One of the most popular arcade games ever made, Taito's Bubble Bobble tells a story of Bub and Bob, two friends who are changed into bubble dragons, and must save their girlfriends from a super baddie named Hyper Drunk. The gameplay, like in all good arcade games, is easy to learn: you (and your friend in a 2-player game) blow out bubbles to capture baddies, then quickly pop them. When the bubbles are popped, fruit comes out for you to collect (and compete against your friend for points). The game is very simple in concept, but incredibly addictive due to spotless controls, quirky levels, bosses, and monsters, and overall fun. I remember playing this games for hours, thinking "just one more level before I go to bed" -- and next thing I know, it's wee hours of the next day. This PC version done by NovaLogic is an excellent conversion of the original, although of course the graphics are reduced to EGA only. With a truly classic design, it's no wonder that Bubble Bobble is alive and well: there have been many sequels and spin-offs, although none for the PC except for the excellent 1996 remake, also on this site. A must-have! Reviewed by: Underdogs |