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Bomberman Max 2: Red and Blue Advance Charabom FAQ
By Luigifan18 (a.k.a. Matthew Bradley)
Version 1.34
E-Mail: [email protected]

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Table of Contents

1: Introduction
2: Copyright Stuff
3: Version History
4: Controls
5: Charabom Basics
6: Charabom List
7: Archaic Passages
8: Credits

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1: Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my Bomberman Max 2 Charabom Guide!!!  I absolutely adore
this game, but I don't quite have the energy to make a full-fledged
walkthrough for it (maybe I will later).  However, I have both the Blue and
Red versions, complete with all the Charaboms, and I'm more than willing to
crank out a quick guide to tell you about the Charaboms and how to use them.

What are Charaboms?  They are little critters who accompany Bomberman and help
him on his journeys.  The very first Charabom was the now-familiar Pommy, from
Bomberman 64: The Second Attack (and quite a few Bomberman games since then).
The Charaboms as a large, Pokemon-esque group didn't show up until the
original Bomberman Max, for the Game Boy Color, which was good, but a bit
tough since the Charaboms didn't provide any special abilities, and therefore
you didn't always have powers when you needed them.  (That, and you needed the
GBC's psuedo-wireless infrared port to engage in the Battle Game, Merge Game,
Pitch Area, and even the bonus games... namely, you needed a TV remote to get
into those... yeah... good times...)  That has changed in Bomberman Max 2, in
which the various power-ups are properties of the Charaboms themselves (with
the exception of the Heart and Remote Bomb, which are pick-ups as usual).  The
concept of Charaboms having special powers was first visited in Bomberman
Tournament (which called them Karabons for some reason - maybe they forgot to
translate that out of Japanese), followed by Bomberman Generation, then this
game, then Bomberman Jetters.  But this guide will focus on the Charabom
supporting cast of Bomberman Max 2.

As for the plot?  Mujoe, the evil leader (NOT - he's really the second-in-
command) of the Hige Hige Bandits, shrunk Bomberman and Max with some sort of
Mini-Mini Device, forcing our heroes to adventure through the Bomber Base to
deactivate the darn thing.  (Seriously, I'd love to get to fight Bagular
again... after all, Bagular is the REAL head honcho of the Hige Hige Bandits!)
But, as usual, I talk too much.  Enough of the banter!  Let's get underway!

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2: Copyright Stuff

Okay, here's the deal.  I'm not really into reckless copyrighting.  That sort
of stuff just stifles ideas, and has a tendency to expand the gap between rich
and poor - and I can't stand ANYTHING that raises socioeconomic disparity.
Plus, I work pretty darn hard on my FAQs, so I want people to see them.  As
such, I won't get terribly upset if my FAQs pop up unannounced on various
gaming help sites, so long as said sites are legitimate.  If we're talking
something like eBaum's world, I might get pretty peeved.  All I ask is that
the site that puts up my FAQs link back to the original on GameFAQs.  I've
been a user on that site for a long time, and it's served me very well; as
such, it's where I'll be uploading all of my FAQs.  The most current version
is going to be the one on GameFAQs, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.  Other
than that, as long as nobody's trying to poke fun at me, I don't mind being
spread around the Internet a bit further.  Just keep it clean, folks!

GameFAQs: http://www.gamefaqs.com

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3: Version History

Version 0.714: Basic controls and goals of the game are outlined, as are
basics of Charabom battling and merging and entries for Charaboms # 1 - 20.

Version 0.75: Version Number is corrected, Version History is added, and
numbers in Table of Contents are moved down.  Also, added the entry for
Charabom # 21.

Version 1.00: Added Charaboms # 22 - 28, therefore completing the guide.  Also
did the Credits.

Version 1.01: Grammar check.

Version 1.02: Added my e-mail address for reader suggestions.

Version 1.04: Spellchecked and slightly expanded the introduction.

Version 1.05: Grammar correction in the notes for Pommy.

Version 1.06: Some more grammar checking.

Version 1.16: What the crap?!?  There are TWO MORE CHARABOMS?!?!?  Apparently,
you need Action Replay to get them.  Many thanks to seimiya for pointing out
their existence in his FAQ!!!!!!

Version 1.17: Whoops, I got seimiya's name wrong in the credits!  It's been
fixed now.

Version 1.22: After recieving an e-mail from SuperCheats asking for
permission to host my FAQs, I realized that I'd need some copyright stuff in
my FAQ, so I decided to add that in.  I decided to put it right below the
Introduction, so the numbers in the Table of Contents and the guide had to be
changed around a little.  I also put SuperCheats in the credits for making me
realize that I needed to do this.

Version 1.25: (01/04/10) Grammar and spelling error fixes.

Version 1.33: (06/25/14) More grammar fixing.  ...Well, okay, that's what I
originally set out to do with this update, but then I ended up overhauling the
entire guide, to the point that some of the funny passages from the last
version and had to make a whole new section - "Archaic Passages" - in order to
keep them.  As for the main body of the guide, it's been expanded in some
areas and streamlined in others.  (And, yes, I'm back. You can stop attaching
wings to pigs now; they're still not gonna get off the ground.  And the
Bomberman Dojo FAQ will get done when it gets done.)

Version 1.34: (08/18/14) More grammar fixing. Because I didn't get it
completely right the last time around. >_<;

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4:  Controls

Obviously, knowing what the Charaboms do is moot if you don't know how to play
the game!!!  Here are the basics:

Control Pad: Move around.
A: Lay bombs.
B: Activate Remote Bombs and certain Charabom powers.
L and R: Go to the Charabom selection screen.
Select: Go to the Save screen.
Start: Basic, no-frills pause.

Your goal?  To meet the objective of each level, then use a portal to go to
another, hopping from level to level until you've cleared all 100.  However,
you can't even play 20 of the levels unless you have the other version "pitch"
them to you.  However, "get Charabom" Areas, "destroy all soft block" Areas,
Areas with bonus flags, "Get all Charabom Food" Areas, and boss Areas are
never exclusive to one version or the other (with a few exceptions among the
Areas where you have to gather Charabom food, such as 1-8 and 1-9).  Also,
some Areas where you have to destroy soft blocks also have bonus flags.  And
Area 2-8 is a dead end in the Red version...  But I'm getting sidetracked...
That's all I have to say for this guide.  On to the Charaboms!!

