Bubble Bobble

All Game Guide ( )

Bubble Bobble is a game you play once, and *need* to play again, and again, and again. It doesn't matter if you've finished it before - heck! The adventures of Bub and Bob, the dinosaurs, are among the best challenges ever offered to the gaming world. What intrigues me is that the game, so simple in design, can captivate my attention for so long.

Hardcore Gaming 101 (9 out of 10)

Before anyone ever disses a game for being "Too Cute" again, they better play Bubble Bobble. Besides, all "Too Cute" means is that the characters have an Anime look or the game is starring animals anyway. Definately pick this one up!

Ultimate Nintendo: Guide to the NES Library ( )

The game has many secret warps, hidden bonus levels, and even different endings, the best of which can only be obtained by completing the game in the incredibly fun, cooperative, two-player mode. The only tune in the game is thankfully fun and catchy and will definitely get stuck in players’ heads for days. This is a fantastic game for wasting a rainy afternoon with a friend.

HonestGamers (Staff reviews only) (9 out of 10)

I will admit to being absolutely biased about this game. I have been playing Bubble Bobble for upwards of two decades and I have very fond memories of doing so with my cousin on cool summer evenings at family barbecues. I get nostalgic for the bright, colourful graphics and happy, energetic chiptunes. Still, even now that I’m in my late 20s, I find myself returning to Bubble Bobble regularly. Nostalgia aside, it must have some legitimately good qualities if it keeps bringing me back after all those years, right? Right.

Jaded Gamer, The (90 out of 100)

Graphically the game is no great shakes, but it doesn't really have to be. You can easily distinguish yourself from one of the many types of monsters, and the level colors change enough to make you feel like you're not just spinning your wheels. A simple game from a simpler time that manages to keep itself feeling fun. Throw in the fact that this game is even more fun with a second player, and you have yourself one of the classics of a bygone era. If the game is available to you, make sure you grab it -- and a friend -- and enjoy.

Jeuxvideo.com (17 out of 20)

Bubble Bobble premier du nom pose admirablement les bases d'une franchise qui aurait pu devenir culte si certaines de ses suites ne s'étaient pas égarées. Son gameplay jouissif et sans cesse renouvelé, son univers rose bonbon au level design efficace parvient grâce à cette version Nes à attirer, en plus des garçons, le public féminin qui préfère jouer tranquillement à la maison plutôt que dans les salles enfumées. Bubble Bobble est et restera dans les mémoires comme l'un des meilleurs jeux d'arcade jouables à deux simultanément.

Mean Machines (85 out of 100)

Bubble Bobble was a real hoot in the arcades, and the computer versions were pretty good, too, but there's something about the NES version - it's too hard! The difficulty level is way too high - but there is a handy password option to leap straight to later screens. The overall playability is weakened by this, but not so much as to put you right off. The graphics are very nice, a bit plain in places, but again, they don't exactly follow the coin-op to the letter, and the sound is a jolly tune which gets a bit annoying after a while. Overall, a fun game which takes a bit of practice getting into, but once you've got it sussed, you'll be stuck to your screens for many an hour.

Tilt (17 out of 20)

Ce grand classique d'arcade de Taito bénéficie d'une réalisation irréprochable sur cette console. De nombreux tableaux et une excellent jouabilité vous garantissent de longues heures de jeu et aucun amateur de plates-formes ne voudrait rater un programme aussi passionnant.

The Video Game Critic (B+)

The game has a Dig Dug vibe that I find appealing. Power-ups spice up the action, including one that wipes out all enemies on the screen. A pleasant musical theme plays throughout the game. Bubble Bobble seems simplistic at first, but there's actually quite a bit of technique involved. Some gamers consider Bubble Bobble to be an NES classic, and they may be right.

neXGam (8.1 out of 10)

Ein wahrer 8-Bit Klassiker, der auch heute noch durch seine liebevolle Optik und ein unverwüstliches Spielprinzip besticht. Und da er zudem mittlerweile über die Virtual Console für geschlagene 500 Wii Points zu haben ist, dürfen auch Retrofreunde ohne den originalen 8-Bit Schuhkarton ihren Spaß mit Bub und Bob haben!

Classic-games.net (8 out of 10)

Bubble Bobble is a great game that has held up just fine. Aside from requiring two-players to see its conclusion I have few complaints. Fun mechanics together with great level design make this one a great addition to any NES library.

Total!! UK Magazine (80 out of 100)

Still, Bubble Bobble is tremendous fun with two players and even though you can finish it quickly, I'm sure you won't mind getting it out to have a brief bubble-blowing beastie-bash any old time.

Just Games Retro ( )

Yeah, Bubble Bobble doesn’t get the longest review by any stretch, but I still feel I’ve touched upon everything that makes it so great. It’s a game that I’m sure a lot of our readers have played before, and I imagine those same people will read this review and remember “oh, yeah, that game was GREAT”. If you haven’t played it, I definitely recommend tracking it down and giving it a try; it’s really a textbook example of “simple to learn, tough to master”, and the simplicity means that anybody, even people who don’t much care for video games, can pop it in and get into it, and the fun factor is such that they’ll be just as enthralled with it as hardcore gamers. Bubble Bobble has earned my stamp of approval, and if you fire it up right now, I’ll be it gets yours as well.

