Soul Bubbles

EL33TONLINE ( )

Adding to the already spectacular play is the beautiful designed sound and visuals. Rarely do games requiring this much thought provide such lush surroundings. The latter stages can become quite difficult, but if you are into puzzle games it should be part of the overall challenge in any case. This is quite simply one of the best DS games for the DS I’ve played in ages – even if it does star a naked baby. A cracking action puzzler that proves we don’t need mindless violence to have a good time.

PC Action (Germany) (1 out of 7)

Schon der Anfang macht klar: Das Spiel enthält keine „lizenzierten Rennautos“ und „postapokalyptischen Soldaten“. Dennoch ist es eine kleine Perle der mobilen Unterhaltung, Wie früher bei Bubble Ghost pusten Sie eine Blase durch Labyrinthe, Die überraschen bis zum Ende mit feinen Spielideen und Elementen, Klasse!

Official Nintendo Magazine (93 out of 100)

Exquisite. Beautiful. Elegant. Very few videogames can be described with a single word (positive ones, anyway) but if you got us talking about Soul Bubbles, these would be the ones we'd use.

Officiel Nintendo Magazine (9 out of 10)

À la fois beau, intelligent et empreint d'une réelle poésie, Soul Bubbles est de ces titres exceptionnels qui séduisent toutes personnes qui s'y essaient.

Kong (9 out of 10)

Soul Bubbles är snudd på perfektion i bärbart format.

Factornews (9 out of 10)

Soul Bubbles est un incontournable de la DS, une bouffée d'air frais, originale et fun, prenante et divertissante, en plus d'être une réussite technique.

Console Obsession (9 out of 10)

In a market increasingly dominated by first-person shooters and clones of other games, it is rare to find a title with original ideas that has been put together with real finesse. This is a joyful, exuberant game that deserves to be a big seller and comes highly recommended.

Play.tm (90 out of 100)

Soul Bubbles is an original game, beautifully executed, perfectly suited for the DS, using the touch screen to its full potential. I would love to find some fault with it, but I simply can't. Okay, I did get frustrated from time to time, but it was enormously satisfying when I finally got all my little spirits to safety. At once adorable and challenging, Soul Bubbles is a game that anyone can fall in love with and is innovative and varied enough to keep them hooked.

nRevolution (9 out of 10)

Soul Bubbles is a terrifically inventive game and entertainment of this standard is truly good for the soul, so do yourself a spiritual favour and get it in.

Worth Playing (9 out of 10)

The only criticism I can level at Soul Bubbles is that it's a slow starter and a quick finisher, which is a hard combination to forgive. It doesn't really reach its full potential until halfway through the game, but if you stick it out, you'll find a brilliant, if short-lived, gem. It's unlikely to be a bestseller, but it's the kind of title that serious DS gamers owe it to themselves to try. It's the best DS game I've played since the DS Lite burst onto the scene, and that says it all. It'll take more than a lack of difficulty and a short-lived main game to burst my happy bubble.

The Next Level (USA) ( )

There is still plenty to explore, though, and collecting every item and reaching every path can be an ample challenge for any motivated gamer. While it might not be long on challenge or value, it's hard to deny that there's something special here. Soul Bubbles may fall a bit short of sheer genius, but the strength of its vision is enough to make it worth a look to anyone who still misses games that risked it all to stay true to themselves.

HardGamers (88 out of 100)

Soul Bubbles est une rafraîchissante surprise de cet été pluvieux. Le jeu est très accrocheur et ira certainement chercher tout fan de Loco Roco. Facile d'accès, petits et grands y trouveront leur compte, à la recherche des meilleurs résultats possibles et de la plus grande collecte de poussière d'étoiles et de calebasses.

4Players.de (86 out of 100)

Ein schönes Spiel. Einfach ein schönes Spiel: Entspannte Musik, entspannte Präsentation, entspannt wabbelnde Blase - in den ersten Levels ist Soul Bubbles spielbarer Urlaub. Später zieht der Schwierigkeitsgrad spürbar an, gerade die Kombination der verschiedenen Masken-Fähigkeiten erfordert neben verquerem Denken auch schnelle Reflexe - aber übermenschlich anspruchsvoll wird das Spiel nie. Okay, die intuitivste Steuerung aller Zeiten hat Soul Bubbles nicht, die Nutzung der Masken über das Digipad mag aus designtechnischer Sicht sinnvoll sein, aber sehr bequem ist es nicht. Außerdem geht mir das Gebrabbel des Chefhirten hier genauso auf den Keks wie die »Sprachausgabe« in Okami oder Shadow of the Colossus. Doch davon abgesehen ist Soul Bubbles ein tolles Spiel, das für den DS maßgeschneidert ist: Die Level haben genau die richtige Länge für die eine oder andere angenehme, entspannte und sehr unterhaltsame Stunde. Oder zwei.

