While the original arcade version of the original Bubble Bobble was popular and successful enough on its own, its NES port was also just as successful and considered one of the best games on the system. Obviously, there were plenty of changes that could make this version of that game undesirable in comparison to the arcade version, such as with the worse graphics, sound, the slower speed, and the floatiness that was present, but none of that was able to drag it down any further, and it is still seen as many as one of the best co-op games on the system, and one that I myself still have fun with playing whenever I decide to give it a go. The port was also extremely successful as well, to the point where, five years after it had came out, Taito decided to make a direct sequel to it on not just the NES, but also the Game Boy……. even though at this point, there already was both a Bubble Bobble 2 and 3, but again, I don’t think they really care about that sort of thing. This sequel would eventually come out and simply be known as Bubble Bobble Part 2.

When I initially went into this game, I hadn’t really known much about it other then, much like other Taito games like Panic Restaurant and Little Samson, this was one of the rarest games on the NES, with used copies for the game going for at least $400+ on online retailers. Then again, the price of a game doesn’t automatically determine what its quality is gonna be, because a game like Color a Dinosaur may be worth hundreds of dollars, but it is still a dumb baby game that should be ashamed of itself. So, I went into it with minor expectations, and what I ended up finding was a game that was somewhat of an improvement of the original game, but in comparison, it wasn’t really anything too special in comparison. That being said, it is still a great late NES title, one that does introduce new elements to improve on the base gameplay of the original, but also does other stuff that also kinda drags it down a bit.

The story is basically the equivalent of the free space on a Bingo card for any NES game, where a girl named Judy, who is friends with Bub and Bob, gets kidnapped by the nefarious Skull Brothers while also transforming them back into dinos, so it is up to them to go save her and turn themselves back to normal, which is pretty basic for both a sequel and an NES game, but it is still a fine plot nonetheless, the graphics are definitely a step-up from the original game, with there being much more variety in terms of the colors and designs of enemies and bosses, making it look really nice when compared to other titles on the system, the music is an improvement over the original as well, having plenty of different upbeat tracks for many of the different worlds that you go to, and they are nice to listen to (plus, it also helps that there isn’t just one track on loop for most of the game), the control is about the same as the original game, so not much more to say about that, and the gameplay is pretty similar to the original game, but with enough bells and whistles added to make it just that little bit superior.

The game is a 2D platformer, where you take control of either Bub or Bob, take on a set of four worlds each containing around 20 rounds each, blow plenty of bubbles to trap many enemies, allowing you to them defeat them and collect the many whimsical remains of their bodies along the way, like shaved ice and peppers, gather plenty of different powerups and health items to assist you on taking down these enemies along the way, and defeat plenty of bosses that will provide somewhat of a challenge, which is quite an improvement over the original game’s one and only boss at the end. For the most part, it is all the same song and dance that you have come to expect from a Bubble Bobble sequel, but there is a little more in there aside from the additional bosses to make it stand out.

First off, you now have a new health bar, which you can fill up by getting hearts throughout the levels, which makes it so that you don’t always die in one hit, obviously. It’s not that much of a big change, but it is one that is appreciated regardless, and one that makes getting through the game somewhat easier as a result. In addition to this, you also have a new ability in the game where you can hold a bubble in your mouth, causing you to inflate and start to float up like a balloon, allowing you to reach certain areas that you couldn’t access before and possibly even reach certain enemies as well. Not only is this a nice little addition to your very limited moveset, but it also is essential for progressing through the game, as there were plenty of stages that did require the use of this ability. It is cool to see them make these levels built around this mechanic, even if the mechanic itself can be a bit difficult to get the hang of in certain circumstances.

All of that is well and good, but at the end of the day, this game is mostly just another Bubble Bobble game. There isn’t too much here that makes it stand out in comparison to the original aside from the new graphical look, sound, and bosses, so if you weren’t necessarily a fan of how the original game played, then it is highly likely that this sequel isn’t gonna do anything to convince you otherwise. Also, while most of the game is generally improved over the original game, the co-op received a downgrade in comparison, where now you have to take turns when you choose co-op, unlike the original game where you could play simultaneous co-op. I guess you could say that the game maybe a little too graphically intense to allow for simultaneous co-op, but this was released in 1993, really late into the NES’s lifespan, so I’m sure that they could’ve easily found a way to implement that, but that sadly isn’t the case.

Overall, despite everything mostly remaining the same as the original, as well as the lack of simultaneous co-op, this is still what I would consider to be the better game over the original Bubble Bobble, one that adds just enough to make it feel more complete and appealing, but one that isn’t gonna give the original a run for its money. I would definitely recommend it for those who are fans of the Bubble Bobble series, especially the original NES title, as well as those who like Taito’s later NES games like Little Samson and Panic Restaurant, because you will probably get a good amount of fun from this game, whether you aim to beat it or otherwise. But again, like with those other games, don’t try to find a physical copy of it, because let's face it, you aren’t gonna be getting one without paying hundreds of dollars. Unless you already have a copy, in which case, I may or may not be paying a visit to your house sometime in the future. No reason in particular, don’t worry.

Game #425

Apesar de no papel ter tudo para me agradar mais que o Bubble Bobble original, com mais variedade e um desafio mais humano, senti alguma coisa faltando que não consigo bem explicar. Só sei que, mesmo sendo mais curto que seu progenitor, terminando no nível 80, lá pelo 40 eu tive que dar uma pausa porque estava meio fadigado - algo que não aconteceu com o primeiro game da série, que zerei numa sentada só mesmo sendo mais difícil e mais longo. Talvez a sensação de insatisfação seja por este game ser apenas "mais do mesmo", replicando fielmente o clássico de arcade. Se comparado com o resto da série até o momento, em que cada entrada esbanjava de originalidade, é um pouco decepcionante.