Bubble Bobble (video game): Difference between revisions

Bubble Bobble
Bubble Bobble
	Promotional USA flyer for the original arcade iteration of Bubble Bobble
Developer(s)	Taito
Publisher(s)	Taito and Romstar
Designer(s)	Fukio Mitsuji
Platform(s)	Arcade
Release	1986
Genre(s)	Platform game
Mode(s)	Up to 2 players simultaneously

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Revision as of 21:12, 26 December 2009

Bubble Bobble (バブルボブル, Baburu Boburu) is an arcade game by Taito, first released in 1986 and later ported to numerous home computers and game consoles. The game, starring the twin Bubble Dragons Bub (Bubblun) (バブルン, Baburun) and Bob (Bobblun) (ボブルン, Boburun), is an action-platformer game in which players travel through one hundred different stages, busting and pushing bubbles, avoiding enemies and collecting a variety of items. The game became very popular and led to a long series of sequels and spinoffs.

Game mechanics

In the game, each player controls one of two dragons. The player can move along platforms, as well as jump from one platform to that above, or to the side, in a similar way to most platform games.

The player can also blow bubbles. These can trap enemies, who are defeated if the bubble is then burst by the player's spiny back. The bubbles also float for a time before bursting, and can be jumped on, allowing access to otherwise inaccessible areas.

Enemies turn "angry" – becoming pink-colored and moving faster – if they are the last enemy remaining, escape from a bubble after being left too long, or a certain amount of time has been spent on the current level.

Contact with an enemy is deadly, resulting in the loss of a life.

The game's music was written by Japanese team Zuntata. Peter Clarke and David Whittaker have arranged music for home computer ports (some versions have a new intro music by Whittaker).

Ports

The Game Boy and Game Boy Color versions have a Moon Water storyline, and are known as Bubble Bobble, and Classic Bubble Bobble respectively.

The popularity of Bubble Bobble led Taito (or its licensees) to port to many home computers and video game consoles. Ports of the game were released for the Commodore 64, Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Amiga, Atari ST, MSX, Amstrad CPC, Sharp X68000, PC (MS-DOS, 1989 and 1996), Apple II, FM Towns Marty, Sega Master System, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Nintendo Entertainment System, Famicom Disk System, Sega Game Gear, mobile phone (Sprint PCS), Texas Instruments TI-8x series of calculators^[1] and UltraCade's Taito Arcade Classics. A version also exists for the BBC Micro on public domain though never officially released.

In 1996 Taito announced that they lost the original source code. As Probe Entertainment was in charge of the home conversions, Taito sent them a Bubble Bobble arcade PCB so they could play the original game and reproduce its mechanics. This led to the release of Bubble Bobble also featuring Rainbow Islands for Saturn, PlayStation and PC (MS-DOS) in 1996.

At the end of 2006 a new port for mobile phones in Europe and Japan was released.

In October 2005, a version was released for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and PC as part of the Taito Legends compilation of classic arcade games.

Recently, a homebrew version for the TI-83 graphing calculator was released.

On December 31, 2007, the NES version of Bubble Bobble was released on Nintendo's Virtual Console service for the Wii. It costs 500 Wii Points, the equivalent of $5 USD.

Legacy

Bubble Bobble inspired many sequels, including:

Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)

Halo 2 (2004)

Halo 3 (2007)

Halo Wars (2009)

Halo: ODST (2009)

Halo: Reach (2010)

Crab Nicholson Extreme Sleepover Text Adventure (2010)

Reception

Mean Machines gave the Game Boy port of the game a score of 91%, noting that while some changes had been made the game played identical to the original arcade port and "provides much addiction and challenge".^[2]

References

^ "Bubble Bobble 8x". Retrieved 2009-07-18.
^ Rignall, Julian (1992). "Bubble Bobble review". Mean Machines (23). Retrieved 2009-06-04. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

Bubble Bobble at Arcade History.
[1] for TI-8x ports of Bubble Bobble.

External links

Nintendo Archives' Review
Bubble Bobble at the Killer List of Videogames
Bubble Bobble Series at Curlie
Bubble Trouble A detailed analysis of the arcade version, as published in Retro Gamer magazine.
Bubble Bobble Video Game Vault A brief video look back on Bubble Bobble for the NES, by ScrewAttack
Template:StrategyWiki

[1] "Bubble Bobble 8x". Retrieved 2009-07-18.