GameZone (8.6 out of 10)

Chances are if you're reading this you think you’re too old to go to Toys 'R' Us. But you're never too old to play a great game. Thanks to an unusual marketing decision, Toys 'R' Us is your only option. Tough it out, get the game, and leave before they catch you wandering the action figure aisles.

JeuxVideoPC.com (17 out of 20)

Si les hits n’encombrent pas la console portable de Nintendo depuis le début de l’année, Soul Bubbles pourrait bien changer la donne. Grâce à un concept innovant et efficace, le coup d’essai de Mekensleep est un vrai coup de maître. L’utilisation de l’écran tactile et du double écran est optimisée, l’immersion totale et la durée de vie tout à fait honnête. Qui plus est, l’univers dans lequel nous plonge Soul Bubbles est attachant sans jamais tomber dans la niaiserie. Le nouveau must-have de la DS.

Nintendo Difference (17 out of 20)

Un très grand jeu, obscurci seulement par sa durée de vie trop faible pour une expérience si plaisante. Soul Bubbles se révèle cependant être un excellent jeu d’ambiance, à emporter pour jouer par ci par là, en bord de mer par exemple, ou dans la tente le soir. Clairement conseillé comme « jeu de l’été » pour passer le temps agréablement tout en se dépaysant !

IGN UK (8.4 out of 10)

More than anything, Soul Bubbles is just great fun to play with – blowing a bubble around has never been more fun. There is surprising depth to its puzzles, and it’s great to see the DS host such a great and intuitive idea again after months of copycat shelf-filler. More of this please, everyone – it’s been a while since we had something this addictive to play on the plane.

MAN!AC (82 out of 100)

Friedliche Blasennschubserei mit New-Age-Anklang und gutem Knobelanteil - eine erfreuliche Abwechslung für unterwegs.

Sliced Gaming (GameBiz) (8 out of 10)

There are lots of reasons to buy a Nintendo DS. Nintendo have released so many first party titles that we can’t even keep count. Dozens of Pokemon games, and Mario games, but the Nintendo DS needs to fully utilise the puzzle genre if it wants to be seen more on trains and busses. Gamers don’t want to delve deep in to a story while they’re on their way to work in the morning. Soul Bubbles allows you to spend 5-10 minutes on a level and then auto-save and quit faster than saying “Oh crap, there goes my stop!” We highly recommend Soul Bubbles to all gamers who love a good puzzle challenge. The first two worlds are a gimme, but the later worlds will keep you going for some time, and there’s always those darn Calabash to collect if you want to get something special at the end.

Thunderbolt Games (8 out of 10)

The simple, easy-to-learn controls balance out the progressively difficult puzzles. The emphasis on exploration and item collecting means you’re going to spend plenty of time going over individual levels with care. The great presentation - especially the audio effects - makes superb use of the handheld’s capabilities. So if you happen to come across this hidden gem in the DS’s library, do yourself a favor and give it a shot. This game ensures that blowing bubbles is no longer just a childhood pastime.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (8 out of 10)

With all this, Soul Bubbles definitely has enough distinct charm to override the inevitable LocoRoco comparisons, with a superb control system and delightful art style carrying you through for the entire game. Were it not for the slow start, it might have left a deeper impression sooner, but some wonderful level design and smart ideas later on eventually deliver on its obvious promise.

IGN (8 out of 10)

Soul Bubbles is never intense nor is it ever frustrating – it’s just a nice, calm and soothing action game that’s easy to get into and very fun to play. Don’t let its exclusivity label scare you off: Toys ‘R Us got itself a winner of a Nintendo DS title that’s definitely worth a look.

GameSpy ( )

Soul Bubbles does a magnificent job of feeding its unique approach to strategy and puzzle-solving at a constant yet measured pace, never leaving you with one bubble manipulating technique for long. So, while it might not focus on anything resembling frenetic or frantic gameplay, it's hardly boring. It's particular brand of puzzle play is refreshingly cognitive, to the point that you could almost get away with calling it a brain training game and not get yelled at. With its relaxing themes of protecting nature and general non-violence, Soul Bubbles feels like a calm respite from the stormy sea of other more brutality-focused titles.

