Our hero, Bomberman, worked in a bomb factory located in an underground labyrinth. He grew very bored making bombs day in and day out. One day, he learned of a rumor that stated if a robot could ever escape the labyrinth and reach the surface of the world, his wish would be granted and he would become human. Bomberman is determined to find out if this rumor is true.

Based on an earlier MSX game of the same name, Hudson Soft dramatically improved the game for its Famicom release by adding a number of enemies, horizontally scrolling stages, and the power-ups that make keeping Bomberman alive so worthwhile. But they also made the first steps in shaping the Bomberman character that we know and recognize today. The sprite used for Bomberman actually came from an enemy sprite used in Hudson Soft's very successful Famicom conversion of Lode Runner. One of the robotic enemies that chased the Lode Runner hero learned that he might become human if he can climb fifty underground floors to escape from his plant and reach the surface of the world. The only weapon at Bomberman's disposal, of course, are bombs.