Mobile Bomb Squad

By: Guest Reviewer

On: March 31st, 2010

Mobile Bomb Squad

[This is a guest review by William Broom. If you’re interested in writing an article for TIGSource, please go here.]

Mobile Bomb Squad is a puzzle-action game by fuegerstef that is reminiscent of old top-down DOS games like Chip’s Challenge and Hero’s Heart. The player controls a muscled bomb technician who must destroy bombs that have been planted around the city and eventually defeat the mysterious villain who is behind it all.

Most of the game involves pushing bombs and rockets around the screen, lining them up and then setting them off in a spectacular chain reaction. The goal is usually to destroy all the explosives in the level with a limited number of detonators. Fuegerstef does a good job of adding variety to the game, with new objectives and game elements appearing every few levels, but he never strays too far from the core concept. He also builds a nice difficulty curve, which (for me at least) was always challenging but rarely frustrating. Occasionally the mixture of action and puzzle elements can be annoying – like when you’ve spent several minutes setting up an intricate arrangement of bombs only to be killed by a passing enemy – but these moments aren’t particularly common.

The game’s presentation is equally impressive. The graphics are charmingly retro, the interface is highly polished, and the dialogue between missions is often funny. Overall, it really feels like a professional shareware game from some time in the 90’s. The music doesn’t quite live up to this – there’s only one track throughout the whole game, but it’s reasonably good and not likely to drive you insane.

Mobile Bomb Squad has 30 levels in total and took me around 3 hours to complete. It’s one of my favourite indie games released so far this year, and I highly recommend it.

  • fuegerstef

    thanks a lot for the review and making it well know. Much appreciated.

  • DYH

    Gorgeous graphics. If the pace is pretty fast I think I’ll like this, or maybe anyway. Let’s download :D

  • fuegerstef

    pace gets a little faster from the third mission.
    It is a puzzle game. :)

  • Dodger

    Very good looking game and the title screen is very “Titalating”. ;-)

    Decently fun game, I like it.

  • oops

    The download you linked to has a virus.

  • judgespear

    It’s a false positive. You can’t put viruses in Game Maker executables. It isn’t possible.

  • judgespear

    My AV scanner (Avira) detected nothing by the way.

  • Larz

    I’m loving this game! I admit, it’s taking me a LONG time to get through some of these puzzles, and I’m still early in the game. Maybe I am no good at puzzles? I do kind of wish there was no time limit, though. The graphics, sound, and everything else is all top quality. Really impressive!

  • fuegerstef

    @oops:
    The download link the above review links to is a location that does a virus-check itself after you uploaded the game.
    I recommend using a decent antivrus scanner and/or configuration of it.

    @Larz:
    THanks a lot.

  • P.M.

    Had the same false positive for virus with AVG. After I had to move the file to the quarantine vault, I had AVG update itself, and it restored the game and I was able to run it. Good game by the way, I always like a good puzzle game.

  • fuegerstef

    A lot people have this false positive.

    This gem (also for the competition05) has it too:

    http://www.yoyogames.com/games/121810/download

  • Ezuku

    Wonderful, having a blast on this one, thanks! Lots of variety too.

  • Marcin

    Is it possible to complete level 2_1? Does anyone complete it?

  • fuegerstef

    Put the two wooden crates at the right wall so, that the rocket blows both. Then the thrid rocket can fly up to the final bomb. :)

  • Marcin

    fuegerstef: thanks, I passed it. Great game! Do you have plans for level editor?

  • fuegerstef

    Well, Mobile Bomb Squad is a stripped down version (for the YoyoGames mobile competition) of an upcoming game simply called Bomb Squad. I amde the simpler one first to start learning Game Maker :)
    The full version will include more levels, more different elements, some sort of achievements, at least 2 bunches of secret levels and an Editor. :)

  • IndieJoJo

    Lovely, lovely game!

    Is there some trick to that fourth stick of dynamite?

  • IndieJoJo

    Annnnd nevermind, found it!

  • Ezuku

    Ah, I’m shamefully stuck. Where’s the 4th piece of dynamite?

  • IndieJoJo

    Minor hint for Ezuku:

    It’s hidden in a crate in the fourth area somewhere.

  • Ezuku

    *IN* a crate?… how devious. Thankyou