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5:  Charabom Basics

Before I tell you about the specific Charaboms themselves, I'm going to share
some basic know-how about them.  First off; unlike in Bomberman Generation
and Bomberman Jetters, you can switch Charaboms without altering the playing
field (e.g. erasing your bombs), allowing you to use some Charabom powers in
conjunction (like making Dangerous Bombs with Stegodon and then throwing them
with Big Ox).  The stats for Charabom battles are Attack, Defense, Special,
and Agility, and Level is determined by the first three of those (namely, how
close they are to their maximum values).  Level determines how many HP (hit
points) your Charabom has.  Your Charabom's max HP will be equal to its level
* 10, and a Charabom's level increases by 1 after a total increase of about 10
to all of its stats (excluding Agility).  Thus, all Charaboms with a
particular number of types will have equivalent total stats.  If your
Charabom's HP runs out in a Charabom battle, you lose (and if you're battling
another person, your Charabom is transferred to your opponent, which is the
only way to get Charaboms which are nonnative to your version).  Attack
determines how much damage your Charabom can do with its physical ramming
attack.  Defense determines how much damage is ignored when your Charabom
defends.  Special determines how much damage is dealt with the attribute-based
special attack, which does double damage to a Charabom of an attribute weak to
yours (and, for single-type charaboms, no damage to the type strong against
yours, which is REALLY cheap if you ask me).  For dual-type and triple-type
Charaboms, keep in mind that damage can only be doubled ONCE.  (For example,
Pommy Dragon won't do quadruple damage to Rhinaus, and vice versa.)  Fire is
strong against Earth, which is strong against Electricity, which is strong
against Water, which is strong against Fire.

For the Dual-type and Triple-type Charaboms, I'll note which Charaboms'
abilities form the basis of the powers of the Charabom in question, but you
can merge any two Charaboms of the requesite types in order to get them.
You can't merge any particular Charabom more than once, and you can only have
one of each Charabom, so if you try to form a Charabom that you already have,
the fusion will fail (though you won't waste the "fusion potential" of the
Charaboms that you used in the process).  Unlike in the original Bomberman Max
game, you won't lose the Charaboms you use in fusion, but those Charaboms
cannot be fused again.  No Charabom can be used in fusion more than once.
Also, unlike in Bomberman Tournament and Bomberman Generation (and the
original Bomberman Max, for that matter), any Charabom can be fused; there is
no "fusion capacity" which some Charaboms have and some don't, only the
"fusion potential" that is used up once a Charabom is used in fusion.
Finally, you have the option to merge Charaboms using only a single Game Pak;
also unlike the original Bomberman Max, linking with another player isn't
strictly necessary to merge Charaboms.  However, if you merge Charaboms on a
single Pak, you must use two Charaboms, and both Charaboms will lose their
"fusion potential"; therefore, it is much better to get a partner.  With a
single Pak, you can only get 4 of the 6 dual-type Charaboms in a single file.
If you link up with another Bomberman Max 2 owner to merge Charaboms, each of
you only needs to contribute one Charabom to the merge, and only that
Charabom's "fusion potential" is lost - in fact, if you already have the
Charabom that is being produced from the fusion, but your partner does not,
your input Charabom will not lose its "fusion potential" (your game will tell
you that the merge failed, but your merging partner will get their dual-type
Charabom). Of course, if both of you have the Charabom in question, that will
result in the fusion failing.

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6:  Charabom List

Here we are, the Charaboms!!!  I will list each Charabom's name, ability,
attribute, statistics, location, and my notes and strategies for using it.
The 28 Charaboms in this game are: Dorako, Ceedrun, TwinDrag, Pteradon,
Stegodon, Siballoon, Sharkun, Kai-Man, Seapony, Andlar, Pommy, Pommy Claw,
Pommy Animal, Pommy Hen, Pommy Beast, Elephan, Rhinon, Youno, ToughGuy,
Big Ox, Shargon, Pommy Dragon, Pommy Fangs, Sparkun, Rhinaus, Elefandon,
KameKing, and Thunder Liger.  However, there are 2 extra Charaboms in the
game's code, named Fly Shark and EleMouse; they are only accessible by hacking
the game.  (I have no idea how they were originally supposed to be obtained,
but my guess is a minigame prize.)  If these 2 extra Charaboms are counted,
there are 30 Charaboms in all.  To get to a Charabom's detailed entry, please
use Ctrl+F.  (If you're on a mobile device without that function... sorry, I
can't do anything about that.)  Well, I won't keep you waiting any longer...
It's time to roll out the Charaboms!!!!

Charabom # 1: Dorako
Type: Fire
Ability: Fire +1 (Makes your bomb explosions extend 1 space farther, but not
beyond 4 spaces.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 256, Defense 204, Special 200, Agility 70
Location: Red version, Area 1-1
Notes: Dorako is to Max (the hero of the Red Version) as Pommy is to Bomberman
(who is the playable character of the Blue Version).  Yeah, I know, Dorako
doesn't ever get seen with Max in Bomberman Tournament or Bomberman
Generation, but they do appear together on the title screens of the Bomberman
Max games, so that counts for something.  Anyways, Max seems to have a
preference for Fire and Earth Charaboms, while Bomberman gets more Water and
Electric Charaboms.  As for the Fire-type Charaboms themselves, they tend to
be Dinosaurs and Dragons.  In terms of stats, they specialize in physical
attacks, and their abilities tend to focus on enhancing your bombs.  As for
Dorako itself, it basically is one of the game's "power-up" Charaboms,
enhancing one of your basic abilities - in Dorako's case, firepower.  However,
unlike its counterparts Pommy and Elifan (who this game calls Elephan for some
reason), Dorako only increases its assigned ability by 1.  I have no idea why.
Honestly, when you've maxed out your firepower, Dorako's a mere novelty.  But
you can still feed him!  And, one other thing I should mention; your
firepower, bombs, and speed are set to their minimum values whenever you start
up the game.  So the enhancement Charaboms are still useful when you run out
of lives and have to continue, when you're picking the game back up after
having played something else for a while, or after getting back to the game
after an excursion to the main menu.

