Bubble Bobble 4 Friends - Review
UPDATE: Taito are currently developing and expanding the game’s content, including new stages and the return of a fan-favorite enemy character – “Baron von Blubba’. More news on this, and additional upcoming features, will be revealed in the coming weeks and months. All of this content will be included free with the purchase of the game.
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is my first experience with the series. I barely missed the great arcade boom of the '80s. I was too young to be a part of it, by the time I was able to play I was seeking a princess in another castle. Admittedly, a lot of what I was playing then was provided by my parents or occasionally my cousins, and Bubble Bobble was not in that rotation.
I am familiar with the formula, clear the enemies by a means of capturing in bubbles, then popping said bubbles, collect fruit, rinse, wash, repeat. I was surprised to see that the original Bubble Bobble was included and unlocked upon starting the game up. I decided to start here to get the core mechanics down, curious about what developer Taito would do to translate this into a modern gaming experience.
It’s hard to tell if any enhancement has been done to the original in this version, but the gameplay felt snappy and responsive while playing in handheld mode on my switch. I am not sure if I was busting bubbles as Bub or Bob, but at the end of the day, I began to find a groove in traversing the vertical platforms and enemies. After clearing a few levels I decided to dock the switch and pick the new game on my TV.
The heart of what makes Bubble Bobble tick is alive and well in the latest installment. You are greeted by a smooth, Pixar like, style that brings a nice depth to the simple design of Bub and Bob. Each level (100 in total, but the back 50 are more or less remixes) taking place in a child's bedroom offers a "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" vibe to platform through. Mechanically the game feels current while hanging on to the formula that made the original the standout it was. I didn't have a chance to test it in my review, but being able to play with up to four people (Bubble Bobble 4 friends makes a lot more sense now) seems like a lot of chaotic good. The boss battles take place every 10 levels creating a nice distraction from the level design that I found to be repetitive.
In closing, I am not sure I missed out on much the last 30 some years. I found the game to be a bit dull, and maybe it is just the formula showing its age. The switch seems like a great place to play a game like this, but I feel asking $40 for this is a tall order. I respect the impact and history that Bubble Bobble brings, but maybe it should be more of a memory than a current offering.
@Bobbypease
~Bobby