Bomb Strike (series)

Bomb Strike (ボンブストライク) is a platform-based run-n-gun video game franchise developed by Multisoft. The original game was published in 1989, during the beginning of Gamesoft, and currently has 25 games released on various platforms, as well as two cartoons. This franchise became as successful as Superstar, Aegis, Gunner Tribe, Planetary Heroes, and Realm Souls.

Gameplay
The original Bomb Strike started as an arcade platform-shooter game where players are suspended in a box-like stage and face enemies in order to proceed to the next stage, akin to Snow Bros and Bubble Bobble. Starting with Super Bomb Strike, it also became a multiplayer game where players (up to four) face each other in a free-for-all death match using the same type of weapons until one player remains. Gameplay involves using explosives (bombs, missiles, grenades, etc.) in order to destroy obstacles and kill enemies and other players. The player can pick up various power-ups, giving them benefits such as larger explosives or the ability to fire more explosives a time.

Setting & Plot
Most of the games take place in a galaxy known as the Delta Nebula, usually on Planet Delta, where the main characters reside. The first Bomb Strike begins with Tommy White, one of the infants raised to pilot the Blitzbombers (round robots that can shoot bombs), wanting to escape to see the outside world. Eventually he does succeed and adopts himself to two parents. That plot ended up being retconned following Mega Bomb Strike.

In earlier appearances, the second Blitzbomber toddler, Barry Black, is an enemy due to a programming error in his Bomb Striker, but since Super Bomb Strike, he and Tommy have forged an alliance. They have joined forces to handle bigger threats, most notably the evil alien Professor Jungler, who is most infamously known as the creator of the Dynamite Gang. Paths were also crossed with an intergalactic crime organization called the White Hole Bandits (led by Jackson and Sir Doc), as well as a mysterious rival known as Kain. There has been no central series antagonist, but these are the most common foes.

Tommy appears to be part of an intergalactic police force to help protect the galaxy. This has been elaborated upon in later games, where a friendly figure named Dr. Uno directs Tommy's objectives. There is also the Striker Base on Planet Delta, where Tommy and the other Blitzbomber pilots trains daily. After the shapeshifter (if fed) Kiko was introduced, Alterions became a part of the gameplay in some later single player games. A Blitzbomber pilot called Fall also became a semi-regular member.

Characters
Tommy White – the hero of the series. In the standard games, he is the protagonist and player-character. He is usually portrayed as the heroic yet cheerful type, often saving his home planet from disaster. Like all Blitzbomber pilots, he has the ability to use explosives as weapons. In later games, such as Bomb Strike X and Bomb Strike Story, he is shown to be part of an interplanetary police force stationed at Bomber Base. He was 1 year old from the original Bomb Strike to Super Bomb Strike, about 7 years old starting from Mega Bomb Strike to Super Bomb Strike 4, 9 years old from Saturn Bomb Strike to Burning Bomb Strike, 12 years old from Bomb Strike World to Bomb Strike Y, 15 years old from Bomb Strike: Next Generation to Bomb Strike Blast, and now 20 years old in Super Bomb Strike S.

Barry Black – a major character in the series. A member of the Blitzbomber Force, he has the ability to use bombs as explosives. He was the leader of his own gang of Blitzbomber pilots, leading Karen Red, Felix Blue, Sonia Green and Abel Gold. He proclaims himself to be Tommy's best friend and most cunning rival. He is a little more forceful, mildly frustrated at living in Tommy's shadow, because he is unable to catch up with his rival's level of skill. He is apparently older than Tommy, making him now 21 in Super Bomb Strike S.