Charabom # 2: Ceedrun
Type: Fire
Ability: Pierce Bombs (Bomb flames will pierce breakable blocks.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 260, Defense 200, Special 200, Agility 70
Location: Blue version, Area 2-6
Notes: Ceedrun's power is quite useful, as it can get you through levels a lot
faster.  The soft blocks will be far less of a nuisance with Ceedrun on your
side.

Charabom # 3: TwinDrag
Type: Fire
Ability: Homing Bombs (Bombs follow enemies until they hit a dead end or
something else that would force them to stop, right up until the moment that
they explode.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 275, Defense 180, Special 205, Agility 70
Location: Red version, Area 3-3
Notes: LAME!!!!!!  Seriously, the Homing Bombs have a knack for sliding right
PAST their targets.  You're best off only bringing TwinDrag out to feed it,
then stowing it away again.  I'm not kidding - the Homing Bombs absolutely
SUCK.  I have played this game a LOT, and have not been able to find a good
use for them.

Charabom # 4: Pteradon
Type: Fire
Ability: Landmines (Bombs become landmines that will explode immediately if
stepped on.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 280, Defense 180, Special 200, Agility 70
Location: Blue Version, Area 4-8
Notes: Pteradon is quite useful for killing foes that would otherwise try to
mess with your bombs, like Books, Snakeys, Eatons, and Handys.  Just like the
game says, the enemies don't seem to notice that the landmines are there.
The landmines will go off whenever anything steps on them.  This includes you.
Sibaloon will NOT save you from getting killed by stepping on your own
landmines, so you'll have to be extra-careful not to back yourself into a
corner.  Oh, and don't think that the landmines will just wait for something
to step on them; they can still be triggered by anything that would normally
set a bomb off, including the passage of time (or, if you have the Remote
Control item, they'll be set off by that instead).  You definitely have to be
careful with Pteradon, but its power can be hugely rewarding if you can get
the hang of it.

Charabom # 5: Stegodon
Type: Fire
Ability: Dangerous Bombs (Bombs explode in a 5x5 spread.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 290, Defense 180, Special 190, Agility 70
Location: Red Version, Area 5-2
Notes: Stegodon is EXTREMELY helpful, though you will have to exercise caution
to avoid blowing yourself up. This is especially true at the beginning of a
level, as many levels will have you completely boxen in by soft blocks as play
starts, and if you recklessly place a Dangerous Bomb right away, you may find
yourself unable to hide from it.  However, once you've got some room to move,
Stegodon is a force to be reckoned with. In fact, it's practically mandatory
to deal with the final boss of this game, the Mad Brain.  I know, this isn't a
walkthrough, but I still feel like I should mention how annoying the third
phase of the final battle is. Basically, you have to blow up about 15 little
blobs in 10 or so seconds to finish the Mad Brain off, and it's NOT as easy as
it sounds!!!!  Stegodon is VERY helpful both for getting rid of lots of them
in one chain blast, AND for catching the last few stragglers.  Just be
careful, because it is very easy to blow yourself up!!!!  They're not called
Dangerous Bombs for nothing!!!!  Fun fact: Stegodon is one of the three
Charaboms you can get at the beginning of Bomberman Generation.  (The other
two are Andlar and Kai-Man, both of whom are Water-types, so those who start
with Stegodon can consider themselves lucky that Stegodon's at a super-high
level compared to the other two... when you first get them, anyways. In fact,
now that I think about it, HudsonSoft probably did that on purpose.)  However,
you get Stegodon near the end of this game.

Charabom # 6: Sibaloon
Type: Water
Ability: Bomb Walk (You can pass through bombs that have been set up.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 215, Defense 235, Special 210, Agility 100
Location: Blue Version, Area 1-5
Notes: VERY useful if you accidentally trap yourself!!!  Sibaloon's ability
can SERIOUSLY save your bacon if you fail to plan ahead.  Just make sure to
move quickly!!!!  As for the general trends of the Water type; its members are
primarily Fish and other Sea Creatures (Sibaloon and Kai-Man are actually
mollusks).  In terms of stats, the Water type specializes in Defense.  Since
the Electric type is best with special attacks, the emphasis on damage
reduction is pretty darn smart!!! As for the powers they grant you in
gameplay, Water-type Charaboms tend to focus on mobility and safety (with the
possible exception of Seapony.)

Charabom # 7: Sharkun
Type: Water
Ability: Block Walk (Pass through breakable/soft blocks.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 210, Defense 260, Special 190, Agility 100
Location: Red Version, Area 4-7
Notes: Sharkun is another Charabom that can REALLY save your skin if you've
been cornered.  You can slip through soft blocks to get away from pursuers or
bomb blasts.  Just don't expect to survive if you're caught in a soft block
that's being blown up.

Charabom # 8: Kai-Man
Type: Water
Ability: Shield (Press B to raise a barrier that blocks some projectiles - but
only if you're facing them.  Also, Remote Bombs will be deactivated as long as
this Charabom is equipped.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 210, Defense 250, Special 200, Agility 100
Location: Blue Version, Area 3-3
Notes: I ought to specify what Kai-Man can block.  He can block any projectile
that can be destroyed by a bomb blast.  That includes Opencan's pellets,
Teevee's electric sparks, Robo's electric bolts, and Mousar's trackballs.
I think it also includes the bouncing lasers deployed by the Kombine3 and the
Mad Brain, but I haven't bothered to test this.  Kai-Man will NOT save you if
you make physical contact with an enemy.  It also won't save you from bomb
blasts (unlike Bomberman DS's shield, which, oddly enough, doesn't protect you
from projectiles...)  And the disabling of remote bombs REALLY stinks.
Couldn't the shield just stay up as long as Kai-Man is equipped?  Oh, well, at
least you can move around with the shield up, and you can put it up instantly
(unlike the shields in Bomberman Tournament [which is actually Ceedrun's
ability - Kai-Man lets you go into the ocean in that game] and Bomberman DS.
In both of those games, it takes some time [I think slightly less than a
second] to raise and lower the shield, and you are COMPLETELY vulnerable
during that period.)