Retro Archives (15.5 out of 20)

D’accord, on a perdu quelques couleurs et deux ou trois détails, mais il est vraiment difficile, même avec la pire mauvaise foi du monde, de trouver de gros défauts à ce Bubble Bobble sur NES. La jouabilité, irréprochable, reproduit parfaitement les sensations de l’arcade, et l’inclusion d’un système de mot de passe est un vrai gain. Un très bon moyen de découvrir le jeu.

Questicle.net (B)

Alright, yes, it’s obvious the game was made for co-op. Otherwise, Taito wouldn’t have made the good ending available solely for two brave warriors trudging through two-hundred levels of bubble paste and smeared vegetable carcasses. But if this is the case, I’m going to go out on a limb and say they shouldn’t have even added a one-player mode. Then again, in 1988, one couldn’t get better replay value for their money. Two-hundred levels?! Even if one-hundred are just harder repeats, that’s good stuff. Argh, I don’t know. I’m conflicted and tired. The game’s boring, but it’s probably really awesome if I play the way drunken Taito developers want me to. BAM!

Raze (74 out of 100)

The sad thing about this version is that while it follows the layout of the original almost exactly, it just isn't fast enough to be playable in sufficient amounts for hardcore (?) fans. However, once you get used it, it's not that bad, and novices won't even notice the difference.

ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (8.8 out of 12)

Viele, viele Sonderboni, Extrawaffen und der verflixt clevere, plattformmäßige Aufbau der Levels sorgen für ungemein langen Spielsaß. Das Spiel ist zudem technisch blitzsauber umgesetzt worden und bietet ein paar neue Levels. Bubble Bobble muß man gespielt haben!

1UP! (71 out of 100)

Digne représentant du genre "action-puzzle", grosso modo réflexes et réflexion, Bubble Bobble est aussi le créateur d'un style dans cette catégorie: son style, que définissent des graphismes simples et mignons, des personnages simples et mignons, des musiques simplettes et mignonettes, et des énigmes simples et vachement dures. Tous ces éléments dans une succession de tableaux et voilà, vous-y êtes, c'est le style Bubble Bobble. Ca ne casse pas des briques, mais n'allez pas dire ça aux fans prisonniers de leur bulle, ils vous traiteraient d'imbécile et d'illettré du jeu vidéo. Il est vrai que le jeu peut devenir très prenant par moments, mais d'autres l'ont fait mieux que lui. Sa difficulté en yo-yo saura toutefois séduire ceux qui aiment se fracturer les nerfs sur des situations vicieuses mais pastel. Celles que compte le jeu demandent du temps pour s'en remettre.

Amstar (14 out of 20)

Doté de graphismes de bonne qualité et présentant toujours un intérêt de jeu puisque vous pouvez progresser grâce aux mots de passe, il faut noter qu'il est possible de jouer à 2 avec Bubble Bobble.

RetroGame Man (7 out of 10)

Graphics are charming but nothing fancy with colourful levels and enemies and static black backgrounds. The sound and music is fun and captures the mood of the game but does not go beyond this. Overall, this game is a simple but fun cooperative puzzle-platform game. After 20 or 30 levels, it can become a but repetitive, but is still fun for short bursts.

Video Games (69 out of 100)

Die NES-Version ist spielerisch recht gut umgesetzt worden. Die Entwickler haben das Scrolling, das bei der GameBoy-Version gewisse Nachteile offenbarte, glücklicherweise wieder fallengelassen. Gegner und Levels gleichen sehr dem Automaten. Einzig die Extras erscheinen etwas spärlich. Schon bei mehr als 3-4 Blasen fängt die Grafik an zu flackern, und die Bewegungen der Gegner sind teilweise ruckelig. Insgesamt überwiegt aber die gute Spielbarkeit.

Power Play (69 out of 100)

Grafisch präsentiert sich das Plattformspiel recht bieder. Außerdem flackern die schnuckligen Sprites stellenweise arg. Trotzdem: wer auf unkomplizierte Ideen mit hohem spielerischem Nährwert steht, wird mit diesem "Rainbow Islands"-Vorläufer gut bedient.

Play Time (61 out of 100)

Die sind allerdings nicht gerade mit schöner Grafik gesegnet, sondern eher schlicht in mageren Pixeln gehalten und reizen die Möglichkeiten des NES bei weitem nicht aus. Auch flackern die Sprites - ebenso wie beim Sega Master System - erheblich, wenn eine größere Anzahl von Blasen und Gegnern auf dem Screen ist. Die Musik ist sicherlich ebenfalls keine große Meisterleistung. Die vorhandene Paßwortfunktion erlaubt es, die schon geschafften Level zu überspringen. Die Motivation ist, vor allem im Zweispielermodus sehr hoch, da das gegenseitige Abluchsen von Bonusgegenständen, die im Spiel reichlich vorhanden sind, enormen Spaß macht. Ein, trotz der veralteten Grafik, gutes Game, das immer wieder spielenswert ist.

Player One (60 out of 100)

En clair, à moins d'être un inconditionnel du jeu de café ou d'avoir un petit cousin vraiment jeune, vous n'êtes pas obligé d'acheter Bubble Bobble. Il y a bien trop d'autres bons jeux sur Nintendo.

GameCola.net (3.8 out of 10)

I don’t know. But, Bubble Bobble is a pretty dumb game. Sorry, guys.