Konami Licenses ‘Contra’ and ‘Bomberman’ for Board Games

Konami Cross Media NY has signed licensing agreements with Blacklist Games and IDW Games for board games based on video game titles “Contra” and “Bomberman.”

Targeting a North American launch in 2020, Blacklist Games and the Kess Co. are developing a cooperative board game based on the original “Contra” video game. The title includes tactical, card-driven gameplay and detailed miniatures of the characters from the IP.

“We’re extremely excited with this opportunity to work with an iconic property like ‘Contra,’ and having Blacklist Games create an immersive board game that captures the essence of ‘Contra’’s action-packed experience,” says Alex Kessler, founder and chief executive, Kess Co.

IDW Games has licensed the global rights to develop “Bomberman”-branded board games, card games, puzzles and collectible pins. The board game based on the IP is expected to launch later this year, and other products are in development.

“Super Bomberman R’s epic battling and colorful characters translate well into the multi-player board game we’ve envisioned,” adds Jerry Bennington, vice president, new product development, IDW games. “We hope fans will embrace the opportunity to discover that when the game debuts.”

The “Contra” and “Bomberman” properties were recently licensed for a fashion line by Bioworld Merchandising.