Charabom # 9: Seapony
Type: Water
Ability: Line Bomb (While standing on top of a bomb [preferably one you've
just set up], press A to set up as many more bombs as you possibly can in a
straight line.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 210, Defense 240, Special 210, Agility 100
Location: Red Version, Area 2-6
Notes: Ah, Line Bomb.  It's quite useful, really.  In particular, you could
use Line Bomb to head a foe off at the "pass", so to speak.  Just be sure not
to trap yourself.  Oh, and you can't "fake" Shargon's ability with Seapony; no
matter what sort of bomb you're on top of, the rest of the bombs in the line
will be normal bombs.

Charabom # 10: Anglar
Type: Water
Ability: Homing Fire (Bomb flame will follow an opponent up to a fixed
distance.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 200, Defense 275, Special 185, Agility 100
Location: Blue Version, Area 5-3
Notes: Marginally more useful than Homing Bomb.  Homing Fire can kill enemies
pretty efficiently, but don't try to use it on soft blocks.  Like the
Dangerous Bomb, Homing Fire isn't affected by your Firepower.  Once again,
it's kinda funny that Anglar is one of the final Charaboms you get in this
game.

Charabom # 11: Pommy
Type: Electric
Ability: Max Speed (Your movement speed is elevated to its maximum value [5].)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 215, Defense 210, Special 235, Agility 90
Location: Blue Version, Area 1-1
Notes: Hey, hey, hey!!!  It's Bomberman's classic sidekick!!!  First appearing
in Bomberman 64: The Second Attack, Pommy is truly the precursor to the entire
plethora of Charaboms.  In this game, Pommy is one of the three Charaboms that
can elevate one of your basic abilities, along with Dorako and Elifan/Elephan
(and the only one you get in the Blue Version).  Pommy is also the only
Electric-type Charabom that doesn't disable your Remote Bombs.  The various
forms of Pommy make up the Electric-type Charaboms.  They specialize in the
Special stat, and their abilities tend to help you get out of harm's way (the
first three), then deliver punishing counterattacks (the last two).  Oddly
enough, Pommy has the best Attack stat out of all of them, even though he
doesn't have any sharp implements (whereas most of his cousins do).  Also, did
you notice that the Electric-types are just a little bit slower than the
Water-types?  This was probably an intentional move on the programmers' part;
each type of Charabom is a little slower than the type that it's strong
against, with the exception of Water, which greatly outpaces Fire.  Then
again, neither the Water type nor the Fire type tends to have a very
impressive Special stat (and Water Charaboms don't have great Attack scores,
either, whereas Fire-types have absurdly high Attack ratings.)  It's not quite
even, but Fire does have some chance of winning against Water; their matchup
seems to be a bit less uneven than Electric vs. Water, Earth vs. Electric, or
Fire vs. Earth.

Charabom # 12: Pommy Claw
Type: Electric
Ability: Dash (Press B to dash in the direction you're facing until you bump
into a hard block, soft block, wall, bomb, or other impassable object.  Also,
Remote Bombs will be deactivated as long as this Charabom is equipped.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 210, Defense 210, Special 240, Agility 90
Location: Red Version, Area 2-7
Notes: You can't manually stop dashing, nor can you change direction in the
middle of a dash.  On the other hand, you are COMPLETELY invincible as long as
the dash lasts, meaning that you can dash through enemies, projectiles,
hazards, and bomb blasts until you crash into a wall.  You will also be immune
to anything that would merely knock items out of you instead of killing you.
So, Pommy Claw can REALLY save you from danger - unless there's also danger in
the space where you'll be stopping.  In THAT case, you're screwed eight ways
to Sunday.  Sorry.  Also, you can't dash if you're within 1 square of a wall
or other obstacle (well, actually, you CAN dash against a soft block, but the
dash will end INSTANTLY, so it's pretty worthless.  The sound effect is pretty
fun, though.)  Fun fact: Pommy Claw's ability doesn't stem from any of the
power-ups or items Bomberman's been able to collect throughout his various
games.  Rather, it is derived from the ability of one of the Dinosaurs
(referred to as "Tirras") from "Saturn Bomberman" for (what else?) the Sega
Saturn - part of the "fifth generation" of video games.  The Charaboms of the
"sixth generation" are, in terms of their role in gameplay, descended from the
Tirras, which themselves are descended from the Louies/Rooeys of the "fourth
generation" Bomberman games (the "fourth generation" being the Super Nintendo,
Sega Genesis, Neo Geo, etc.).  As for the dash ability, it was possessed by
the green Louie in Super Bomberman 3 and Super Bomberman 5, and by the green
Tirra in Saturn Bomberman.  The dash as Pommy Claw has it was merely the first
level of the dash power in Saturn Bomberman (which had a system where the
abilities of the Tirra you rode could be leveled up, similar to the Charaboms
in Bomberman Jetters).  As the green Tirra grew, you gained the ability to
stop manually and to turn while dashing.  (As for the Louies in the Super
Bomberman games, I think their dash worked like Pommy Claw - unable to stop
until forced to stop.)  If only you could control your dashing in this game...
Then again, the Tirras and Louies ALSO acted like a Heart item, taking a hit
in your place and then dying... at least THAT doesn't happen to the
Charaboms...  (Actually, now I have to wonder - what happens to the Charabom
during your death animation?  It just seems to vanish.  Hopefully that's just
the laziness of the programmers, rather than something more sinister.)

