Overall 9 Graphics 7 Sound 7 Addictive 9 Story 5 Depth 6 Difficulty 8
7
Burst Your Bubble! rcarter2
Bubble Bobble 2 is the sequel to the smash hit, Bubble Bobble. Now, you can get into debate about how it should be Bubble Bobble 4 because this is the 4th adventure these characters have on the NES, but the second and third had nothing to do with bubbles or being the little dinosaur we all love, so, I think the name is appropriate. This game is much like the first Bubble Bobble, where you are to trap every enemy in a level in a bubble that you shoot from your mouth and pop them in order to advance to the level below you. You see a lot of familiar enemies, as well as some new. Odds are, if you enjoyed the first Bubble Bobble, you will enjoy the sequel as well.
Graphics: 7
Bubble Bobble 2 takes a step up in graphics compared to it's predecessor. Your character, bubbles, and the enemies are larger, so they are more clear. But the biggest difference is the background. In the first game, you are stuck with a completely black background, whereas in this game, you get trees, clouds, and other environments to see, which change periodically through the game. This gives your eyes more of a variety. The ground that you walk on is also a step up from little colored squares to surfaces such as wooden logs. These graphics are nothing particularly special though. It is just slightly better than your average NES game, but could have been better. What makes them above average is the fact that the characters are so clear and move so smoothly. There is a downside to the better graphics, though. Because characters, enemies, bubbles, etc are over 5 times the size they are in the first game, the levels are also about 5 times smaller to accommodate. So there is a lot less room to run around, resulting in less enemies and less platforms to jump around.
Sound: 7
The sound of this game is also about as good as your NES game. You get the same bubble throwing and jumping sounds as you did in the first game, so nothing new there. The music is a step up though. It is cute music that goes well with the cute characters. One complaint about the first game was the fact that you get the same song playing through all 113 levels, and it gets annoying. The music here would be just as annoying if it did the same. But luckily, you get a break from the music because there is a boss fight every 20 levels, and in some cases, every 10 levels (this does not include mini-bosses that happen almost every 10 levels). The main boss levels give you a change of music as well as scenery, which is surprisingly good as far as boss fights go. Though it still has a bit of a cutesy sound, it still works. You also get some bonus mini-games throughout the game that has it's own fun music to listen to. So you might not find yourself muting your game to get away from over 100 levels of the same repeating music.
Addictiveness: 9
This game is simple, this game is long, and this game certainly is addicting. Don't get me wrong. I say simple as in easy to get the hang of as far as game play goes. But that does not change the fact that this game is quite a challenge. Though not every hit has to be an instant loss of a life like the first Bubble Bobble, this game will still take you a lot of times to be able to play through the whole thing without the use of save states. But the difficulty is not so hard that it makes you want to quit after losing and having to start over (unless you get through 50 levels). You find yourself breezing through levels easier each time you play, making you that more determined to try again. The simplicity of this game really draws you in. There is just something undeniably fun about blowing bubbles at enemies and popping them into ice cream!
Story: 5
This story is the generic plot of a lot of NES games. Your girlfriend has been kidnapped, and you must save her. It doesn't exactly explain why you transform into a bubble blowing dinosaur, but there would be no game if you didn't (at least not as cutely fun). You get your story from the opening scene if you wish to watch it, and that is about it. But this game doesn't really need scenes in between levels to explain things. The closest you get to another scene before the end is when you fight the 3 hooded figures who steal your girlfriend in the opening sequence. This will remain spoiler free, but you will get a little bit of a feel of explaining animation in the last levels. Even though it doesn't need much explanation, it doesn't change the fact that it is the same plot as so many NES games, and not much was done to develop it further than that.
Depth: 6
As said before, if you have played the first Bubble Bobble and like it, you will probably like this one. If you weren't fond of it, there isn't much point in playing this one because there isn't much of a new experience other than the fact it is easier, gives you mini-boss and boss fights, and bonus mini-games. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a shallow game. The levels offer required strategy in order to pass later in the game and the enemies get pretty diverse. The game is also long enough, as it gives you 80 levels to play through. So you would get a completely in the middle depth level if it weren't for the mini-bosses and mini-games (bosses don't push it further because you come to expect bosses).
Difficulty: 8
This game is in no way as hard as the original. Though you start off with one heart, which means one hit will result in losing a life, you get plenty of opportunities to collect hearts as you play, which gives you more hits in one life. So you don't have to worry about constant instant kills. But this is still a difficult game. The small playing field of each levels proves cause some difficulties when you have enemies coming from more than one direction. If you slip up, it isn't likely you will find a way to escape without getting hit. The later levels start to prove a challenge as you start running into stationary enemies who not only can attack you through walls and floors, but are positioned in a way that you have to work your way around the level to reach him with your bubbles while you avoid his attacks as well as the other enemies jumping and flying around. Levels start to require you to look at everything to get a good strategy, but later levels give you less time to do that. The boss levels also start to become a bit of a nightmare. The fact that there are no passwords (unlike the original), 80 levels is a big deal.
Overall: 7
This game is well known in the NES world. It is a unique franchise, cute, fun, and challenging. It belongs in the list of cherished retro games. The graphics in the environment could be a lot better, but the things that matter are clean, clear, and smooth. The music is also cute and fun, but you get a break from the same tune. One thing that can be universally said about this game is that it is cute and simple. These two elements work together to make something that can be hard to put down. The story isn't absent, but really is the same generic thing we have seen a lot. The game offers you enough to keep you entertained, but it still can start to become repetitive, except for the bosses. Lastly, the game may be simple, but it is still pretty hard to play through. If you intend to beat it, prepare to lose a lot before you do. But it is no Ghost and Goblins in which you shouldn't have the urge to rip your hair out. It is just good, old fashioned, cute fun.
Graphics 7 Sound 7 Addictive 9 Story 5 Depth 6 Difficulty 8
Review Rating: 4/5
Submitted: 09-10-11
Review Replies: 1
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