Kaboom!: 4 Open Source Clones Compared
Mad Bomber is the most developed of the documented clones: it adds two-player and two-player-vs. modes, upgraded graphics and music with an optional 'ZEN' display that reverts to a plainer look closer to the original, and runs on a wide range of platforms from Windows and Linux to Wii and mobile. 2019-Bomber is a minimal single-player recreation written in Turbo BASIC XL specifically as an entry in a 2019 10-line BASIC programming contest, built for Atari 8-bit hardware and requiring a paddle controller. DonkeyInTrouble, a Lua/LÖVE remake, is listed as only semi-functional and partially complete. All three ship their own graphics and sound rather than relying on the original game's assets.
Comparison table
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Atari
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Halted
- Last updated
- 6y ago
- Stars
- 0
- Contributors
- 1
- License
- MIT
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- NoThe game is a Kaboom! clone written in Turbo BASIC XL as a contest entry with its own assets.
- Multiplayer
- —
Availability
- Status
- Semi-playable
- Platforms
- None
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Halted
- Last updated
- 12y ago
- Stars
- 0
- Contributors
- 1
- License
- —
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- —
- Multiplayer
- —
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux, OSX, Classic Mac OS, BeOS, Wii, Amiga, Mobile
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Halted
- Last updated
- 7y ago
- Stars
- 0
- Contributors
- 1
- License
- GPL-2.0
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- NoThe game includes its own graphics and sound effects.
- Multiplayer
- Two Players, Two Player VS.
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Atari
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Not tracked
- Last updated
- Not tracked
- Stars
- Not tracked
- Contributors
- Not tracked
- License
- Not tracked
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- —
- Multiplayer
- —
| Title | 2019-Bomber | DonkeyInTrouble | Mad Bomber | Kaboom! Disassembly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Playable | Semi-playable | Playable | Playable |
| Platforms | Atari | None | Windows, Linux, OSX, Classic Mac OS, BeOS, Wii, Amiga, Mobile | Atari |
| Play in browser | No | No | No | No |
| Mobile | No | No | No | No |
| Project health | ||||
| Development status | Halted | Halted | Halted | Not tracked |
| Last updated | 6y ago | 12y ago | 7y ago | Not tracked |
| Stars | 0 | 0 | 0 | Not tracked |
| Contributors | 1 | 1 | 1 | Not tracked |
| License | MIT | — | GPL-2.0 | Not tracked |
| Compatibility | ||||
| Requires original assets | NoThe game is a Kaboom! clone written in Turbo BASIC XL as a contest entry with its own assets. | — | NoThe game includes its own graphics and sound effects. | — |
| Multiplayer | — | — | Two Players, Two Player VS. | — |
| Preview | | | |
Frequently asked questions
Are the Kaboom! clones on this page open source?
Yes — every clone catalogued here is an open-source project. Availability, license, and development-status details for each one are listed in the comparison table above.
What license do these Kaboom! clones use?
2019-Bomber (MIT); Mad Bomber (GPL-2.0).
Do I need to own the original Kaboom! to play these clones?
2019-Bomber and Mad Bomber run standalone, no original files needed.
See the full write-up for each clone, or go back to Kaboom!.