Charabom # 13: Pommy Animal
Type: Electric
Ability: Jump (Press B to jump over 1 square and anything that happens to be
in it - including soft blocks, hard blocks, bombs, bomb explosions, enemies,
projectiles, and hazards.  Also, Remote Bombs will be deactivated as long as
this Charabom is equipped.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 210, Defense 200, Special 250, Agility 90
Location: Blue Version, Area 3-3
Notes: Pommy Animal is another very helpful Charabom, and it can get you out
of tight scrapes that even Pommy Claw would be helpless to save you from.
That's because Pommy Animal is the only Charabom able to get you past hard
blocks.  Sure, there's almost always a way AROUND them, but that way can be
long and grueling, so Pommy Animal is very good for taking shortcuts -
especially in the later levels, which often have very complex layouts.  Pommy
Animal is also the only way to get past an exit portal without actually
entering it (and thusly ending the level), which makes it vital for fully
exploring some levels on repeat visits.  (The original game let you bypass a
level exit by turning a corner around it, but that doesn't work in this one.)
I've heard that Pommy Animal can jump over enemies and bomb blasts, but your
timing has to be REALLY good - and enemies that chase you relentlessly will
just turn around to continue chasing you as you jump over them, which means
that you'll probably land right on top of them and die.  Pommy Claw is a much
better panic button for when you're cornered by an enemy in a passage with no
way to jump out, so use that instead if you have it. One more thing to keep in
mind - Pommy Animal can't actually walk through soft blocks or bombs, and you
can't attempt a jump if you'll even MARGINALLY land on something that you
can't normally walk on (other than an enemy, which you CAN jump on... never
mind that it'll kill you).  This means that it can sometimes be VERY tricky to
properly line up a jump - which is annoying when you have plenty of time and
no threats, and downright scary (and frustrating) if you're running out of
time and/or have an enemy or projectile bearing down on you FAST.  Fun fact:
Pommy Animal's ability is derived from the same source as Pommy Claw's - Super
Bomberman 3, 4, and 5 plus Saturn Bomberman. However, the power as Pommy
Animal expresses it is the second level from Saturn Bomberman.  The jumping
dinosaur (colored pink) could only jump over soft blocks at first, and the
ability to jump over bombs and hard blocks had to be developed.  Of course,
this only applied to Saturn Bomberman. The Rooeys in the Super Bomberman games
had the ability to jump over hard blocks right from the get-go.

Charabom # 14: Pommy Hen
Type: Electric
Ability: Music Note (Press B to fire a music note in the direction that you
are facing, which will stun any enemy that it hits.  Also, Remote Bombs will
be deactivated as long as this Charabom is equipped.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 210, Defense 190, Special 260, Agility 90
Location: Red Version, Area 4-6
Notes: Pommy Hen is where the "defensive" Electric Charaboms end and the
"offensive" Electric Charaboms begin.  You can only have one music note on the
screen at a time, but as soon as the note goes offscreen or hits an enemy, you
can fire another one.  This means that you can get in an enemy's face and
bombard it with music notes, and it will NEVER BE ABLE TO MOVE as long as you
keep that up.  Alternatively, you can chase after your music notes to keep
them going for as far as you can follow them.  Pommy Hen's notes also stop
enemies from using all their special powers (like leaping over/hiding from
bomb blasts, firing projectiles, and setting bombs), which means that you can
blast them with impunity.  Sure, you can't use Remote Bombs, but when you can
paralyze your foes, do you really NEED them?  :p  Just keep in mind that the
music notes have no impact on bosses.  Fun Fact: Pommy Hen's power is derived
from that of the yellow dinosaurs in Saturn Bomberman.  Since Pommy Hen's
notes travel all the way across the screen, that's equivalent to the maximum
level of the roar ability from Saturn Bomberman!!!

Charabom # 15: Pommy Beast
Type: Electric
Ability: Radio Bombs (Press and hold A while standing on top of a bomb to
transfer control from yourself to your bomb.  As long as the A button is held,
you can move your bomb freely.  The bomb will explode when the A Button is
released.  Also, Remote Bombs will be deactivated as long as this Charabom is
equipped.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 200, Defense 185, Special 275, Agility 90
Location: Blue Version, Area 5-2
Notes: YES, you WILL blow yourself up if you press the A Button and then
immediately release it.  ALWAYS try to position the bomb someplace where it
won't hurt you.  However, once you get the hang of using Pommy Beast's power,
it can be even MORE helpful than the Remote Bombs.  Just keep in mind that
you're a sitting duck while radio-controlling a bomb, and since the bomb goes
off as soon as you release control... yeah, if you get ambushed, you're toast.

Charabom # 16: Elephan
Type: Earth
Ability: Max Bombs (You can set up the maximum number of bombs [4].)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 225, Defense 210, Special 225, Agility 80
Location: Red Version, Area 1-5
Notes: Elephan (more commonly called Eliphan) is the third of the ability-
enhancing Charaboms, as well as the Charabom whose ability is represented in
ALL 3 of the dual-type Charaboms with the Earth attribute.  (That's a shame,
because there are some really neat abilities to be found among the Earth-type
Charaboms.)  The Earth-type Charaboms are all Beasts.  They are well-rounded
in their statistics, and their abilities tend to help you move stuff around
(Elephan is the major exception).  Oddly enough, none of the Earth-type
Charaboms are COMPLETELY balanced, though I can definitely see what statistics
would get that title (Attack 220, Defense 220, Special 220).  It's always
Defense that gets the shaft, too; maybe that's because of the Fire-type's weak
special attacks?

Charabom # 17: Rhinon
Type: Earth
Ability: Bomb Kick (Walk into a bomb and you will kick it away, causing it to
roll in that direction until it hits a wall, enemy, soft block, or item, or it
explodes.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 230, Defense 210, Special 220, Agility 80
Location: Blue Version, Area 2-7
Notes: Unlike in many Bomberman games, there is no way to manually stop kicked
bombs.  Nevertheless, a well-timed Bomb Kick is a great way to catch an enemy
by surprise, and Bomb Kicks also work well for giving yourself some breathing
room if you trap yourself.  But if you want a bomb to explode in a specific
place, well, I hope you're good at calculating when the bomb will go off!

Charabom # 18: Youno
Type: Earth
Ability: Block Kick (Press B while facing an adjacent soft block and it will
travel in that direction until it hits a wall, another soft block, a bomb, an
item, or an enemy.  Also, Remote Bombs will be deactivated while this Charabom
is equipped.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 220, Defense 210, Special 230, Agility 80
Location: Red Version, Area 5-3
Notes: If you kick a block into another block, the first block will stop and
the second block will start moving.  You can't kick a block that is up against
a block.  Oh, and you can't kick hard blocks.  Despite those limitations,
using Youno is pretty fun.  Oh, and did I mention that his power is also
taken from Super Bomberman 3-5 and Saturn Bomberman?  Fun Fact: Hudson Soft
just can't make up their minds on what to call this Charabom.  This is the
male unicorn with wings; it has female, wingless, brown counterpart, which is
sadly absent for this game.  However, the green and brown unicorns just keep
swapping their names every time they show up. And no, I am NOT kidding when I
say that.  In Bomberman Tournament, the brown unicorn was named Youno, and the
green unicorn was called Youni.  However, the brown unicorn showed up in
Bomberman Generation, where it was called Unicornos (and it was also called
that in the original Bomberman Max).  In Bomberman Jetters, the brown unicorn
showed up with the name "Youno", again without the green unicorn.  Seriously,
why can't they get it straight?  (Note: I originally phrased this rant as a
highly confused meltdown, which was actually pretty funny.  If you want to see
it (and I know you do), go to the "Archaic Passages" section.)