Pocket Gamer UK (8 out of 10)

It all comes down to which you'd prefer: eight hours of sublime bubble puzzling, or 20 of those aforementioned race cars, soldiers and elves. It might not be an epic experience, but Soul Bubbles is an amazingly unique and wondrous ride. I know which one wins out for me.

videogamer.com (8 out of 10)

For a game from a developer we hadn't heard of Soul Bubbles far exceeded our expectations. The only thing preventing Soul Bubbles from being a classic is its insistence on telling you what you must be doing, making the game a stroll in the park. It's still well worth playing and a shining example of the kind of originality we haven't seen on the DS all that often in the last year.

UOL Jogos ( )

"Soul Bubbles" tem inspiração em "LocoRoco", mas consegue se afastar do jogo para o PSP, se não superá-lo, ao apresentar quebra-cabeças inteligentes, sistema de física preciso e um esquema de controles eficiente, que abusa das características do Nintendo DS. O resultado é uma mecânica inovadora, que diverte e relaxa ao mesmo tempo, graças à ação suave do título e pelo trabalho sonoro e visual apurado e delicado. Contudo, como o próprio nome sugere, traz uma leveza e suavidade que talvez não agrade a todos.

Consoles Plus (16 out of 20)

Soul Bubbles fait partie de ces titres qui marquent par leur originalité et leur simplicité. Le pari est totalement réussi pour Mekensleep.

Armchair Empire, The (8 out of 10)

If you enjoy something unique and want to change things up a bit, and if you want something that looks pleasing to the eye while you play on the go and is also fun to play, I would suggest giving Soul Bubbles a shot.

Trusted Reviews (8 out of 10)

An ingenious and enjoyable action-puzzler that puts the DS stylus to good use. Perhaps the puzzles don't ramp up in difficulty quite enough, but maybe that helps make it the perfect game for lazy summer days.

GamesRadar (8 out of 10)

This is quite simply one of the best games for DS we’ve played for ages - even if it does star a naked baby.

N-Europe (8 out of 10)

Soul Bubbles is a marvellous DS title. It offers a wonderfully serene pace and backs this up with lush visuals and a soundtrack which evokes dream-like tranquillity. And even though the title starts off as a casual puzzle experience, by the time the elements come into play (ala capturing water in a bubble and blowing it into fire) it will test the grey matter of all who play.

Boomtown (8 out of 10)

If you like your puzzle games then Soul Bubbles is well worth a purchase, it’s fun, well structured, and whilst it does have a couple of very minor faults, is a very compulsive game that you’ll want o keep picking up until you’ve completed it. For anyone else I’d still say it’s worth a look, as it’s one of the more action based puzzlers it may well be more appealing to a wider audience than some puzzle games.

Video Games Daily (8 out of 10)

Throw in the fact that it's pretty ruddy beautiful, both amiable and original in its style, and it has some incredibly relaxing audio and, well, it's been released at the right time really. Soul Bubbles is a very warm game.

NGamer (7.9 out of 10)

Despite our misgivings about the game's long-term appeal, Soul Bubbles is still considerably more polished and better produced than the vast majority of DS software. As such, it's well worth a look, especially if you enjoyed Kuru Kuru Kururin or Super Monkey Ball - two other games with which it might share just the tiniest bit of DNA.

VicioJuegos.com / uVeJuegos.com (78 out of 100)

Una buena idea que se ha llevado muy bien a cabo. Soul Bubbles llega sin hacer ruido y se hace un hueco entre tanta saga consagrada.

JeuxActu (15 out of 20)

Cela fait bien longtemps que la DS ne nous avait offert un titre à même de mettre en valeur ses attributs. Avant le déferlement sanguinaire Ninja Gaiden : Dragon Sword, Soul Bubbles apaisera les stylets par sa zenitude, sa légèreté et sa fraîcheur. Fort de son concept novateur, même s’il emprunte beaucoup aux classiques que sont Kuru Kuru Kururin et LocoRoco, le titre de Mekensleep fait figure d’agréable surprise, dont la conception semble avoir été maîtrisée de bout en bout. Plus que sa réussite artistique, il étonne par son inertie et sa physique convaincante, ce qui permet de sublimer un game design réussi de base. Soul Bubbles est une aventure à essayer et à picorer tout le long de l’été, car il est clair que le titre ne résistera pas bien longtemps aux plus acharnés.

Jeuxvideo.com (15 out of 20)

Combinaison très intéressante de LostWinds et Loco Roco, Soul Bubbles est un jeu subtil et passionnant qui ne souffre d'aucune faille de gameplay. Son concept se révèle parfaitement adapté à la DS et seules sa relative facilité et sa durée de vie un peu faible nous retiennent de lui attribuer une note supérieure.

