Smart Bomb (video game)

Last updated
Smart Bomb
Smart Bomb box art.jpg
Developer(s) Core Design
Publisher(s) Eidos Interactive
Designer(s) Jamie Morton
Platform(s) PlayStation Portable
Release
  • NA: May 10, 2005
  • JP: June 16, 2005
Genre(s) Strategy, puzzle
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Smart Bomb is a timed puzzle video game for the PSP developed by Core Design. It was one of the first video games to be released on the PSP and was at first set to be a big game, yet many control flaws and repetition of levels meant that it was a relatively low selling game. This is the last game Core Design worked on before it was renamed Rebellion Derby the following year; R.D. would close its doors in March 2010.

Contents

The aim of the game is to defuse a bomb on the screen while the timer counts down, each level is divided into tiers that get closer to the core of the bomb and once successfully defused the player moves on to the next level.

Gameplay

The player is a member of a fictitious Counter Terrorist Unit, who must defuse bombs found in various locations. Each bomb is rigged with a number of puzzles that all must be completed before the timer on the bomb goes off, and thus ending the game.

The player may select the order of the puzzles within each bomb to attempt. There are several different types of puzzles available in the game, including:

While working with these puzzles, special bonuses will pop up and can be collected if the player is fast enough. These power-ups include score bonuses and extra time for completing all the puzzles within the bomb.

There are also special optional puzzles that can also be completed for bonuses.

Reception

Smart Bomb received generally negative reviews, with only a 45/100 from cumulative reviews on Metacritic [1] and 49% for cumulative reviews on GameRankings. [2] IGN states that the game is aimed at being as fast-paced and frantic as WarioWare , but is heavy with complex puzzles instead of quick brain-teasers. [3] GameSpot notes several technical issues with the game sucha as the game's presentation and sluggish controls. [4]

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