Bomberman is back in Bomberman Max 2: Red Advance, and this dual Game Pak adventure packs plenty of explosive action.

Our heroes, Bomberman and Max, have been shrunk by the evil Mujoe. Playing as Max, in the Red version, and Bomberman, in the Blue version, you'll exact revenge on Mujoe's villainous Hige Hige gang.

If you have played an earlier Bomberman game, you already have a good idea about how Bomberman Max 2 works. You explore tight mazes, strategically placing bombs. With tons of enemies and power-ups, the action can get quite frantic. Exploring each level thoroughly is important because you can find multiple exits leading to secret areas.

The major addition brought to the series by Bomberman Max 2 is the ability to ride helpful creatures called Charboms. These pets lend their abilities, such as increased speed and firepower, to Bomberman or Max.

Finding the many varieties of Charboms is a main goal of the game. You can even create new creatures by merging two Charboms. You can battle these pets against a computer-controlled or human opponent. Battling Charboms with a friend requires two GBAs, a GBA Game Link cable and two Game Paks.

In Bomberman Max 2, as many as four friends can go head to head in a multiplayer bomb extravaganza. This mode requires a single Game Pak, GBAs for every player and enough GBA Game Link cables to connect all systems.

Bomberman Max 2: Blue Advance and Red Advance retain the basic game play that is the hallmark of the Bomberman series. Lots of secrets to unlock and Charboms to collect will challenge you for hours. For maximum multiplayer fun, try to find a friend who owns the game. Only serious fans will need to own both Red and Blue Paks.