Game Information

ROM Information:
Save Function on ROM: Password
Emulator/s it has been tested on: ZSNES, Snes9X

System:
Super Nintendo
Released:
1995
Extras:

Direction Pad:
Move bubble popper left and right slowly/ select options during menus.
Select Button:
N/A
Start Button:
Pause.
Shoulder Buttons:
Press to move bubble popper left and right faster.
X Button:
N/A
Y Button:
N/A
A Button:
Fire bobble from bobble popper
B Button:
Fire bobble from bobble popper

The basic idea is to pop all the bubbles on screen, basically a screen is full of about 20 bubbles, which are all connected together and are touching the top of the screen. You take control of Bub or Bob and are shown at the bottom of the screen controlling a 'Bubble Popper'..basic this bubble popper gets loaded with bubbles and you have to move the bubble popper left and right and fire the bubbles up the screen, bouncing off the sides of the screen if necessary, to pop the bubbles.

Each bubble is spilt into a colour range, so lets say there are 5 red bubbles, 5 green bubbles, 5 yellow bubbles and 5 blue bubbles around the screen. Now, to clear the red bubbles you have to pop them with a red bubble from your bubble popper...but there has to be at least three red bubbles touching each other in order for the bubbles to pop. So, if you fire a red bubble at one red bubble, nothing will happen, however, if you fire another red bubble at these two red bubbles all three of them will pop and disappear...if there are any other bubbles below these bubbles...they will also fall off the screen!

"So, the idea is to clear the bubbles before they reach the bottom of the screen..."

The fun comes in the fact that the roof continues to drop, and at the bottom of the screen there is a line which goes across the screen...if any bubbles cross this line, it's game over! So, the idea is to clear the bubbles before they reach the bottom of the screen...

It seems complex and it is very hard to explain...but the idea is so simple and is why the game works so well... Having now tried to explain how the game works, lets look at the options on offer...

Where better to start then with the options...firstly, there are 3 modes of play, and these are 1P Play, Vs Play and Challenge Record. There are also a few options which can be played around with, such as editing the difficulty level. The dificulty level can be set from easy to Difficult...and boy does it get difficult. The CPU level can also be selected ranging from weak to strong...this option will effect the way the CPU plays, such as their speed when playing the Vs mode.

1P play sees you take control of Bub and start at round one, then you simply move onto the next round with each round getting harder and harder...There are over 30 rounds and the later rounds become incredibly difficult. The only difference in appearance of round 30 to say round 1, is that there is a different backdrop. This is the main mode for the one player, and it is certainly the hardest... At the game over screen, you are given a Password which can then be entered to start at the round you last attempted...this is certainly something which needed to be added, as you will be looking at the game over screen a lot of the time, it's certainly challenging, yet very addictive...

Vs Play is the only mode of play which can be played with either one or two players...if the one player game is selected, you face a CPU opponent, on the right hand side of the screen, whose level of intelligence can be edited at the main screen. The One player game is fun, I don't think it's as good as the 1P play, but it certainly gives you a good run for your money. The Two player game is loads of fun, friendships will be lost as you lose rounds you really should have won. The basic idea of this mode of play, is to pop all the bubbles before your opponent, whilst making sure you don't let any bubbles cross the line at the bottom. The winner is the first to win a pre set amount of rounds...the default is three! The only addition to this mode of play, is that if you pop some bubbles which had bubbles below them...they will fall of your screen and be thrown onto your opponents screen...this usually happens at the worst possible time! It's fun, yet very un-forgiving...

"It's a game all about skill, and it really does work."

The final mode of play is Challenge record...this is a one player mode, mind you, you could take it in turns to challenge the record! The basic idea is to pop as many bubbles as you can, before they reach the bottom...the games carries on until a balloon crosses the bottom. This mode is simply about getting the most points, for each balloon popped you get one point. Again this is so addictive, you will lose weeks in this mode...Trust me, I know!

Graphics and sound, how good are they? Well, the sound is fun...the music is like one looped tune, and it's one of them tunes that when things are going well, you will be dancing along with it...but when things are not looking good, you'll be shouting at the bleeder...and the graphics do there job, they are nothing special yet they very rarely are in puzzle games!

Right then, how good is it...well, it is absolutely stunning...it really is a gem, the fact that this game has appeared on the Playstation aswell, says it all really! It plays like a dream, at first you will be wondering what is going on, but soon you'll be popping bubbles like there's no tomorrow! The first few rounds can be won simply by popping all the lower bubbles...and clearing the rounds that way. However, the later levels are set out in search a way, that you have to take out the top rows of bubbles, thus clearing the lower rows in the process. It's a game all about skill, and it really does work. In comparison with say, Tetris, I don't feel it's as good...but it only just falls short of the Tetris classic. There are times of frustration, and some of the later levels are very taxing on the brain...you will be staring at the title screen a fair few times with this game, but keep at it and you will have the time of your life!

Kevin Preston

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