Fun That Parents and Kids Can Agree On

By AARON CURTISS

Oct. 5, 1998 12 AM PT

Most parents who buy their kids a video game system or home computer eventually learn this simple fact: Few games are actually of the sort that responsible parents would want their kids to play. Those that are rarely appeal to kids who want fast action and cool graphics.

But three recent games--two for Nintendo 64 and one for the PC--prove that there is a happy middle ground, a place where parents can feel good and kids can have fun. And maybe they can even play together.

All three of these games are guaranteed to be free of blood, free of the sound of bones cracking and free of revealing leatherwear. And all three are fun. They demonstrate how superior play wins out over sex and violence.

Despite its name, “Bomberman Hero” for Nintendo 64 is a sweet little side-scrolling adventure in which the goal is to rescue a princess. The hero just happens to be an expert with bombs. But don’t let that frighten you.

These aren’t the kind of bombs that send limbs flying. These are the Wile E. Coyote kind of bombs--black spheres with a sparkling fuse--and they’re used primarily to flip switches, open doors and occasionally knock out an evil robot or two.

The worst: Blowing up a freshly hatched flock of baby chickens. Keep in mind, though, that these are evil chicks. They have it coming. And it’s not like they get blown apart like a 20-piece bucket of Original Recipe. They just disappear. That’s the extent of Bomberman’s violent content.

“Bomberman” is one of the oldest franchises on Nintendo machines. This is his second outing on Nintendo 64. He’s a little spaceman who places bombs. In the old 8-bit days, he used them to clear mazes of all sorts of weird creatures. These days, he uses them to find the kidnapped Princess Millian, who’s been captured by the Garaden Empire.

Before she was apprehended, though, the princess gave her faithful droid, Pibot, a disk and sent him to Bomberman’s home planet. Sound familiar? There are no light sabers in “Bomberman Hero,” but there’s a little of everything else, including attachments that turn Bomberman into a helicopter, a jet, a submarine and a high-power snowboarder.

Play is straightforward, but challenging. Bomberman runs through a series of mazes, each more difficult than the last. At the end of every level, players get a reassuring “I did it!” to keep their self-esteem high.

Parents may need a little help with their self-esteem after playing “Iggy’s Reckin’ Balls,” a bizarre game that sets a bunch of disembodied lizard heads free on giant towers. The goal: Race to the top as you smash the towers to pieces.

This is not a traditional racing game. Nor is it a demolition game. It’s somewhere between the two and not very much like either. Iggy and his pals grapple from level to level as they work their way up the towers.

Kids may understand what’s going on, but adults will just have to fake it.

I did figure out that players are supposed to use some sort of grappling device--I’m not sure if it’s organic or mechanical--to swing up to each new level of a tower. When bad guys or other players approach, the grappling ability comes in handy again to spank or flip them out of the way.

Clueless as I was, I had a great time.

“Jazz Jackrabbit 2” for the PC is much easier to figure out. It’s a traditional side-scroller that follows the adventures of Jazz Jackrabbit and his kid brother, Spaz Jackrabbit.

That’s where the game begins.

It’s hard to believe this sweet tale of bunny love comes from the same development house that created “Unreal,” perhaps the best, most atmospheric first-person shooter in years. Rest assured, “Jazz Jackrabbit” has none of the gore that characterized “Unreal.” But it’s every bit as good in its own way.

Controls are easy to master and the game screens scroll smoothly in all directions. Kids can hook up and play “Jazz Jackrabbit” over the Internet against friends or solo on a stand-alone PC.

Either way, it’s a hoot.

Times staff writer Aaron Curtiss reviews video games every Monday in The Cutting Edge. To comment on a column or to suggest games for review, send e-mail to aaron.curtiss@latimes.com.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

ESSENTIALS

Title: Jazz Jackrabbit 2

Platform: PC

Publisher: Gathering of Developers

ESRB* Rating: Everyone

Price: $44.95

Bottom Line: Simple, but fast

Title: Bomberman Hero

Platform: Nintendo 64

Publisher: Nintendo

ESRB* Rating: Everyone