As usual, Bomberman has a small variety of bombs to use.  The difference is that this time around they are very simple to use, which translates into a better gameplay experience.  Figuring out the best way to deal with enemies is fun.  Most of them are pretty easy, but become very difficult when fighting in groups.  (Strangely enough, the boss battles are generally easier than fighting three of the standard enemies at once.)  Most of the enemies move around a lot, but you can stun them by directly hitting them with a bomb.  This gives you the chance to throw two or three more bombs around the enemy without having to chase him.  When he tries to escape, BOOM!

Hitting a moving target with a bomb is not easy, but the controls are quite intuitive.  Once mastered, they become your friend, not your foe.  Of course, it doesn't matter how good you are if you don't have enough firepower.  Bomberman Generation uses a strange (but quite unique) battle system called Charaboms.  Charaboms are small, Pokemon-like creatures that, when equipped, provide Bomberman with different attributes.  Like Pokemon, Charaboms can grow from level 1 to level 50 and up.  They don't grow by attacking though.  Instead, Charaboms grow when you feed them enough special items.  There are several of these items in each level, but if you're not up to exploring, you can revisit the older stages and level-up there.

As the Charaboms grow, so do the attributes they give Bomberman.  Andlar allows you to throw bombs higher and farther than normal.  The higher Andlar's level is, the higher/farther he can throw (his level maxes out at 60).  This is the first Charabom that you get because it is vital to your success in the game.

Every now and then you'll be able to engage in a pre-determined RPG battle with the Charabom of your choice.  Three sets of attacks and defend moves must be selected before the battle begins.  These moves cannot be changed or altered in any way once the battle begins, so basically you must take a chance and hope you made the right choices.  If you win, you get to keep the Charabom that you defeated.

That is a very small part of the game though.  You'll spend most of the time exploring the small, but long stages.  There are six worlds and about 36 stages in all.  The average stage took me around 10-20 minutes to complete.  As I said, they are kind of small, but they have a lot of hidden areas that must be explored to acquire every item.  Some of the hidden areas are blocked by water or some other obstacle that can't be dealt with until later in the game.  This adds to the replay value of the game before you beat it.  I am the kind of gamer who loves to do everything there is to do in a game and then finish it.  This greatly extends the first-time experience (something that cannot be recaptured the second time around -- no matter what).  And it makes Bomberman stronger, preparing him for the tougher levels ahead.

Bomberman Generation's level design is a nice improvement over the original.  They still don't feel entirely 3D (the camera is partially to blame for this), but the layout is good enough to keep you playing until every area has been seen.  Some of the areas are hidden so well that you might not see them at first.  I found new areas and new items in the first stage when I returned to level-up. 

Bomberman's bombing abilities are great.  Bombs can be dropped, kicked and thrown.  The bomb will explode in about three or four seconds after being dropped, so it's not a good idea to stick around.  At first, one bomb is all you can use at a time.  Once it blows up, you can use another.  The explosion is very weak, and you can't throw it very far.  And your speed is terrible!  Bomberman moves like a snail.  All of these attributes are upgradeable, and most of the items needed to upgrade them can be found in the first stage.  Once Bomberman acquires all of the upgrade items, he'll be able to use six bombs at once and run several times as fast as before.  Plus, each bomb will create a larger blast, allowing you to eliminate your enemies more efficiently.

If you hold a bomb in the air, it'll grow into a Big Bomb.  Only one Big Bomb can be used at a time, but that's usually all you need thanks to its "big" blast.  This bomb is great for taking out lots of enemies, removing boulders that block your path and it also helps to reach trees and pillars that are farther away.  (Trees and pillars can be used as bridges to cross over water.)  Bombs can also be used as a barrier to protect Bomberman from attack.

Then there are the different types of bombs.  To acquire them, you must first collect the proper merge items, such as Shaved Ice and Water Balloon.  Then the item must be merged with your standard black bomb at specific merge locations in the game.  The result is four new, magic-enhanced bombs that can put out fires, freeze water sprouts, allow you to float on a leaf (to areas that were previously inaccessible), and solidify those hard-to-see translucent objects.

Bomberman Generation is, not surprisingly, another cel-shaded game.  Whereas most cel-shaded games try to achieve the look of a 2D cartoon that is fully interactive in the third dimension, Bomberman Generation is a little more traditional.  Bomberman is a rendered (though not fully) polygon model, like Sonic and Mario.  To make him look more like a cartoon character, his body was outlined with black ink (it's not really ink, because there is no ink in video games, but you get the picture).  He still looks like a 3D character though, as do all of his enemies.  A similar technique is used to fill in the backgrounds.  All of them are 3D, but the colors and textures are very cartoony.  The water repetitively moves back and forth, and the patches of light can't compare with the reflection capabilities demonstrated in older GameCube games.  But overall the graphics are good.  There isn't any slowdown (perhaps due to the fact that there isn't enough on-screen action to bog down the game).  This may not be the best-looking game out there, but there is enough eye candy to appease most gamers from start to finish.

Gameplay: 7.8
This is one explosive game that doesn't blow!  I don't usually recommend a game to everyone if it scores below an 8, but I love Bomberman Generation and I am sure that you will too.  I hoped it'd be good, but I never expected it to have so many drastic improvements over the original.  Until Mario Sunshine arrives, this is the best action/adventure you'll find on the 'Cube.

Graphics: 7.6 
The cartoon graphic movement is getting bigger every day, but the ones that stand out the most are the games that do it first.  Bomberman Generation isn't the first cel-shaded game, but it is the first to use a realistic, yet cartoony graphic style.

Sound: 4

Difficulty: Medium
Most gamers will be able to beat Bomberman Generation without using a guide, but you might have a hard time unlocking every secret.  Certainly it can be done.  I advise you to try your best and keep searching on your own.  If you use a guide, you'll be throwing away one of the best experiences that the GameCube has to offer.

Concept: 7 
Bomberman Generation may be a sequel, but it doesn't play like one.  The original concept of a 3D Bomberman game is still there, but now it has been fully realized.  This is the perfect example of what a sequel should be.

Multiplayer: 7.5
I wish this game was playable online!  The new (or should I say revised?) multiplayer levels are great.  The controls are best of any Bomberman game, and the power-ups make it even better.

Overall: 7.8
Bomberman Generation has a lot of things going for it.  1) It's a blast to play.  2) There are a ton of extra items to collect and lots of hidden (albeit small) areas to explore.  3) The multiplayer mode is very explosive (in other words, it rocks).  4) It's an exclusive game!  No other console has it.  To play it, you have to get a GameCube.