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You know, I never thought that introducing such a timeless, well-loved classic as Bubble Bobble in a review would be this tricky. But my mind's as blank as a level after you've collected the bottle power-up thing. So let's start with the basics: the plot. OK, here we go… you control a cute little dinosaur sprite who blows bubbles who is making his way through a number of single-screen levels populated by various cute baddies who must be disposed of to continue. This is done (and don't laugh: I'm serious) by catching the baddies in one of your bubbles and bursting it before they escape, madder than before. The baddie then lands as fruit (or a cake, or some kind of food) which gives you points; get them all, and it's on to the next level. A bit like Pang, all this is taking place… because. Best just to accept it and hope they don't start giving you ink blots to look at and describe…
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As is customary (and always appreciated) there are power-ups to help along the way: smart bomb-things, bubbles which unleash a variety of death upon all things non-dinosaur, sweets which make you blow bubbles faster, umbrellas which skip levels… the list is pretty long and just as odd. However, all its oddness just serves the make the game that much more endearing and unique: it is a breath of fresh air and a successful mix of platformer and puzzle game. The single-screen level approach makes things clear yet does not detract from the intensity of the proceedings and the game's very nature makes it instantly accessible for all; it is even educational for those who avoid platform games and those who flee in abject terror in the face of the need to use their grey matter.
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However, all is not well in the world of Spectrum Bobble Bubble. Now, I know that Bobble Bubble has flaws anyway: the repetitive nature of the levels, the puzzle nature sometimes clashes with the more arcadey elements it uses, it can be all too easy to end up in a situation which makes you think "And what was I supposed to do?!"… but the Speccy version adds to those its own list of misdemeanours.
The first thing any player will notice is that the controls are floaty. Now I know the dinosaurs weren't exactly sprightly in the first place, but jumps practically hover and general running about and turning is akin to a slug in cold molasses: it makes the original controls seem positively speedy. As the game relies quite heavily on a puzzle element this isn't as horrific as it would be in a lightning-quick blast-fest, but it still irritates, especially as the baddies are as speedy as they used to be.
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Another irritation is the bubbles: it is extremely difficult to tell if a bubble has been holding a baddie for too long and is about to burst or not. You see, they kind of vibrate more quickly as the bubble gets weaker, but they vibrate pretty quickly anyway, and when you have two or more together they become one vibrating mass. Which one is new? Which one is about to give? Why don't they flash or something? Just one colour and then the normal colour would be fine, but no.
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There are few other things, such as the lack of a continue option in one-player mode despite remaining credits, the way the sprites on screen vanish on and off when a certain power-up is activated (and before it kills them), and just what the heck is the jump FX supposed to be? It sounds like a warthog passing wind…
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These are the major gripes, and to be honest they collectively reduce the fun-o-meter by a noticeable amount. What's worse, is that they are inexcusable. Why, Firebird, why did you do it? Bubble Bobble is a great little game, fun to pick up and blast away at for a while time and time again. It had well-balanced controls, it was easy to see what was going on (and HOW it was going) and, dash it all, it was fair and fun. It's nice to see that the catchy tune is intact and the levels well-coloured, but I'm afraid that it's not enough to save what is essentially a botched job. Spend the money on your local arcade machine instead.
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Bubble Bobble
- Firebird - 1987
