Bubble Bobble 4 Friends

I’ll admit, Bubble Bobble from the legendary Taito is before my time by quite a bit. I grew up in a different era than than Taito’s reign, but many of their arcade games were blueprints for many flash games and even full scale AAA games to this day. So, a new Bubble Bobble is announced as a revival to the series. Of course I’m intrigued! And as I found, the classic formula holds up.

In a very Toy Story-esque room, you, the little Dragon toy is whisked away into fantastical levels. Your goal is to blow bubbles, pop the baddies, and fight the boss. While Bubble Bobble 4 Friends isn’t hard or easy, the real appeal comes from one, high score chasing, two, multiplayer, and three, the classic Bubble Bobble inside the game!

You’re a dragon that blows bubbles! So threatening. Use it against the critters in your way! After blowing a bubble, it will travel for a short amount of time. (with the airflow) After encapsulating the baddie in a bubble, you jump and push against the bubble, and pop! You can even form chain popping, which is essential to a high score.

Speaking of high scores, this is in essence a classic arcade-styled game, with some modern graphics and touches. You have finite lives, parts may feel cheap, and bosses may be tough. That’s all part of the fun!

The graphics in Bubble Bobble 4 Friends are actually very pleasing. It has this neon aesthetic that looks really good. Sound, while definitely fun and exciting, becomes repetitive after a while.

There’s this EXTEND collectible thing going on in Bubble Bobble. As you go through the levels, collecting all of the letters in EXTEND will enhance your abilities, give you new ones, and fuel your collector’s passion for video games. This part made me come back to all of the levels eventually, and it made later levels much more enjoyable.

The original Bubble Bobble is included in this 100 level package, which is a welcome treat to fans of the original. Frankly, I enjoyed the new Bubble Bobble way more, but it’s a cute addition.

Although I played the game solo, there’s huge potential for a parties. The cute visuals coupled with high score gameplay is something I’d easily see be a party hit. Maybe once quarantine ends, and I can find three others to play with me, I’ll update the review.

Speaking of updating, free DLC will be added later. This addresses my concern of too little content. 100 levels sounds big, but each level is short. Then again, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is meant to be replayed.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a game I’d recommend easily. It wasn’t my favorite game, but the price isn’t too steep for a new entry in a classic series. It seems like great fun with friends and family. I had a lot of fun popping the baddies as a toy dragon, and if you enjoy classic arcade games, you will too. Just make sure you replay levels for a high score, otherwise you’re better off playing something else.

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Reviewed by Jack Bankhead on the Nintendo Switch. Game provided by ININ Games.