[2] Rignall, Julian (1992). "Bubble Bobble review". Mean Machines (23). Retrieved 2009-06-04. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Refimprove|date=March 2009}}
 {{Infobox VG
 |title = Bubble Bobble
@@ Line 16: / Line 17: @@
 }}
-{{nihongo|'''''Bubble Bobble'''''|バブルボブル|Baburu Boburu}} is an [[arcade game]] by [[Taito Corporation|Taito]], first released in 1986 <ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7222 |title=Bubble Bobble Video Game by Taito (1986)| publisher=klov.com|accessdate=2009-10-04 }}</ref> and later [[porting|ported]] to numerous [[home computer]]s and [[Video game console|game console]]s <ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.mobygames.com/game-group/bubble-bobble-games |title=Bubble Bobble Games| publisher=mobygames.com|accessdate=2009-10-04 }}</ref>.  The game, starring the twin Bubble Dragons {{nihongo|'''Bub''' ''(Bubblun)''|バブルン|Baburun}} and {{nihongo|'''Bob''' ''(Bobblun)''|ボブルン|Boburun}}, is an action-platformer game in which players travel through one hundred different stages, busting and pushing [[Liquid bubble|bubble]]s, avoiding enemies and collecting a variety of items.  The game became very popular and led to a long series of sequels and spinoffs.
+{{nihongo|'''''Bubble Bobble'''''|バブルボブル|Baburu Boburu}} is an [[arcade game]] by [[Taito Corporation|Taito]], first released in 1986 and later [[porting|ported]] to numerous [[home computer]]s and [[Video game console|game console]]s.  The game, starring the twin Bubble Dragons {{nihongo|'''Bub''' ''(Bubblun)''|バブルン|Baburun}} and {{nihongo|'''Bob''' ''(Bobblun)''|ボブルン|Boburun}}, is an action-platformer game in which players travel through one hundred different stages, busting and pushing [[Liquid bubble|bubble]]s, avoiding enemies and collecting a variety of items.  The game became very popular and led to a long series of sequels and spinoffs.
 ==Game mechanics==
 In the game, each player controls one of two dragons. The player can move along platforms, as well as jump from one platform to that above, or to the side, in a similar way to most platform games.
-The player can also blow bubbles. These can trap enemies, who are defeated if the bubble is then burst by the player's spiny back. The bubbles also float for a time before bursting, and can be jumped on, allowing access to otherwise inaccessible areas. Players progress to the next level once all enemies on the current level are defeated.
+The player can also blow bubbles. These can trap enemies, who are defeated if the bubble is then burst by the player's spiny back. The bubbles also float for a time before bursting, and can be jumped on, allowing access to otherwise inaccessible areas.
-Enemies turn "angry"&nbsp;– becoming pink-colored and moving faster&nbsp;– if they are the last enemy remaining, escape from a bubble after being left too long, or a certain amount of time has been spent on the current level.
+Enemies turn "angry" – becoming pink-colored and moving faster – if they are the last enemy remaining, escape from a bubble after being left too long, or a certain amount of time has been spent on the current level.
 Contact with an enemy is deadly, resulting in the loss of a life.
-The game's music was written by Japanese team [[Zuntata]]. Peter Clarke and [[David Whittaker (video game composer)|David Whittaker]] have arranged music for home computer ports (some versions have a new intro music by Whittaker).
+The game's music was written by Japanese team Zuntata. Peter Clarke and [[David Whittaker (video game composer)|David Whittaker]] have arranged music for home computer ports (some versions have a new intro music by Whittaker).
+== Ports ==
+The [[Game Boy]] and [[Game Boy Color]] versions have a Moon Water storyline, and are known as ''Bubble Bobble'', and ''Classic Bubble Bobble'' respectively.