Charabom # 19: ToughGuy
Type: Earth
Ability: Bomb Punch (Press B while facing an adjacent bomb to knock it 1
square away.  Also, Remote Bombs are deactivated while this Charabom is
equipped.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 220, Defense 200, Special 240, Agility 80
Location: Blue Version, Area 4-2
Notes: Sure, the distance is weak, but ToughGuy is still useful for getting
bombs away from you, as well as over walls - assuming that you can line up the
punch.  If the bomb would land on top of a wall, hard block, or soft block, it
will bounce off and continue bouncing in the direction that you punched it
until it gets to a square that it can occupy, wrapping around the edge of the
map if it needs to.

Charabom # 20: Big Ox
Type: Earth
Ability: Bomb Throw (Press and hold A while on top of a bomb to pick up the
bomb and carry it around.  Release A to throw the bomb 3 squares in the
direction you are facing.)
Max Stats: Level 60, Attack 230, Defense 200, Special 230, Agility 80
Location: Red Version, Area 3-2
Notes: You can have Big Ox throw any type of bombs other than landmines by
using the requisite Charabom set that bomb type, then switching to Big Ox and
picking it up, then throwing it.  (You can do a similar trick with ToughGuy,
but you won't retain the Remote Bomb if you have it, whereas you will with Big
Ox.)  Also, if the bomb would land on top of a wall, hard block, or soft
block, it will bounce off and continue bouncing in the direction that you
threw it until it gets to a square that it can occupy, wrapping around the
edge of the map if it needs to.  It is completely possible (but thankfully
very rare) for the bomb to loop all the way around the map and land right back
on top of you.  Thankfully, its timer will pause until it lands, so it won't
blow up in your face unless you picked it up at the last second (in which case
you probably deserve it).

Charabom # 21: Shargon
Type: Fire/Water
Ability: Line Bomb + Pierce Bomb (Press A while standing on top of a bomb to
set up as many more bombs as you can in a straight line.  Also, flames from
all bombs that you set up will pierce breakable blocks and items.)
Effectively the Fusion of: Ceedrun and Seapony.
Max Stats: Level 70, Attack 250, Defense 220, Special 190, Agility 60
Location: Merge a Fire-type Charabom with a Water-type Charabom
Notes: Yes, dual-type Charaboms can grow for 10 more levels than their single-
type counterparts.  Needless to say, that puts them at a big advantage.  This
advantage is offset by making them slow as hell.  There's nothing new in terms
of abilities from here on out, but some of the combinations are rather
interesting.  For instance, Shargon can absolutely SLAUGHTER soft blocks.  You
won't have many problems punching through lines of soft blocks with Shargon on
your side!!!!!

Charabom # 22: Pommy Dragon
Type: Fire/Electric
Ability: Dangerous Bomb + Radio Bomb (This Charabom lets you set up Dangerous
Bombs.  Press and hold A while standing on top of a bomb to transfer control
from yourself to your bomb.  As long as the A button is held, you can move
your bomb freely.  The bomb will explode when the A Button is released.  Also,
Remote Bombs will be deactivated as long as this Charabom is equipped.)
Effectively the Fusion of: Stegodon and Pommy Beast.
Max Stats: Level 70, Attack 235, Defense 185, Special 240, Agility 60
Location: Merge a Fire-type Charabom with an Electric-type Charabom
Notes: Pommy Dragon is a very useful Charabom, as you can shove around
Dangerous Bombs quickly without having to constantly switch between Stegodon
and Pommy Beast.  For those of you who own the Blue Version, but not the Red
version (and are stuck without Stegodon), yet don't have Pommy Beast yet; or
those of you who have the Red Version without the Blue Version (as I did for
several years), you can still radio-control other types of bombs by switching
to another Charabom and setting up the type of bomb that you want.  Oh, and
the face Pommy Dragon (and Pommy Beast) makes while you're controlling a bomb
is totally adorable.  Speaking of Pommy Dragon, it's the one dual-type
Charabom to show up in ALL of the games with Charaboms.  Every other dual-type
combination is represented by at least two different Charaboms in two
different games.

Charabom # 23: Pommy Fangs
Type: Electric/Earth
Ability: Jump + Max Bombs (Press B to jump over 1 square and anything that
happens to be in it - including soft blocks, hard blocks, bombs, bomb
explosions, enemies, projectiles, and hazards.  Furthermore, you can set up
the maximum number of bombs [4].  Also, Remote Bombs will be deactivated as
long as this Charabom is equipped.)
Effectively the Fusion of: Pommy Animal and Elephan.
Max Stats: Level 70, Attack 190, Defense 185, Special 285, Agility 60
Location: Merge an Electric-type Charabom with an Earth-type Charabom
Notes: This guy saved my life several times before I got the Blue Version.
The max bombs shtick can be found in all the other dual-type Charaboms with
the Earth attribute, and it's far more sensible for Rhinaus and Elefandon.
Jumping's where it's at!  Boing!  Boing!!  BOING!!!

Charabom # 24: Sparkun
Type: Electric/Water
Ability: Pass-through Block + Max Speed (You can move through soft blocks at
maximum speed [5].)
Effectively the Fusion of: Sharkun and Pommy.
Max Stats: Level 70, Attack 155, Defense 225, Special 280, Agility 60
Location: Merge an Electric-type Charabom with a Water-type Charabom.
Notes: SQUEEEE!!!!  Awwwww, this little guy's almost as cute as Pommy Sea from
Bomberman Tournament!!!  *giggles*  Awwww!!  Who's a cute boy?  Yes you are!!!
..Ahem.  Sparkun is a very useful Charabom, especially for getting out of
danger quickly.

