
	Platform NES Developer Taito Publisher Nintendo Released 1988
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Bubble Bobble

bubble bobble,nes

Bubble Bobble oozes cuteness but it’s incredibly addicting.

In a nutshell, you take control of a small lizard-like creature that spews bubbles from its mouth to trap enemies. Pop the bubbles with the enemies inside to destroy them and turn them into bonus points. Dead simple concept. Mix in some power-ups and good level design to get the best two player game for the NES.

The variety of power-ups is extensive. There are three types of bubble power-ups: distance, rapid, and an all-in-one wonder candy that improves both distance and speed of fire. Distance is great for those that like to play sniper. There are also different types of books that appear randomly. These books have various powers.

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For example, the Book of Thunder rocks the entire screen and wipes out all enemies. Snag an umbrella and skip the next five levels. Grab the fire power-up and bubbles get replaced with bolts of flame that bake enemies alive. Pop a bubble with a flame inside and send a napalmic wall of fire onto the head of your enemies. Drop through a bubble containing a lightning bolt and send an electrical charge out your ass and across the screen!

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There are over two hundred levels to complete (actually half that since the levels are played through twice) before the ultimate ending can be reached. And to successfully reach that ending you must be play with two players and defeat the Boss. For the most part levels are well designed. Some can be extremely difficult. To advance to the next level all the enemies have to be wiped out. Sometimes these enemies will be placed at the top of the screen with no ledges to leap to reach them. The solution of course is to jump on the bubbles and ascend. (Or wait for a really viscous power-up to appear) This tactic is a lot easier to utilize when two people are playing. If the level isn’t completed fast enough a white whale character appears. It homes in on you until you die or the level is completed. When the white whale appears all the enemies turn red, indicating their anger and the message "Hurry!" scrolls up the screen. (Enemies also turn red if they break free from a bubble) Difficulty ramps up. Some of the levels allow for loads of time while others have to be completed rapidly. As players descend through the levels the enemies become more powerful, breaking free from bubbles in a matter of moments. With some gumption players will prevail. (There is also a code feature that will let you "save" your progress)

The graphics are Stone Age compared to those of today, but the enemies are varied, the power-ups distinct and the bubbles transparent. Sound is alright. The music can become tiresome since the same tune plays throughout the entire game (Except for the end boss.) I’ve woken many times screaming, "Turn it off, turn it off!" The sound effects are especially good though. The deep "BOOM!" of the Book of Thunder rocks!

If you haven’t played this one, go dust off your NES and hit the flea markets to find this gem.

- Omni

(It should also be noted that there are a disturbing number of websites devoted to Bubble Bobble. Go figure.)