Bomberman games should to stick to what they do best – give you the opportunity to blow up someone in the heat of competition. Whenever they try something different, with a story arc or a "twist" on the gameplay, they suck. Bomberman Land is the latest product to suffer from this, a game that trips itself up with a bad storyline and boring mini-games. Its only saving grace is the Battle Mode, which is what made Bomberman so great in the first place.

We know a lot about the story because the game refuses to let you skip past it. Even if you have no interest in what the "bombing commissioner" or the love-crazed nurse have to say, you have no choice but to listen – if you don't shut off your Wii out of sheer boredom, that is.

Then there are the mini-games. They're divided into three categories – single-player, two-player and multiplayer – and require certain actions with the Wii remote to get through them. A couple of them are fun, such as the Buster Bros. rip-off where you blast bubbles with laser beams. Most of them, however, become monotonous in a matter of seconds. When you're forced to jump rope for minutes at a time just to reach a certain progress point, it becomes mundane. What's even worse is that some of these games require a ridiculously high score to get ahead. Otherwise, you sit at a low rank and repeat these activities all over again.

In addition, the presentation falls flat. The characters only show details and emotions in their eyes and costume designs. Other than that, they're pretty much the same. Furthermore, the sound is a collection of bland elevator tunes and minor sound effects.

What saves Bomberman Land from being a complete disappointment is its Battle Mode. Up to four players can partake in classic bombing action, choosing a number of scenarios and going head-to-head. There's also a customization feature where you can buy different outfits for your Bombermen, in case you feel like giving them a more sparkling personality. For the most part, though, you can find bombing action like this for much cheaper. We recommend Bomberman '93, which is available on the Virtual Console service for a fifth of Land's asking price. If you have an Xbox 360, Bomberman Live comes highly recommended.

With more imagination put into its design, Bomberman Land could've been a great place to visit. Unfortunately, even at the budget price of $30, it's not worth exploring. The mini-game structure has too many flaws, the presentation is below average and the only appealing aspect of the game is something we've seen numerous times before. Unless you have Bomberman on the brain, leave this one on the shelf.