competes against the computer-controlled opponent. The game has many collectable items, the most notable of which is the cake which gives the player an extra life after collecting eight pieces.

Reception

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In Japan, Game Machine listed Saboten Bombers on their May 15, 1992, issue as being the twelfth most popular table arcade unit at the time.[1]

References

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  1. ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 426. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 May 1992. p. 29.