Besides sharing Konami as an owner, Bomberman and Contra seem pretty far apart. But together they're joining a particular club: video games adapted into board games. IDW Games and Blacklist Games will be developing board games based on Bomberman and Contra after signing a deal with Konami.
The Bomberman series has multiple entries, but 2017's Super Bomberman R was the first one named as a source of inspiration for the Bomberman board game. Jerry Bennington, vice president of new product development at IDW Games, said that a board game for multiple players will apparently be based on Super Bomberman R because its "epic battling and colorful characters translate well." Bennington suggested that the board game adaptation will also meet fan approval.
The Bomberman board game is currently scheduled for release in 2019. According to License Global, other Bomberman-related products are being developed. Given that IDW Games' licensing deal includes global rights to make collectible pins, puzzles, and card games based on Bomberman, any of them could be in development right now.
Additionally, this could be only IDW Games’ first Bomberman board game, and considering the extensive library of previous Bomberman titles, IDW Games could pull from them for more inspiration. Not to mention that Bomberman's characters would be perfect for miniatures on a game board.
Bomberman isn't IDW Games' first announced Konami adaptation. They also have Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game set to launch later this year. Designed by Emerson Matsuuchi (Reef, Specter Ops, Century game series), this Konami-based board game is confirmed to have miniatures.
Blacklist Games will collaborate with Kess Co. to create a cooperative Contra board game. Alex Kessler, founder, and chief executive at Kess Co., said that the upcoming adaptation of Contra will be "an immersive board game."
With plans to include miniatures of Contra characters and card-driven tactics, Blacklist Games and Kess Co. intend to launch the game next year in North America.
This seems to continue a trend Konami started earlier in the summer when they made a licensing deal with Bioworld Merchandising for a fashion line based on Bomberman and Contra.
Do you plan to check out the Bomberman and Contra board games? Do you like it when video games are adapted into board games? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.
