Assistance Bomber

Some of the Assistance Bombers who appear in Super Bomberman 4.

The Assistance Bomber (おたすけボンバー otasuke bonbā) is a feature that appears in Super Bomberman 4 and Neo Bomberman. Certain stages will contain a cage that acts as a soft block. When the cage is destroyed with a bomb, it will release a computer-controlled ally character who can move around and place bombs to help the player(s).

Assistance Bombers are assumed to be allies to White and Black Bomber who have been trapped by the enemy. In the introductory cinematics of Super Bomberman 4, some of them are shown falling out of the Bomber Shuttle into the black hole and being sent through time. In Neo Bomberman, Buggler captures the competitors of the World Bomberman Tournament and places them in cages.

Each Assistance Bomber seems to share the same AI pattern. They operate with low intelligence, moving slowly and placing few bombs to destroy soft blocks or enemy characters. However, they are invulnerable to both bomb blasts and enemies, cannot be thrown or pushed, and cannot pick up power-ups, so their existence is generally not detrimental to the player(s). Assistance Bombers remain on screen until the stage is completed.