Bubble Bobble is such a strange series in the modern age. There are very few games that are better known for their respective spin-offs than they are for the core games in their series, but Bubble Bobble is one of them. In fact, when a review copy was offered up to me in our review pool I thought I was going to be reviewing a Puzzle Bobble game because of how much more well-known that series had become.
So, color me surprised when it turned out of being Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, a sequel the long-running original series of puzzle platformers. The series dates back to the arcade but my first experience is with the port of the original that made its way onto the Nintendo Entertainment System.
When the original came out we still lived in an age where games were still mostly emulating arcade games or being ports of those actual arcade games. It worked pretty well, for the most part, but Bobble Bobble was one of the best of the bunch. Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is not much different than the original. This is great as I’m a fan of the KISS system, especially with series that have already proven themselves in the gameplay department.
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends features a pair of cute dragon/dino bros who must eliminate all the enemies on each stage before moving on to the next one. It’s about as simple as a concept can get but one that allows everyone to jump into and enjoy right away. But while simple and sticking to the original format the game offers up a couple of new ideas to make the whole thing feel fresh. Sure, being so long since entries makes it fresh regardless, but you know what I mean.
You play through a story that sees our heroes brought to life in a very Toy Story-like fashion. You are tossed into a single-screen stage and must find out a way to get rid of all the enemies in it. You do this by shooting out bubbles that capture enemies and then pop them by bouncing on them or using the little spikes on your back. It’s easy as pie in concept but becomes pretty difficult as the stages progress.
Capturing the enemies in a bubble will send them floating away, so tracking them down in time before they pop on their own and escape can be challenging, especially if you get a series of bubbles at a single time. And since this is an old-school game you’ll be working for that high-score and popping more than one bubble at a time will up your point combo.
Along the way, you’ll be collecting items for added points and even work with a very basic leveling system that gives you the choice of selecting powers before each area. Some of these powers include electric bubbles, long-range bubbles, longer-lasting bubbles and more. You’ll most likely find a special that you like best and stick with it throughout your adventure, but the options available are pretty nice.
But don’t think that Bubble Bobble 4 Friends makes things easy on you. As the stages progress their layouts will become more maze-like and require a fair bit of thinking, especially when one-hit death obstacles come into play. You got death-blades and death-spikes just to name a few, not to mention the ones that require timing as they love to move around right in your way. All that and having to fight against the timer can sometimes make for a fairly tense experience.
Add into play the puzzle aspect that can throw you for a loop when air streams start requiring you to get creative with your bubbles, using them as bounce pads, and you got a game that while not long, offers up a nice challenge for puzzle fans.
The graphics are bright, vibrant, and colorful. Everything pops and the entire experience just screams charming but can get confusing to the eyes when all 4 players are jumping about. That said, it’s hard to play Bubble Bobble 4 Friends without a smile on your face. Sure, this isn’t much different and doesn’t take any chances, but that’s okay. Look at all the classic arcade series from the ’80s and ’90s that lost their identity trying to be something they aren’t. This is a game for Bobble Bobble fans while being simple and clean enough to draw in new players.
In fact, I think this is a fantastic game to play alongside your kids as it really does push the “4 Friends” aspect, and that’s really where the game gets turned into a crazy and competitive mess of fun. Just understand that because its a short experience it’ll be brutal fairly fast and those kids will probably need your help. It might not be a game you come back to a lot, but it’s one that you can easily pop in for some quick fun every now and then when you need a good palette cleanser.
But my personal favorite bit of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is the fact that it includes the original Bubble Bobble right on the main screen and doesn’t require you having to unlock it to play. This means you can enjoy some arcade original action and easily swap over to “4 Friends” when. well, friends or family come into the room and want in on the fun. It may be priced a little on the high end of things for what you get, but fans of the series will have a good time.
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a worthy followup in the long-running series that doesn’t mess with an already proven formula, a formula that allows new and old fans alike to have a blast with it on the Nintendo Switch.
Final Score: 3/5
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends was reviewed on Nintendo Switch. The copy was provided by the publisher for review purposes.
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