Bubble Bobble Revolution

I jumped at the chance to review Bubble Bobble Revolution for the Nintendo DS because the arcade game was fun (I remember it from “back in the day) and understood that it would be included in the DS game along with a new updated sequel of sorts. I wound up playing for a while on the Classic version of the game where players control a (… well, I’m not sure if it’s a lizard or a dinosaur or what) creature that spits bubbles out of its mouth in order to trap enemies. The playing field is littered with platforms onto which the player can jump, or drop through the opening at the bottom of the screen to come out at the top of the screen.

Players are tasked with clearing the playing field of various enemies by encapsulating them in one of the bubbles then bursting that bubble by running into it. There are various items to collect (fruit mostly) to increase the score, but it’s a fairly simple and straightforward type of gameplay – clear the enemies, and move on. It’s made all the more simple by the fact that each screen in the game is taken up by one of the screens on the DS.

The New Age style of game (the point of the game, really, since the old arcade game was put in as an “extra”) takes the same basic premise, but adds more to it. The enemies are much faster, shoot things at Bub & Bob, the heroes of the game, and the levels are large – to the point where they don’t fit on both screens. Not only will players be going up and down and left to right, enemies can take pot shots from off screen and take out the player before being seen. I’ve always had a problem with this type of gameplay.

While the level layout is a problem, it isn’t what cripples the game rendering it unplayable. There are glitches that just don’t make any sense. On level 5 no enemies appeared at all, and I was transported to level 6. After clearing that level, I was brought to Level 7 where I had a “ghost” image that would interfere with my playing. I couldn’t believe this made it out the door of the QA department and had to take a picture.

The bottom line is that the retail price being asked for this DS game is way too much. Only half of the game is playable, and even that can be found online for cheaper, if not free. As a matter of fact I’m sure there has to be some compilation that has this game included that would be better suited for purchase. Why, yes, there is.

There is some form of multiplayer, but I didn't bother to test it out. The game is so broken that it isn't worth purchasing. Do not support sloppy game making. Do not buy this game.