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Bubble Bobble

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NES

Bubble Bobble is the story of two boys, Bub and Bob who venture into the mysterious cave of monsters to save their friends from the evil warlock and are magically turned into dinosaurs. The only way to transform back is to reach the end of the cave and rescue your friends... Bubble Bobble is a p...

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Developer
Taito

Released on
1988

Size
1–2 Players

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Platform

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

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Description

Bubble Bobble is the story of two boys, Bub and Bob who venture into the mysterious cave of monsters to save their friends from the evil warlock and are magically turned into dinosaurs. The only way to transform back is to reach the end of the cave and rescue your friends…

Bubble Bobble is a platform game, with each level being a single screen. The enemies must be cleared from a level to go to the next one. With one player controlling Bub and the other controlling Bob, the player can jump and collect items for points (such as fruit). The real power Bub and Bob have however is the ability to blow bubbles. These bubbles can be as platforms to leap on, or to trap enemies. Enemies trapped in a bubble must be popped by jumping into them, wherein they’ll turn to fruit. Additionally, power-ups sometimes float by in bubbles. They include lightning, which flies out horizontally at enemies, and water, which drags the player and enemies straight down flowing over platforms. Taking too long to complete any level will summon Baron Von Blubba, who will float around the screen trying to destroy the player.

Bubble Bobble

Overview & History

Released by Taito for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1988, Bubble Bobble is a legendary arcade port masterfully adapted for home consoles by Software Ten. The whimsical storyline follows human brothers Billy and Bobby, who are transformed into lovable, bubble-blowing dinosaurs named Bub and Bob by the wicked Baron von Blubba. To rescue their kidnapped girlfriends, the duo must traverse the dreaded 100-floor Cave of Monsters, a sprawling subterranean labyrinth filled with mechanical hazards, angry enemies, and puzzles.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The core gameplay centers around fixed-screen, single-screen platforming across 100 distinct levels. Bub and Bob lack traditional offensive weapons; instead, they generate magical bubbles from their mouths to trap wandering monsters like Zen Chan enemies and Mighty Final-style ghosts. Once an enemy is encapsulated, the player must physically jump onto and pop the bubble to defeat them, turning the trapped foe into lucrative fruit, cakes, or high-scoring diamond items. Movement physics require precise momentum as players navigate floating platforms, scale vertical shafts, and trigger umbrella-shaped power-ups that skip multiple levels. Completing stages quickly is essential, as lingering too long summons the dreaded, invincible Baron von Blubba to relentlessly chase the player. The NES version notably features a cooperative two-player simultaneous mode and hides a legendary, cryptic true ending accessible only by decoding secret alphanumeric ciphers.