-==Ports==
 The popularity of ''Bubble Bobble'' led Taito (or its licensees) to [[porting|port]] to many [[home computer]]s and [[video game console]]s. Ports of the game were released for the [[Commodore 64]], [[Sinclair ZX Spectrum]], [[Amiga]], [[Atari ST]], [[MSX]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Sharp X68000]], [[Personal computer|PC]] ([[MS-DOS]], 1989 and 1996), [[Apple II series|Apple II]], [[FM Towns Marty]], [[Sega Master System]], [[Game Boy]], [[Game Boy Color]], [[Game Boy Advance]], [[Nintendo DS]], [[PlayStation]], [[Sega Saturn]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], [[Family Computer Disk System|Famicom Disk System]], [[Sega Game Gear]], [[mobile phone]] ([[Sprint Nextel|Sprint PCS]]), [[Texas Instruments]] [[TI-83|TI-8x series]] of calculators<ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.dwedit.org/bubblebobble/ |title=Bubble Bobble 8x |accessdate=2009-07-18 }}</ref> and [[UltraCade Technologies|UltraCade]]'s Taito Arcade Classics. A version also exists for the [[BBC Micro]] on [[public domain]] though never officially released.
-In 1996 [[Taito Corporation|Taito]] announced that they lost the original source code <ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=bubble-bobble&page=detail&id=343 |title=bubble bobble video game, taito corp. (1986)| publisher=arcade-history.com|accessdate=2009-10-04 }}</ref>. As [[Acclaim Cheltenham|Probe Entertainment]] was in charge of the home conversions, [[Taito Corporation|Taito]] sent them a ''Bubble Bobble'' [[arcade game|arcade]] [[Printed circuit board|PCB]] so they could play the original game and reproduce its mechanics. This led to the  release of ''Bubble Bobble also featuring [[Rainbow Islands]]'' for [[Saturn]], [[PlayStation]] and [[Personal computer|PC]] ([[MS-DOS]]) in [[1996]].
+In 1996 [[Taito Corporation|Taito]] announced that they lost the original source code. As [[Acclaim Cheltenham|Probe Entertainment]] was in charge of the home conversions, [[Taito Corporation|Taito]] sent them a ''Bubble Bobble'' [[arcade game|arcade]] [[Printed circuit board|PCB]] so they could play the original game and reproduce its mechanics. This led to the  release of ''Bubble Bobble also featuring [[Rainbow Islands]]'' for [[Saturn]], [[PlayStation]] and [[Personal computer|PC]] ([[MS-DOS]]) in [[1996]].
-The Original [[Game Boy]] and [[Game Boy Color]] versions have a Moon Water storyline, and are known as ''Bubble Bobble'', and ''Classic Bubble Bobble'' respectively.<ref> {{cite web|url=http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Bubble_Bobble |title=Bubble Bobble StrategyWiki| publisher=strategywiki.com|accessdate=2009-10-04 }}</ref>
 At the end of 2006 a new port for mobile phones in Europe and Japan was released.
@@ Line 40: / Line 41: @@
 In October 2005, a version was released for the [[Xbox]], [[PlayStation 2]], and [[Personal computer|PC]] as part of the ''[[Taito Legends]]'' compilation of [[retrogaming|classic arcade games]].
-{{As of|2006|10|alt=Recently}}, a [[Homebrew (video games)|homebrew]] version for the [[TI-83 series|TI-83]] [[graphing calculator]] was released.
+Recently, a [[Homebrew (video games)|homebrew]] version for the [[TI-83 series|TI-83]] [[graphing calculator]] was released.
-On December 31, 2007, the NES version of Bubble Bobble was released on Nintendo's [[Virtual Console]] service for the [[Wii]]. It costs 500 [[Nintendo Points|Wii Points]], the equivalent of [[United States dollar|US$]]5.
+On [[December 31]], [[2007]], the NES version of Bubble Bobble was released on Nintendo's [[Virtual Console]] service for the [[Wii]]. It costs 500 [[Nintendo Points|Wii Points]], the equivalent of $5 [[United States dollar|USD]].
+==Legacy==
+Bubble Bobble inspired many sequels, including:
+Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)
