Puzzle Bobble DS J
Puzzle Bobble is a game that needs no introduction as since its debut in 1994 it has been available on countless consoles, computers and other devices. If the name does not ring a bell it might be because western audiences know the franchise as "Bust-A-Move." I was curious to see what gameplay innovations the DS touchscreen would bring to the series but it would appear that Taito is still operating according to the "if it is not broken do not fix it" school of design.
Puzzle Bobble DS is actually a very straightforward version of the game so don't expect too many thrills. The idea is still to use a bubble gun to launch colored bubbles in an effort to match them up in sets of three or more with the bubbles already onscreen. Do so and the bubbles pop but miss and you end up with more bubbles to deal with. The ceiling steadily lowers giving you less room to work with and if any of the bubbles touch the bottom of the screen you lose. This means that careful aim and a knack for angling shots off the sides of the screen is required to quickly clear levels. In "Solo" mode you can try your hand at the puzzles which are levels that have to be cleared as quickly as possible to unlock new ones. "Endless" mode on the other hand allows you to play until you lose while the "VS" mode pits you against some opponents. Like the multi-player mode this displays your opponents screen on the top screen while your own is on the bottom screen. You can even create your own levels with the build-in editor. The game allows you to play either in "Classic" or "DS" mode with the latter allowing you to store colored bubbles and activate them when needed for an easier challenge. While the game can be played with your stylus I found the tradition d-pad controls to be much quicker and accurate. This title has been released in Japan only but contains enough English text to make it import friendly. The visuals remain true to the other games in the series so expect lots of colors. The audio is also cheerful and upbeat as always. You'll probably not notice it while playing but those around you will! The gameplay is still very addictive and despite having played countless Puzzle Bobble games before I still found myself getting sucked in. Newcomers to the series will probably have the most fun with this title but even veterans will enjoy a colorful game of Puzzle Bobble on the go. |
TAGS: Puzzle Bobble, Bub, Bob, Bubbles,
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