Born of the trend of cel shading, the graphics have a distinctly cartoon look. Bomberman and his enemies sport the typical black outline and smooth coloring of the graphical style, while the surrounding environments range from lushly colored outdoor scenes to rigidly mechanical structures surrounded by molten metals. Bomberman even sinks to the depths of the sea to explore sunken ships and to battle with malignant shellfish. While other classic series have taken undue heat because of their move to a Disney-like look, Bomberman has made the transition a smooth one. Even long-time fans should accept the new style with ease, as it just fits the series.

Unfortunately, Generation's aural qualities are not up to its graphical ones. While the sound does not in any way detract from the overall experience, it does not add to it either. It's sad to say, but if someone walked up and muted the game, the player may not even notice.

Thankfully, Bomberman never has been and never will be about aesthetics. Generation has taken the classic mechanics of the series, and its power-ups, and added a couple of new twists. The most prominent of the additions are the cute and cuddly Charaboms, which make their console debut after first appearing in the Game Boy Advance title Bomberman Tournament. These Pokémon-like creatures can be leveled up via special items and give Bomberman special abilities such as increased defense, remote control bombs, and the ability to lay multiple bombs with one button press.

Combining his familiar bombing style with the help of the Charaboms, Bomberman makes his way through what has essentially evolved into an action RPG. This latest title has puzzles to solve, a story to unlock, and items to find. Many of the puzzles involve knowing which Charabom to use with what type of bomb: fire, water, ice, light, or air. Successful navigation of the lengthy but generally easy levels leads Bomberman to the game's challenge, its bosses.

The bosses are well designed in both look and artificial intelligence. The monsters that stand between Bomberman and the safety of his planet include a giant squid, a Transformer-like pair of robots, an eagle, an Egyptian monument, and even a "Beauty Bomber." Each has a unique attack pattern and is colored and drawn to perfection. The only flaw to be found in regard to the bosses is that their difficulty doesn't seem to mesh with the rest of the game. The normal levels are well on the easy side of the middle, while the bosses are on the harder side. It would not be surprising at all to find that some less-experienced players are unable to defeat an early boss, even though they would have no trouble with the later levels.

Beyond the cel shading, the forgettable sounds, the Charabom companions, and the challenging boss creatures lies what makes or breaks a Bomberman game: its multiplayer modes. In this regard, Bomberman Generation has its ups and downs. Its multiplayer modes are varied and unique, including a whack-a-mole-style game, a money-grabbing mission, an Othello-styled Reversi Mode, and classic Bomberman. This diversity keeps the game fresh, even after hours of friend-killing fun. What is not so fresh is the list of available Bombermen. Players are given black, white, red, and blue characters, based solely on which controller port they are playing through. There are no special characters like the God-like Saturn Bomberman had in spades. In fact, the closest thing to a special character Generation sports is a golden bomber that is awarded to the defending champion after each match. It is ironic that variety in one area is the multiplayer's greatest strength, while the lack of it in another area is the mode's lowest point.

After dotting all the I's and crossing all the T's, players will likely walk away from this game satisfied with their purchase. The adventure is long enough to keep a player busy for hours, even before inviting unsuspecting friends over for a Bombermarathon. To add to the replay value, special lightning cards are hidden among the levels. Collecting all of these opens up Max as a playable character. This longevity, along with the strong graphical presentation, fun multiplayer contests, and Charabom training, make Bomberman Generation a solid way to bide GameCube owners' time until Nintendo's first- and second-party barrage hits this fall.

· · · Yoshi