Bomberman

from Bomberman NES manual

Bomberman is a robot engaged in the production of bombs. Like his fellow robots, he had been put to work in an underground compound by evil forces. Bomberman found it to be an unbearably dreary existence. One day, he heard an encouraging rumor. According to the rumor, any robot that could escape the underground compound and make it to the surface could become human. Bomberman leaped at the opportunity, but escape proved to be no small task. Alerted to Bomberman's betrayal, large numbers of the enemy set out in pursuit. Bomberman can rely only on bombs of his own production for his defense. Will he ever make it up to the surface? Once there, will he really become human?

A humble beginning for our little hero. The only objective on the agenda is blowing up all the enemies, finding the exit and repeating. And sometimes a bonus stage. That's it. There's no in-game storyline; there's no colourful locales; there's no bosses... there's not even any multi-player!

Despite the minimal content and wobbly controls, popular consensus in Japan seems to label this game as one of the best (sometimes the best) Bomberman game in the series. It continues to be homaged and referenced in even the newest games, and the basic formula has been remade far too many times.
Shinichi Nakamoto (Hudson's director of research and development in 1995 and credited for "original game design" in Bomberman '93 and Mega Bomberman) admitted in an interview, "I personally believe that the Famicom version of Bomberman is the one and only version of the game". ^[src]