For those who don't know, Bomber King is the Japanese name of this franchise, while it's known as Robo Warrior in America. This particular MSX game was only released in Japan hence the Bomber King title. This game plays identically to the NES/Famicom counterpart, just a lot slower and crappier. The game often has moments of slowdown due to so many enemies on screen. It just can't handle it like the NES does but it's a valiant effort.



That said, I did find a handy map online! Beating this game is a strange and weird chore and you're going to need it. Bless the gentleman who created this because if it wasn't there I would've surrendered a long time ago.

Image: http://i.imgur.com/vkgz9A6.png

I suppose I should explain the game briefly but bare with me because it's a mouthful. You walk around and destroy these objects, collecting multiple items every few seconds. Most items are used for brief power ups like screen clearing bombs or increasing your walking speed for a time or to be able to walk across water; the basics really. Other items are way move valuable like batteries. Your life bar is technically a battery (since you're a cyborg) and it constantly drains. If you get hit by enemies, it also reduces, so finding those batteries is a must.

Speaking of limits, you need to keep up on your bomb supply. Enemies constantly bombard the screen and nearly all of them always drop a bomb. You can bump into them and kill them easily so you don't have to worry there, but running out of bombs is a distinct and real possibility.

Now in this massive heard of trees/bombable objects, you need to find a chalice first. This chalice prevents the screen from wrapping. If you don't get it, you loop until you die or lose your mind. Once acquired, you'll then reach an end screen to these areas where you must sniff out a key. The key opens the exit and off you go! Now the map makes it look pretty straightforward but what you learn in game is that, many hard blocks in your path are bombable, but only certain ones. Imagine trying to figure that out on your own, especially when said hard blocks take multiple bombs (often varying from stage to stage) to destroy. Commence internal screaming.

So there's the game for ya. Now let's talk story. Basically you're a cyborg who's going to this planet on the brink of ruination to save it from Xur, this weird half cyborg thing who's taking over the universe with his minions. In fact, he even appears right on the cover of the Famicom box.

Image: http://i.imgur.com/rFYWLLq.jpg
(Thanks to Plasma for scanning this.)

That's him in the background there, getting blown to all Hell. Here's some other weird images of him. Left is the NES manual and right is Famicom.



Since we're discussing story here, here's the intro and ending to the MSX game. Look how deep and riveting it is!


(The ending GIF is long and drawn out for two seconds of a ship flying really.)

Basically, go to planet to save planet and save planet then leave. About what you'd expect really. So Xur has all these weird minions working for him. So here's a bunch of GIFs of his horrifying, gruesome, and strange "Lords of Xantho" as the Robo Warrior manual calls them.






My favorite is the robot that spits out little blue piranha, whale things. It's entertaining to just watch all these going at once and see all their weird behaviors.

Also I should mention, this game is punishing despite all its weird rules. If you bomb yourself once, just once, regardless of health, you die. I can't tell you how many times I killed myself and cursed this game's creator due to such a handicap. Thank goodness we have save states.



The last item on our agenda is music. The Robo Warrior series actually has a theme song! Yes a full song with lyrics sung by a Japanese man! What a shocker! Here's the song, right there on Youtube. Isn't the internet great?

Because every video game needs karaoke

And here's the same song but instrumental. How obscure can we get?

Instrumental!

These songs were so cool, I downloaded them to listen to right away. I highly recommend that if you like these, download them right away, because as fickle as the internet and copyright is these days, you never know when they can disappear from Youtube. Thankfully your old pal Legato has you covered. Here's both tracks as mp3s.

Lyrics: https://www.dropbox.com/s/72hmdxan5ed3jrk/Bomber%20King%20THEME%20SONG%20%E9%AB%98%E6%A9%8B%E5%90%8D%E4%BA%BAver.mp3?dl=0

No Lyrics: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xj2jxex2kx0ataf/Hudson%20Premium%20Audio%20Collection%20-%2011%20Bomber%20King%20Theme%20%28Instrumental%20ver.%29.mp3?dl=0