+Halo 2 (2004)
+Halo 3 (2007)
+Halo Wars (2009)
+Halo: ODST (2009)
+Halo: Reach (2010)
+Crab Nicholson Extreme Sleepover Text Adventure (2010)
 ==Reception==
 ''[[Mean Machines]]'' gave the Game Boy port of the game a score of 91%, noting that while some changes had been made the game played identical to the original arcade port and "provides much addiction and challenge".<ref>{{cite journal |last=Rignall |first=Julian |authorlink=Julian Rignall |year=1992 |month=August |title=Bubble Bobble review |journal=[[Mean Machines]] |issue=23 |url=http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/review/386/bubble-bobble.php |accessdate=2009-06-04}}</ref>
-==Legacy==
-''Bubble Bobble'' inspired many sequels, including:
-*''[[Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2]]'' (1987)
-*''[[Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2#Extra_version|Rainbow Islands Extra Version]]'' (1988)
-*''[[Parasol Stars]]'' (1991 originally released for PC-Engine/TurboGrafx-16, converted for NES (Europe only), Amiga, Atari ST, and Game Boy (Europe only)
-*''[[Bubble Bobble Part 2]]'' (1993 Nintendo Famicom, Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy)
-*''[[Bubble Symphony|Bubble Bobble II]]'' (World) / ''[[Bubble Symphony]]'' (Europe, Japan, U.S.) (1994 Arcade, [[Sega Saturn]] (Japan only))
-*''[[Bubble Memories|Bubble Memories - The Story of Bubble Bobble III]]'' (1995 Arcade)
-*''[[Rainbow Islands - Putty's Party]]'' (2000 Bandai Wonderswan)
-*''[[Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure]]'' (2009 [[WiiWare]], [[Xbox Live Arcade]])
-*''[[Bubble Bobble Plus!]]'' (2009 [[WiiWare]]) aka ''[[Bubble Bobble Neo!]]'' (2009 [[Xbox Live Arcade]])
 ==References==
-{{Reflist}}
+{{reflist}}
+* [http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=bubble-bobble&page=detail&id=343 Bubble Bobble] at Arcade History.
+* [http://www.dwedit.org/bubblebobble/] for TI-8x ports of Bubble Bobble.
 ==External links==
+*[http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gkua69MtGwM Nintendo Archives' Review]
 *{{KLOV game|id=7222}}
-*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=bubble-bobble&page=detail&id=343 ''Bubble Bobble''] at [http://www.arcade-history.com/ Arcade History.com]
-*{{StrategyWiki}}
-*[http://www.adamdawes.com/retrogaming/rg_08_bubblebobble.html ''Bubble Trouble''] A detailed analysis of the arcade version, as published in Retro Gamer magazine.
-*[http://tjasink.com/games/bb/items2.html ''Bubble Bobble'' Items] Compiled by Stephen Tjasink and Paul Rahme.
 *{{dmoz|Games/Video_Games/Platform/Bubble_Bobble_Series|''Bubble Bobble'' Series}}
-*[http://www.gametrailers.com/player/18261.html ''Bubble Bobble'' Video Game Vault] A brief video look back on Bubble Bobble for the NES, by ScrewAttack
+*[http://www.adamdawes.com/retrogaming/rg_08_bubblebobble.html ''Bubble Trouble''] A detailed analysis of the arcade version, as published in Retro Gamer magazine.
+*[http://www.gametrailers.com/player/18261.html Bubble Bobble Video Game Vault] A brief video look back on Bubble Bobble for the NES, by ScrewAttack
-*[http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gkua69MtGwM Nintendo Archives' Review]
+*{{StrategyWiki}}
 {{Bubble Bobble series}}
@@ Line 106: / Line 113: @@
 [[ja:バブルボブル]]
 [[nn:Bubble Bobble]]
-[[pt:Bubble Bobble]]
 [[fi:Bubble Bobble]]
 [[sv:Bubble Bobble]]

v t e Bubble Bobble
Bubble Bobble	Bubble Bobble Part 2 Bubble Symphony Bubble Memories Revolution Evolution Double Shot Plus! 4 Friends
Rainbow Islands	Rainbow Islands Parasol Stars Revolution Evolution Towering Adventure!
Puzzle Bobble	Puzzle Bobble 2 3 4 Pocket Super Millennium Super 2 Ultra DS Bash! Space Plus! New Universe
Related games	Chack'n Pop The Fairyland Story Puzzle de Pon! Pop'n Pop The NewZealand Story Touhou Spell Bubble