Don’t pop my bubbles!

A very popular platform game that was also released in 1986, had you in the role of two magically turned into dinosaurs (or dragons) guys called Bub and Bob (they shouldn’t have wandered foolishly into that cave of monsters!), who will need to reach the end of the cave to get their human form back and reunite with their girlfriends. Bubble Bobble became an instant classic because of its simple but effective gameplay, a fun 2 player cooperative mode, strategic play (something unprecedented at the time, especially in the platform genre) and a handful of hidden secrets.

Okay, so you have to save your girls and transform back into humans… But what about those freaky monsters that are running around the caves? They don’t look too friendly if you ask me… Well, there’s where the bubbles will come handy! You just trap the monsters inside the bubbles, and then blow them all to hell! Oh yeah, in order to do that, you’ll need to pop the bubbles by jumping into them.

But that’s not all, because the bubbles can also be used to reach areas of a level that you didn’t think you could access. They turn into temporary platforms that you’ll need to make use of in order to reach some high places in later levels. Also, you better eat all the fruits and stuff that you see onscreen, and keep an eye open for the very helpful power-ups you’ll encounter like lighting, water and speed.

The popularity of the game made way for a long series of sequels and spinoffs, and I have no doubt that one of the things that helped in making it so well-known was the infectious and catchy music written by the Japanese team Zuntata. Take a look at a detailed analysis of the arcade version and a look back at Arcade History (you can also hear the song). Last but not least, follow the link to play Bubble Bobble (you can even play with a friend!).

Trivia

-This was one of the first games to feature multiple endings.

-In 1996, Taito announced that they lost the original source code program to Bubble Bobble following a reorganization - when it came to the recent ports and sequels, they had to work from program disassembly, playing the game and (mainly) the various home computer ports.

-The game forbids the initials 'SEX' on the high score table. If you try, it gets changed it to 'H.!'. In Japan, the letter H is occasionally used as a slang term for perverts.

-Tom Gault holds the official record for this game with a maximum possible 5 823 600 points on March 4, 1988.

-The NES Cover band "The Advantage" covers two songs from "Bubble Bobble" on their self-titled album.