Review: Bubble Bobble 4 Friends

Let me start by saying, unless it’s a puzzle game, I’m not very good at video games.  I used to be, but as video games developed, I was left behind. I didn’t have the coordination for difficult moves that required you to press multiple buttons and navigate at the same time.  Add to that a pretty severe case of motion sickness when playing 3D games and by the time Playstation, Dreamcast, and N64 came around, I was restricted on what video games I could play. However, these consoles were always able to lure me in with the retro games.  That being said, I was thrilled when I heard that Bubble Bobble was coming to the Switch. Bubble Bobble was one of my favorite NES era games. Like Super Mario Brothers, there were no complex movements – you ran, you jumped, and you blew bubbles. Bubble Bobble was probably my favorite video game, next to Dr. Mario and like most kids, these games were my favorite because I was good at them.  By the time I was a teenager, I could play for 30 plus minutes on a single quarter at the local video store where they had an actual Bubble Bobble game, and I admit, I expected to still be good after all these years.

A large part of why I wanted Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is that it not only contains the entire original game, but it also contains a variety of new levels that can be played solo or with up to four players working cooperatively.  Other than the upgraded graphics, there are a few changes to set the new content apart. You still run, jump, and blow bubbles. There are some minor changes to solo gameplay in the new content, bubbles are easier to ride into the air and for those of us who are used to the old game, they can seem a little harder to pop.  The developers have also introduced skills that you can level up and make gameplay a little easier. One such skill allows you to shoot your bubbles farther, but like any special skill it is best to use it carefully or it won’t be there when you need it.

For me, the best part of the new content is the co-op option.  While you could play up to 2 players in classic Bubble Bobble, it always felt a bit more competitive than cooperative. One change to the new multiplayer mode is that there is only one score, so it really is cooperative. Additionally, if you accidentally touch a monster, you will be placed in a bubble for a few seconds before you lose a life but you can be saved if one of your friends pops your bubble.  I figured the best way to test this game was with my sister’s family. There were 5 of us taking turns playing; 2 children, ages 8 and 12 and the three adults. Much in the way Super Smash Brothers can get busy and difficult to follow, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends can be a bit chaotic with everyone running around trying to capture monsters in bubbles. There were many shouts of “Where am I?” or “Come save me, I’m stuck in a bubble!” Just as in the original game, when you kill all the monsters bonus point fruit appears for you to gather before moving onto the next level.   While the adults focused on beating the levels, the kids were far more interested in racing one another to gather the fruit at the end of the level. After a bit of playing the 12-year-old got a better handle on the controls and was able to help with the goals of the levels. Both kids cheered at the end of every level and there was much shouting and excitement with the defeat of the first boss.  

Because they are so small the adults seemed to have a bit of trouble playing on the joy-cons, and more than once the game was accidentally paused. Eventually, due to the confusion of “who paused it?” we assigned player one as the person to get us back in the game no matter who accidentally hit the wrong button.

For me, I probably would have bought this game on the nostalgia factor alone.  However, the new content and easy to play controls make this a great game for new and old audiences alike. Now, I just have to practice more, because I am nowhere near as good at this game as I remember being. 

Taito are currently developing and expanding the game’s content to deliver everything fans’ wish for, including new stages and the return of a fan-favorite enemy character – “Baron von Blubba’. This expansion will be free to everyone that purchases Bubble Bobble 4 Friends!