Cheat Code Central (3.7 out of 5)

I'm sure many of you will get addicted and won't stop playing the game until you beat it. Others, especially those less inclined to playing puzzles and enjoying soothing gameplay, should probably just skip it. Either way, it may just be worth at least a rental to see if this is your kind of thing. If you do enjoy it, you can always pick it up (only at Toys R Us and some online retailers) and take it on your next car ride!

Computer Bild Spiele (2.48 out of 6)

Soul Bubbles macht Spaß. Die Blasen verhalten sich physikalisch wie stabile Seifenblasen. Dementsprechend umsichtig muss man vorgehen, was den Reiz zusätzlich erhöht. Die Grafik ist detailreich und stimmig. Dazu kommt eine gute gelöste, feinfühlige Steuerung mit dem Stylus. Einfach "gut".

TotalVideoGames (TVG) (7 out of 10)

Offering such an endearing experience it can be hard to put Soul Bubbles down, but, nevertheless, that moment comes a little too quickly for our liking. It's largely the simple designs of the levels and puzzles that falls a little short, with only the last two stages really offering anything remotely challenging. Besides the introduction of light, heavy, and explosive gas bubbles later in the game and a few other features, the game lacks a sense of progress with each new world both in terms of challenge and new ideas. Occasionally Soul Bubbles does meet its potential, the rapid flips between heavy and light gas on the later stages is a brilliant test of thought and reflexes, but there's really not enough to equal the very best puzzle/platform games we've seen over the years.

Games TM (7 out of 10)

Ultimately, the competition is just too strong for Soul Bubbles to ever really elevate itself beyond cute, cult status. A good puzzler then, but not a great one.

Bordersdown (7 out of 10)

Sadly, it will not take you long to make your way through the stages on offer. Collecting the Calabash presents something of a challenge, and you are given a ranking after each stage which gives a touch of replay value to proceedings. It is difficult to criticise too harshly what French studio Mekensleep have conjured up here - under the guidance of veteran Frederick “Little Big Adventure” Raynal, no less - when the overall experience is so magically enjoyable.

Gamekult (7 out of 10)

Soul Bubbles est sans doute la bonne surprise de l'été 2008 sur DS. Un jeu inventif, plein de charme et du même coup un bel ambassadeur de cette nouvelle génération de jeux anti-plates-formes entièrement basés sur la physique. Timide niveau difficulté ou peut-être trop calibré pour les joueurs les moins aguerris, il n'en reste pas moins une création prenante qui exploite avec brio les possibilités de la DS. Et oui, Soul Bubbles est un jeu qui n'aurait pas pu voir le jour ailleurs que sur la portable de Nintendo. Un de plus ? Oui mais pour le coup, c'est réellement le cas et ça fait du bien.

DarkZero (7 out of 10)

So, there you have it. Soul Bubbles is undoubtedly an interesting game, but I have to admit it was hard to express and portray the appeal of the game in words. In a way it is kind of similar to last year’s release Portal, and you could argue both games are of similar ilk. In truth, it’s almost silly to try and explain the fun you can have by trying to create and blow bubbles around a maze, but regardless Soul Bubbles still ends up being a very impressive game. Sure, it’s not the absolute tip of the DS pile of excellence, but it is currently one of the more interesting titles available.

GameSpot (7 out of 10)

The shallow difficulty curve and lack of challenge in the main goals are the only things that let Soul Bubbles down. Its charm will keep you coming back, and it is well suited to short play sessions. That said, it's just too easy and doesn't really reward you during extended play time. The final quarter of the game does provide a decent challenge and is a worthy end, but it's entirely possible that you'll have drifted off by then or moved on to something that grabs and holds your attention a little earlier. Soul Bubbles is an easy game to recommend to almost anyone despite its flaws, and in the end its charm wins through despite its shortcomings.

GamingExcellence (6.8 out of 10)

Soul Bubbles is a welcome addition to the DS. It’s fun, it’s challenging and most of all, it’s worth your time. It’s simple enough for people of all ages to enjoy and challenging enough for the hardcores out there bent on saving every spirit, finding each calabash and collecting every spec of stardust. So pick it up, play it, and feel the soul.

1UP (C+)

Outside of challenging you to find that lone collectible item, the game doesn't hold much incentive for repeat play. No other modes are in the game at all -- no challenge levels, no minigames, nothing. With minimal replay value, repetitive levels, and little of LocoRoco's charm, it's hard to get too excited about a game that, while serviceable, is ultimately rather forgettable.