Bubble Bobble (Nintendo, 1988)

I was one of the lucky kids (along with my brother and sister) who got the brand new, cutting edge Nintendo Entertainment System when it first came out, and Bubble Bobble soon followed! Typical of most Nintendo games, it was alluringly simple, yet tantalizingly difficult: capture the enemy creatures in bubbles, and pop them to advance through the game - all 200+ levels of it!! It quickly became a family favorite. To this day, nearly 20 years later, I still remember many of the quirky pronunciations my siblings and I gave to the passwords for key levels, and the tricks for getting through the really tough parts.

The only downfall to this game is that you absolutely positively NEED two players to truly beat the game: otherwise, you face the dreaded "false ending" and have to start all over (or use a password and start from the appropriate point). The way around this problem if you're playing alone? When you get to the end, do your best to ensure that you have at least one life left over, and "gift" it to the second player (push "start" then "select" to sacrifice your spare life so the second player can join in)! That said, I find no other fault with this game!

Bubble Bobble has simple controls and a simple concept, but don't expect to truly "beat" it so simply. I could go on and on about how challenging this game is, in classic "Nintendo-hard" fashion, but really, you should play it and find out for yourself! Don't forget to invite a friend!

Oh, and if you want a tip or two, find me on eBay and ask away: I don't know everything, but I'll do my best to help you out!

Originally an arcade game, Bubble Bobble was ported to several home computers and game consoles, among these, the NES.

The story is about two spiky-tailed Bubble Dragons fighting through the Cave of Monsters to save their girlfriends.

Gameplay is really simple: Your goal each round is to encase monsters in bubbles then give them a brilliant "pop", sending them to their doom. Each round (or level) is one screen, no scrolling, or flipping. (In some rounds players can fall through a hole in the floor and end up at the top of the screen.)

The graphics are pretty good for the time and definitely one of the most pleasing NES games to look at. Each of the characters/enemies are fun and innovative, ranging from a ghost like creature, to whales, to a wind up toy box.

The music is absolutely memorable, once you hear it, you'll always remember it. Though it's pretty much the same song through all the levels; it's upbeat and lively enough to not detract from the gaming experience or annoy you to pieces.

This game is great solo, but even better with a partner. Definitely a game you'll have hours of fun with. Highly recommended for any gamer and a must have for any NES collection.

In the game, each player controls one of two lizard-like characters. The player can move along platforms, as well as jump from one platform to that above, or to the side, in a similar way to most platform games.

The player can also blow bubbles. These can trap enemies, who are defeated if the bubble is then burst by the player's spiny back. The bubbles also float for a time before bursting, and can be jumped on, allowing access to otherwise inaccessible areas. Players progress to the next level once all enemies on the current level are defeated.

Enemies turn "angry" – becoming pink-colored and moving faster – if they are the last enemy remaining, escape from a bubble after being left too long, or a certain amount of time has been spent on the current level.

After a further time limit expires, an additional invincible enemy appears for each player, actively chasing them using only vertical and horizontal movements. These do not need to be defeated to complete the level, but disappear once a player's life is lost.

Although this game is really old (for a video game anyway) it still ensnares you with its simplicity, and its simple but addicting gameplay. As you (or you and your friend, because it is two player) journey through a series of caves you blow bubbles that capture enemies, and pop them as well to advance to the next level. There are over 100 levels that come in different shapes and with different enemies as well. I can honestly say that I can sit down and play this game for hours on end, and still be entertained FOREVER. Bubble Bobble definately ranks high on my list of most entertaining games to play. This one is a must get if you are a fan of old school video games, it is a classic that entertaines the player very quickly and easily.

In short, Bubble Bobble was simple, multi-player fun. Whereas Rampage got mind-numbingly boring after three levels, every level of Bubble Bobble was different from the last, and there were lots of different enemies to fight. The game starred two cute, little dinosaur creatures who trapped their enemies in bubbles and then popped said bubbles, turning the baddies into food. There were 100 levels to fight through, with a giant boss named Super Drunk at the end. There were a few frustrating points where you would have to use your bubbles to climb up to get to an enemy, but they weren’t overly damaging to the games fun factor. The graphics and play control are both solid, making for a great two-player co-op.