Difference between revisions of "Bubble Bobble"

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(Created page with "thumb|256x256px|North American NES box art. '''''Bubble Bobble''''', known in Japan as '''''バブルボブル [Baburu Boburu], "Bubbl...")
 
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[[Image:Bubble Bobble - NES - USA.jpg|thumb|256x256px|North American NES box art.]]
 
[[Image:Bubble Bobble - NES - USA.jpg|thumb|256x256px|North American NES box art.]]
  
'''''Bubble Bobble''''', known in Japan as '''''バブルボブル [Baburu Boburu], "Bubble Bobble"''''', is a single-screen action game developed and published by [[Taito]], originally in the [[arcade]] in 1986, and then ported to over a dozen platforms.
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'''''Bubble Bobble''''' is a single-screen action game developed and published by [[Taito]], originally in the [[arcade]] in 1986, and then ported to over a dozen platforms.
  
 
I first saw Bubble Bobble in an [[NES]] strategy guide, and, from a screenshot I assumed the end boss was on level 50. Only later, after playing the game with the daughter of one of my mother's clients, did I realize that the end boss was on level 100, and it was his hit points that I was reading which replace the level in the display.
 
I first saw Bubble Bobble in an [[NES]] strategy guide, and, from a screenshot I assumed the end boss was on level 50. Only later, after playing the game with the daughter of one of my mother's clients, did I realize that the end boss was on level 100, and it was his hit points that I was reading which replace the level in the display.
Line 9: Line 9:
  
 
==Review==
 
==Review==
* '''Overall:''' 3/10
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{{Video Game Review|3|4|4|4|3|36%|Arcade}}
* '''Best Version:''' ?
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 +
{{Spoilers}}
  
 
===Good===
 
===Good===
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* The main music theme is quite hummable.
 
* The main music theme is quite hummable.
 
* Several of the levels have a creative layout that not only look cool, but take advantage of the game engine.
 
* Several of the levels have a creative layout that not only look cool, but take advantage of the game engine.
 +
* The NES and Game Boy manuals are quite comprehensive.
  
 
===Bad===
 
===Bad===
 
* The sound gets pretty annoying pretty quickly.
 
* The sound gets pretty annoying pretty quickly.
* For a game that is so easy, the end boss is importunately difficult.
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* For a game that is so easy, the end boss is especially difficult.
 +
* The UK computer manuals are awful.
  
 
===Ugly===
 
===Ugly===
 
* The game is highly repetitive. After only a few minutes, you've seen pretty much everything the game has to offer. It would be better paced at about 30 levels.
 
* The game is highly repetitive. After only a few minutes, you've seen pretty much everything the game has to offer. It would be better paced at about 30 levels.
  
==Box Art==
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==Media==
 +
===Box Art===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
 +
Bubble Bobble - ARC - USA - Marquee.jpg|The North American [[Romstar]] marquee is a mess. Bub and Bob are quite malformed and, although the typeface is interesting, the extremely busy background and red-on-black makes it hard to read.
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Bubble Bobble - ARC - USA - Marquee (Alt).png|This alternate marquee is much better, featuring a properly drawn Bub and Bob and the in-game logo.
 
Bubble Bobble - FDS - Japan.jpg|The Japanese Famicom Disk System art features the adorable duo surrounded by the game's various enemies trapped in bubbles and the arcade logo. Great drawings individually, but they don't form a coherent image.
 
