I remember Bubble Bobble when I was about 4 years old, and me and my sister used to play it all the time when we were kids. Come to think of it, one of my sisters is a semi-retired gamer, and the sister who played this game with me, is your typical party girl. When I moved to the Caribbean in 1993, we rented the game and I played it with my cousin, and my sisters as well. The game is about two cute little dragons named Bub and Bob, who enter a cave full of monsters and different creatures to save their girlfriends, Betty and Patty. When progressing through the game, your skills will be put to the test, and sometimes it can get on the very pit of your nerves.
Plot. Two dragon-like creatures named Bub and Bob journey into the wonderful cave of monsters, facing many dangers and obstacles. Using their bubble like attacks they spew from their mouths, they enclose the monsters inside and when popping them, they turn them into all kinds of foods, and many different items. They journey to defeat Super Drunk, rescue their lovers Betty and Patty, and also their parents.
Players can obtain lives by achieving a much higher score, completing mini-games and forming the word "EXTEND". When fighting the final boss, the bubbles they blow, contain zap-like symbols that can be used to attack Super Drunk, weakening him. When his HP drops to zero, players must quickly pop him before he is released. And guess what? If you did not access the secret levels, and defeated the final boss, the ending will be bad. So your priority is to get the crystal ball and enter the cage, and it will be much easier if you play this with a friend or family member.
Concept. Players take the role of cute little dragons Bub and Bob, through 99 colorful levels. They gain access to the next level by routing enemies, or completing a mini-game. In level 99, they have the choice to either fight the final boss at once, or get the crystal ball, and enter the cage to gain access to the secret levels. After beating the 99 levels and the secret ones, they fight against Super Drunk, in which they must defeat him to save Betty and Patty. When the game is completed the first time, they play a much more challenging quest called "Super Bubble Bobble".
Design. The graphics are rendered in 8-bits, and characters are rendered in sprites. The colorful settings of the game, makes it more appealing to younger audiences than older ones. Sometimes this game can appeal more to non-gamers, mostly girls.
Memories. In 1990, I played this game when I was 4 years old, and had my NES. The game was more my sister's than mine. My sisters and I used to play it, and even my brother too. As the years passed, my NES broke and my prayers were answered when I got an SNES, and played better games like Super Mario World, Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Star Fox.
Rantings. My most hated level in the game is level 57, because the platform is at the top, and the bombers would make it much more difficult. Hopping on empty bubbles in that area would take me from six to ten minutes to make it to the top. Unless I had a miracle, but it was long, boring, and sinisterly tedious. Also, the more you progress, the staggering it gets and the monsters grow more desperate and can instantly pop out of the bubbles they are trapped in.
Good Aspects. The game is really fun to play and has a lot of great qualities. It has very high replay value, and I highly recommend you download this game for 500 Wii Points. Old gamers will relive those times, just like me when I remember playing this game with my sisters, brother and cousin.
Legacy. Bubble Bobble was so popular that it spawned many sequels and spinoffs, released on different consoles and handhelds. Also, a new game was released in 2009 on the WiiWare, and even the Xbox 360 joined the action with having another Bubble Bobble game on Xbox Live.
Overall. This is one of my most remembered childhood games, long before Sonic the Hedgehog was created. I give this game a 7 out of 10