10 Character Designs That RUINED Video Games

4. Bomberman - Bomberman: Act Zero

If you’re a gamer of a certain age, you’ve almost certainly had some experience with Bomberman. The long-running franchise made its debut in the 1980s and the core formula has remained largely unchanged ever since.

The key concept is to gradually destroy parts of a maze with your bombs, with a later focus on multiplayer (reaching your friends with your bombs and immolating them in a loving yet often rage-inducing way). This popular party game was expanded with all kinds of silly rules, modes and concepts along the way, but has always been defined by the cartoony, adorable nature of it all. Most importantly, of Bomberman himself.

Sadly, though, this is another instantly recognisable character who has been subject to an entirely unrecognisable ‘edgy’ redesign. 2006’s Bomberman: Act Zero took everything fans knew and loved about the cutesy franchise and regurgitated seventeen tons of sci-fi drama all over it. While it played in a remarkably similar fashion, the futuristic and super serious vibes just didn’t gel with the concept at all.

Throw in its technical problems, excessive time to load and bland, repetitive presentation and you’ve got a real mess of a Bomberman game.