Bubble Bobble - FDS - Japan.jpg|The Japanese Famicom Disk System art features the adorable duo surrounded by the game's various enemies trapped in bubbles and the arcade logo. Great drawings individually, but they don't form a coherent image.
Bubble Bobble - NES - USA.jpg|The North American and European NES art has Bub and Bob riding a giant bubble, with attacking enemies being trapped in bubbles and turning into fruit. Fantastic art which shows off the game, the only downside is that Bub and Bob aren't as cute as the Japanese versions. My favorite box.
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Bubble Bobble - C64 - UK.jpg|This box was used for European computer releases (Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum). It uses the FDS art with slightly different layouts for different platforms.
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Bubble Bobble - MSX2 - Japan.jpg|The MSX2 art is the same as the FDS art with minor changes to make it taller.
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Bubble Bobble - NES - USA.jpg|The North American and European NES and Game Boy art has Bub and Bob riding a giant bubble, with attacking enemies being trapped in bubbles and turning into fruit. Fantastic art which shows off the game, the only downside is that Bub and Bob aren't as cute as the Japanese versions.
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Bubble Bobble - C64 - USA.jpg|This box was used for American computer releases (Amiga, Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and DOS). It's awfully bland, just the logo with a bunch of bubbles with cartoon objects in them. Several of the objects don't even relate to the game at all.
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Bubble Bobble - SMS - Japan.jpg|The Japanese Master System has entirely unique art which depicts a 3D scene where Bub and Bob are being attacked by various enemies. This is wonderful art and really gives you a feel for the game. It's my favorite box.
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Bubble Bobble - C64 - USA - Alt.jpg|Each US computer release also saw a cheaper cardboard foldout which used the NES box art.
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Bubble Bobble - SMS - EU.jpg|The European Master System uses the FDS art, only with the yellow backdrop replaced with the Master System's trademark grid.
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Bubble Bobble - GG - USA.jpg|Game Gear was one of the few releases that saw unique art, and it's one of the best. My only critique is that everything looks a bit too bizarre.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
==Documentation==
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===Documentation===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
Bubble Bobble - ARC - USA - Manual.pdf|North American Arcade manual.
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Bubble Bobble - ARC - USA - Manual.pdf|North American arcade manual.
Bubble Bobble - NES - USA - Manual.pdf|North American NES manual.
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Bubble Bobble - ARC - USA - Instructions.png|North American arcade instructions.
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Bubble Bobble - ARC - USA - Manual (Schematics).pdf|North American arcade schematics.
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Bubble Bobble - NES - USA - Manual (Digital).pdf|North American NES manual (digital).
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Bubble Bobble - AST - UK - Manual.pdf|European manual for Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum.
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Bubble Bobble - SMS - EU - Manual.pdf|European Master System manual.
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Bubble Bobble - GB - USA - Manual.pdf|North American Game Boy manual.
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Bubble Bobble - ARC - UK - Flyer.jpg|UK arcade flyer.
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Bubble Bobble - NES - Ad.jpg|North American advert for the NES port.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
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 +
===Maps===
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<gallery>
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Bubble Bobble - ARC - Map.png|Arcade.
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Bubble Bobble - NES - Map.png|NES.
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Bubble Bobble - SMS - Map.png|Master System.
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</gallery>
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 +
===Graphic Sheets===
 +
<gallery>
 +
Bubble Bobble - ARC - Sprites.png|Arcade sprite sheet.
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</gallery>
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===Videos===
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuXOSBb4hQw youtube.com/watch?v=BuXOSBb4hQw] - Longplay, Arcade.
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==Titles==
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{| class="wikitable"
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! Language !! Native !! Transliteration !! Translation
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|-
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| English || Bubble Bobble || ||
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|-
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| Japanese || バブルボブル || Baburu Boburu || Bubble Bobble
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|}
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
* [http://www.mobygames.com/game/bubble-bobble mobygames.com/game/bubble-bobble] - MobyGames.
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{{Link|MobyGames|http://www.mobygames.com/game/bubble-bobble}}
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_Bobble en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_Bobble] - Wikipedia.
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{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_Bobble}}
* [http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Games/Hacking/Wiki/index.php?title=Bubble_Bobble thealmightyguru.com/Games/Hacking/Wiki/index.php?title=Bubble_Bobble] - NES Hacker Database.
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{{Link|StrategyWiki|https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Bubble_Bobble}}
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{{Link|NESHacker|2=http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Games/Hacking/Wiki/index.php?title=Bubble_Bobble}}
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{{Link|TCRF|https://tcrf.net/Bubble_Bobble}}
  
  
 
[[Category: Games]]
 
[[Category: Games]]
 
[[Category: Video Games]]
 
[[Category: Video Games]]
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[[Category: Video Game Prime Order - Action, Strategy, Adventure]]
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[[Category: Video Game Genre - Platformer]]
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[[Category: Video Game Genre - Platform Shooter]]
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[[Category: Video Game Genre - Shooter]]
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[[Category: Game Mechanic - Playable Female Character]]
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[[Category: Media Theme - Fantasy]]
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[[Category: Arcade Games]]
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[[Category: Amstrad CPC Games]]
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[[Category: Apple II Games]]
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[[Category: Amiga Games]]
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[[Category: Atari ST Games]]
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[[Category: Commodore 64 Games]]
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[[Category: DOS Games]]
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[[Category: Famicom Disk System Games]]
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[[Category: Game Boy Games]]
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[[Category: Game Gear Games]]
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[[Category: MSX2 Games]]
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[[Category: NES Games]]
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[[Category: Sega Master System Games]]
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[[Category: ZX Spectrum Games]]
 
[[Category: Action]]
 
[[Category: Action]]
 
[[Category: Single-Screen]]
 
[[Category: Single-Screen]]
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[[Category: Trope - Damsel In Distress]]
 
[[Category: Games I've Beaten]]
 
[[Category: Games I've Beaten]]
 
[[Category: Multi-Player]]
 
[[Category: Multi-Player]]
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[[Category: Multi-Player Co-op]]
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[[Category: 4-bit Color Graphics]]

Revision as of 22:57, 11 November 2019

North American NES box art.

Bubble Bobble is a single-screen action game developed and published by Taito, originally in the arcade in 1986, and then ported to over a dozen platforms.

I first saw Bubble Bobble in an NES strategy guide, and, from a screenshot I assumed the end boss was on level 50. Only later, after playing the game with the daughter of one of my mother's clients, did I realize that the end boss was on level 100, and it was his hit points that I was reading which replace the level in the display.

Status

I have beaten the NES port and received the bad ending (one-player mode).

Review

Video Game Review Icon - Enjoyment.png Video Game Review Icon - Control.png Video Game Review Icon - Appearance.png Video Game Review Icon - Sound.png Video Game Review Icon - Replayability.png
3 4 4 4 3

Best Version: 36%

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

  • The dinosaur kids, Bub and Bob, are both cute characters for the game, and many of the monsters are also adorable enemies.
  • The main music theme is quite hummable.
  • Several of the levels have a creative layout that not only look cool, but take advantage of the game engine.
  • The NES and Game Boy manuals are quite comprehensive.

Bad

  • The sound gets pretty annoying pretty quickly.
  • For a game that is so easy, the end boss is especially difficult.
  • The UK computer manuals are awful.

Ugly

  • The game is highly repetitive. After only a few minutes, you've seen pretty much everything the game has to offer. It would be better paced at about 30 levels.

Media

Box Art

Documentation

Maps

Graphic Sheets

Videos

Titles

Language Native Transliteration Translation
English Bubble Bobble
Japanese バブルボブル Baburu Boburu Bubble Bobble

Links

Link-MobyGames.png  Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-StrategyWiki.png  64x64px  Link-TCRF.png