I've been building quietly for a while now. Today I'm opening the door — just a crack — with the first playable prototype of B-Mob, a Bomberman-inspired roguelike that asks a simple question: what if bombs weren't just a tool for clearing walls, but the core of a tactical, evolving combat system?
This is V0.1. It's rough in places. The art is placeholder. There's a boss I haven't finished yet. But the loop is there, I think it's fun, and I want real players to get their hands on it.
What B-Mob Actually Is
The core loop will be familiar if you've played Bomberman: you move on a grid, you place bombs, things explode. But B-Mob layers a roguelike progression system on top of that. You're navigating levels, using explosions to carve paths through destructible terrain and to take down enemies before they close the gap on you. Positioning matters. Timing matters. As you go deeper, the tools at your disposal grow.
What's In V0.1
This build is about testing the core loop. It's not a full run with procedural generation — it's a set of handcrafted levels to put the fundamentals through their paces.
- 11 levels built across four different map sizes. Three come with a unique modifier that changes how the level plays.
- Four enemy types, each moving and behaving differently — reading them is part of learning the game.
- Mini bosses as harder encounters that raise the stakes.
- A skill tree between floors. Spend points to upgrade stats like bomb count and explosion range. Simple for now, but the foundation of what's coming.
- Custom mode to adjust the experience and experiment freely.
- Multiple bomb types, each with different timers, ranges, and blast shapes.
The final boss isn't in this build. It's the capstone of the full run and I want to get it right. It's coming soon.
A Note on the Assets
Almost everything visual and audio in this build comes from free asset packs, and I want to say that clearly and with genuine appreciation. I didn't just grab files and move on. These assets let me build something that actually feels alive before spending a penny on original art, and that's not nothing.
In particular, the bulk of the visuals come from the Tiny Swords asset pack. If you've seen it, you know how much character it brings. It's been a genuine pleasure to prototype with, and I'm grateful to pixel-frog for making it available.
The plan from here: I'm writing a comprehensive Game Design Document that captures everything B-Mob is and wants to be. When that's done, I'll be looking to bring in an artist to collaborate on the real visual identity of the game. I want that picture to be clearly on paper before asking someone else to help realise it.
What I'm Looking For Right Now
Honest reactions. I want to know what clicks and what doesn't. Whether the tension of bomb timing translates. Whether the enemy patterns feel fair. Whether the skill tree choices feel meaningful.
This first wave of playtesting is intentionally small — a circle of people who'll actually engage and give real feedback. If you want in, get in touch to get the password to the Itch.io page.
What's Next
- Finish the Game Design Document
- Weave the full progression system through the game
- Complete the final boss encounter
- Find an artist collaborator once the GDD is locked
I'll keep posting here as things develop.
Asset Attribution
- Idea, game design, level design: Dash Again Studios
- 2D sprites (player character, tileset, terrain): pixel-frog
- Other enemy sprites: craftpix.net
- Trap animation: stealthix
- Fireball: Dev Wizard via OpenGameArt
- Wall texture: tilation
- Gold pickup sound: ani_music via Freesound
- Bomb & fuse: Zapsplat.com
- Fireball spell and hit: TomMusic
Thanks for reading, and for being here early.
— Lionel
Published: June 2026