#19: Bombuzal (Image Works, Commodore 64, 1988)

The game’s levels consist of a tiled grid containing a number of bombs of varying sizes that must be detonated in a controlled fashion in order to complete the level. Additional variety is provided by the gradual introduction of a range of special tiles which affect the playing field in different ways. And, look, I’m sure it’s fairly clear from my tone here that I was not, by any means, blown away (if you’ll excuse the pun) by Bombuzal. But that is not to say that there is anything wrong with the basic concept of the game. Indeed, “a puzzle game with very simplistic graphics about defusing bombs” does, in fact, describe one of the most successful video games of all time, at least in terms of the number of people having played it, if not necessarily in measurable commercial success. It’s just not, y’know, this one. Conceptually, Bombuzal is fine. In execution, however, not so much.

The actual means of defusing the bombs is not intuitive enough for it to have ever been a Minesweeper-level success, but there is a half-decent puzzle game in there once you get your head around how it all works. Unfortunately, it is buried behind an incredibly harsh and utterly needless time limit mechanic that serves only to make it much harder to actually do so. Ultimately, I found Bombuzal to be a fine simulation of a job that might sound exciting on paper, but turns out to be rather less so in practice, with the ability to find enjoyment in it utterly stifled by unrealistic expectations from management that just hinder performance. Is this the true life of a bomb disposal expert? I expect I will never know for sure.