Charabom # 25: Rhinaus
Type: Water/Earth
Ability: Max Bomb + Line Bomb (Press A while standing on top of a bomb to set
up as many as 4 bombs in a straight line.)
Effectively the Fusion of: Seapony and Elephan.
Max Stats: Level 70, Attack 205, Defense 220, Special 235, Agility 60
Location: Merge a Water-type Charabom with an Earth-type Charabom.
Notes: What?!?  They MUST have messed up on the stats...  Oh, well.  Rhinaus's
ability is a highly logical and effective combination.  Normally, Line Bomb's
effectiveness can be curtailed if you haven't elevated your bombs to 4 yet.
With Rhinaus, you don't need to bother doing so - you can set up the maximum
number of bombs in an instant!!!!  (Now, why does it have Elephan's ability
when it clearly looks like Rhinon with a shell?  Probably because Line Bomb
and Max Bombs is a better combination than Line Bomb and Bomb Kick.)

Charabom # 26: Elefandon
Type: Fire/Earth
Ability: Max Bomb + Full Fire (Set up the maximum number of bombs [4] at
maximum firepower [4].)
Effectively the Fusion of: Dorako and Elephan.
Max Stats: Level 70, Attack 285, Defense 190, Special 195, Agility 60
Location: Merge a Fire-type Charabom with an Earth-type Charabom.
Notes: YEAH!!!!  After the crime of crippling Dorako (only +1 firepower?!?
The shame!!!), Elefandon brings the ability to what it SHOULD be - maximum
level.  And you can set up all your bombs, too!  Sure, it's obsolete when
you're fully powered, but until then, Elefandon is a simple, yet effective
formula.  Even so, there's something better in the wings...

Charabom # 27: KameKing
Type: Fire/Water/Electric
Ability: Block Walk + Full Fire + Max Speed (Pass through blocks at maximum
speed [5].  Furthermore, your firepower is elevated to its maximum level [4].)
Effectively the Fusion of: Dorako, Sharkun, and Pommy.
Max Stats: Level 85, Attack 320, Defense 310, Special 360, Agility 50
Location: Blue Version, get 100 jumps in Jump The Rope!, OR, merge KameKing
with any other Charabom.
Notes: Yes, the triple-type Charaboms have absolutely GODLY statistics.
The only Charaboms that can POSSIBLY beat them are another triple-type or a
single-type that is NOT weak to its special attacks (that would be an
Electric-type in Kameking's case, and Pommy Beast is the best candidate).  The
ONLY reason that a single-type can win is that it will be faster.  Seriously.
But, as for KameKing's ability... come on... Hudson got lazy... KameKing was
the last Charabom I got, and I was NOT exactly impressed.

Charabom # 28: Thunder Liger
Type: Fire/Earth/Electric
Ability: Full Fire + Max Speed + Max Bombs (All abilities are at their
maximum level [4 fire, 5 speed, 4 bombs].)
Effectively the Fusion of: Dorako, Elephan, and Pommy.
Max Stats: Level 85, Attack 355, Defense 275, Special 360, Agility 50
Location: Red Version, get 100 jumps in Jump The Rope!, OR, merge Thunder
Liger with any other Charabom.
Notes: The merge strategem only works for giving another player your version's
triple-type Charabom, because it is HIGHLY unlikely that they could lose a
battle.  They come at Level 70, so their stats are already ludicrous, and the
maximums are even more so.  Thunder Liger is basically the god of Charaboms.
Its ability is wonderfully effective - the fusion of all three stat-boosting
Charaboms - and it can seriously rip its enemies to SHREDS in battle.  The
only things it fears are Dorako (which isn't weak to its special attacks and
has a good enough Special Attack to take it out in 2 rounds) and another
triple-type.  Triple-types are strong against all but one type, but also weak
to all but one type.  So a battle between triple-types WILL, in all
likelihood, be over very quickly.  On the other hand, Jump The Rope! is an
OBSCENELY difficult mini-game.

Charabom # 29: Fly Shark
Type: Fire/Water/Earth
Ability: Full Fire + Line Bomb + Max Bombs (Firepower and number of bombs are
maximized, and all your bombs can be set-up in a row by pressing the A button
on top of a bomb.)
Effectively the Fusion of: Dorako, Seapony, and Elephan.
Max Stats: Level 85(?), Attack 380, Defense 290, Special 330, Agility 40
Location: ...I'm honestly not sure.  Apparently, getting this thing requires
you to hack the game somehow.  seimayu explains, "I'm still working on it,
if you want a quick and easy then go to this memory view address 02005CC0
and put 01. You had enabled it."  I don't quite know what any of that means,
but what the hey.
Notes: WHAT?!?!?!  I thought for sure I'd found all the Charaboms in this
game, but NO!!!  Those wacky hackers!!!!!  Anyways, this seems like it would
be a great combination of abilities.  You can set up the maximum number of
bombs and they all have maximum range.  That's got to be great for trapping
your enemies!!!

Charabom # 30: Ele Mouse
Type: Water/Earth/Electric
Ability: Max Speed + Max Bombs + Block Walk (You can move at the maximum speed
and set up the maximum number of bombs.  You can also walk through soft
blocks.)
Effectively the Fusion of: Pommy, Elephan, and Sharkun.
Max Stats: Level 85(?), Attack 275, Defense 315, Special 410, Agility 40
Location: ...I'm honestly not sure.  Apparently, getting this thing requires
you to hack the game somehow.  seimayu explains, "I'm still working on it,
if you want a quick and easy then go to this memory view address 02005CD0 and
put 01. You had enabled it."  I don't quite know what any of that means,
but what the hey.
Notes: Full Bomb AGAIN?!?!?  How lazy can they get?!?  Bomb Throw would have
been a lot more fun, you could set up crazy ambushes like that!!!!  And
combining Jump with Bomb Throw would be... quite interesting, to say the
least.  Anyways, this is the second hackers-only Charabom.  It's a somewhat
useful set of abilities, but for such an elusive creature, I was hoping for a
more impressive power set...  Dang.  On another note, the Special Attack is
totally INSANE.  Most Charaboms would be taken out in one hit by this thing.
Yikes.

==============================================================================

7: Archaic Passages

So, I revamped this whole guide to fix some grammatical mistakes.  In the
process, I removed a few really funny lines from the main body of the FAQ. In
this section, I re-add those excised sections so that viewers will still be
able to read them.

The notes on Pteradon:

You can step on your own landmines, which will set them off and kill you.
Sibaloon will NOT save you from this, so beware!!!!  Also, the landmines can
go off normally (after a short time without Remote Bombs, or when you press B
with them) without being stepped on, so WATCH OUT!!!!  Still, Pteradon is
quite useful for killing foes that would otherwise try to mess with your
bombs, like Books, Snakeys, Eatons, and Handys.

[...Yeah, I had some pretty good reasons for changing that.  Apparently I
really loved exclamation points four years ago.  Granted, this passage does
do a few things better than the updated version - namely, being a little more
direct - but overall I think the new version is better.]

From the notes on Pommy Claw:

Fun fact: Pommy Claw's ability doesn't stem from any of the power-ups or
items Bomberman's been able to collect throughout his various games.
Rather, it is derived from the ability of one of the Dinosaurs and
Louies/Rooeys you could ride in the various Bomberman games for the "fourth
generation" of video game systems (Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Neo Geo,
etc.)  There was also "Saturn Bomberman" in the "fifth generation", and it was
in THAT game that the dinosaurs showed up.  The Charaboms of the "sixth
generation" are basically descended from the Louie/Dinosaur system.
Specifically, the dash was possessed by the green Louie in Super Bomberman 3
and Super Bomberman 5, and by the green dinosaur in Saturn Bomberman. The dash
as Pommy Claw has it was merely the first level of the dash power.  As your
dinosaur grew in those games of yore (namely, Saturn Bomberman), you gained
the ability to stop manually and to turn while dashing.  If only you could do
that in this game...

[Can you say "Did not do the research"?  Well, all right, I DID do the
research, but I didn't quite do all of it at once.  And then my way of
correcting myself was... a bit crude.  Kind of like the written equivalent of
duct tape.  So, yeah, I finally got around to cleaning it up, but since I'm
collecting the old passages that got mutated to the point where they're hardly
recognizable from the previous version, I figured I'd keep this around so I
could facepalm at it.]

From the notes on Pommy Animal:

I've heard that Pommy Animal can jump over enemies and bomb blasts, but your
timing has to be REALLY good - and some enemies (namely, the "loyal" ones
(well, loyal to Mujoe, I mean) that chase you relentlessly) will just turn
around to continue chasing you, which means that you'll probably land right on
top of them.  (If you were Mario or Sonic, that wouldn't be a problem, but
since you're not... yeah... you're dead.)

[I called the enemies that relentlessly chase you "loyal" because I didn't
know what else to call them.  It's not like I knew anything about behavioral
scripting or game programming at the time.  (I still don't, but I know enough
to realize that there probably is some sort of technical term for enemies that
actively chase the player.)]

Also from the notes on Pommy Animal:

Fun fact: Pommy Animal's ability is derived from the same source as Pommy
Claw's - Super Bomberman 3, 4, and 5 plus Saturn Bomberman, I think.  However,
the power as Pommy Animal expresses it is the second level from that ye olde
game.  The jumping dinosaur/Rooey/Louie (colored pink) could only jump over
soft blocks at first, and the ability to jump over bombs and hard blocks had
to be developed.  (Well, actually, only the dinosaurs from Saturn Bomberman
could be leveled up.  Rooeys had the ability to jump over hard blocks right
from the get-go.)

[Yeah... Like I said about the rejected Pommy Claw passage, I didn't do all
the research on the series' previous entries at once when it came to the
Charaboms' predecessors, and it showed quite painfully.]

From the notes on Youno:

Fun Fact: Hudson Soft just can't make up their minds on what to call this
Charabom.  In Bomberman Tournament, it had a brown, wingless, female
counterpart named Youno, and the green, winged, male one was called Youni.  It
is Bomberman Tournament's "Youni" which is called "Youno" in Bomberman Max 2.
The original "Youno" is nowhere to be found in this game.  However, it showed
up sans Youno - I mean, Youni - in Bomberman Generation, where it was called
Unicornos (and it was also called that in the original Bomberman Max.)  In
Bomberman Jetters, Youno - the female one - showed up with the name "Youno",
again sans her mate, Youni.  ...Argh, ENOUGH WITH THE CONFUSION, HUDSON!!!!!!!

[I'm not gonna lie - that passage was the ENTIRE reason I made this section.
That confused rant might not have been very clear, but it WAS funny, and I
really wasn't happy with myself for modifying that section and killing the
humor of it.  So I took the original version, which I still have saved on my
flash drive, and moved it over here.]

==============================================================================

8: Credits

The following deserve credit for making this guide possible:

-HudsonSoft, for making this game and the rest of the Bomberman series.
(PLEASE make Bomberman Max 3 soon!!!!)

-Myself, for writing this thing.

-ThunderMan, for helping make my Bomberman DS guide possible - I used a
similar basic format for the construction of this guide, and I borrowed that
format from him.

-seimiya, for his walkthrough for this game which unveiled the existence of
Fly Shark and Ele Mouse.  The English is badly broken, but it's still good for
advice on actually getting through the Areas!  The URL for his walkthrough is:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/portable/gbadvance/file/561629/58025

-SuperCheats, for making me realize that I ought to include copyright
information.

-And, last but not least, you, for reading this guide.  I was going to leave
this unfinished for a while, but seeing its popularity inspired me to put my
Bomberman DS guide aside for a little while and finish this up!  You rock!!!

If there is a suggestion, correction, addition, or comment for this guide that
you would like me to include, you can e-mail it to me.  If your suggestion is
good, I'll update my guide to include it and give you credit.  My e-mail
address is:  [email protected]

Guide (C) to Luigifan18, a.k.a. Matthew Bradley
Game (C) to HudsonSoft
Characters (C) to HudsonSoft
Scenario (C) to HudsonSoft

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