bubble-bobble
Latest
So, what's left to remaster?
Has there ever been a time when the word "remastered" was so prolific in the conversation, outside of the George Lucas household? Gaming was so incessantly nostalgic in 2014, you'd think it was closing after ten years. In just the last year we've seen polished-up re-releases for Saints Row 4, Resident Evil, The Last of Us, Grand Theft Auto 5, Halo 1-4, Fable, Diablo 3, Kingdom Hearts 2, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light, Indigo Prophecy, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, and many, many more. And don't forget, glossy PS4 and Xbox One encores for Dark Souls 2, Borderlands 2 and The Pre-Sequel are on their way in the next few months. Whether you like it or not - and I'm aware plenty do and plenty don't - gaming is still knee-deep in Remaster country. With the saying "When in Rome HD" in mind, I asked some of the Joystiq staff to tell me what games they'd most like to see remastered, however unlikely those remasters may be. Sure enough, most of them delved into the realm of pure fantasy.
Breakfast Topic: Have you ever wanted to make your own machinima?
Most people know that I play a discipline priest in World of Warcraft. I play holy and shadow a lot too, but nothing really beats hopping around, casting bubbles on people, and preventing near death experiences. In League of Legends, I pretty much do the same exact thing, minus the hopping. In League I play a support champion named Janna, and most of what she does is float around, cast bubbles on people, and prevent near death experiences. I guess I just like bubbling things. I've always suspected it had something to do with the fact that the first game I ever owned as a kid was Bubble Bobble on the NES. Want to know what you do in that game? You hop around blowing bubbles at things. Anyway, ever since Wrath, I've wanted to make a video where my disc priest starts out shielding the raid on the heroic Lich King encounter, before accidentally falling through the platform and into a 2-D platform game (similar to Bubble Bobble). There she would have to use her bubbles to navigate levels and fight monsters. The problem is I don't really think I have what it takes to make machinima. Sure, I can hit the record button and film my character running around on a live server, but I don't think I have the patience or artistic talent to do stuff like Percula or the Hackleman Brothers. What they do is closer to animation, and animation is pretty intimidating to a second-rate artist like myself. Still, it doesn't stop me from dreaming. Maybe one day ... What about you? Have you ever wanted to make your own machinima? If so, what would it be? A short spoof, a feature length movie, or an ongoing series? Furthermore, what would it be about? Would it be the love story of your blood elf mage, or an epic war drama starring your human paladin?
Daily iPhone App: Pop Kingdom
Pop Kingdom is a delightful game and similar to Bubble Bobble and Snood. The goal is to shoot orbs to the top of the screen, matching colors in chains of three or more before they fall to the bottom. But there's a twist, in that Pop Kingdom offers RPG elements. You play as either Will or Kate (after a certain royal couple, I guess), who do damage to invading monsters as you match tokens. The graphics are supremely cute, and there's a lot of nice flash and polish to the game overall, enhancing an otherwise simple game. I'd like to see the RPG aspect enhanced (you can occasionally cast a special ability to mix things up), but the core puzzle game is so tried and true that it doesn't really matter. The title is really fun, and the graphics will appeal to gamers of all ages. Plus, Pop Kingdom (which was just recently updated with some new effects and bug fixes) is completely free. At that price, you shoudn't pass this one up.
Square Enix and Disney release Puzzle Bobble: Disney Edition for cell phones
Is Bubble Bobble still Bubble Bobble without its adorable dinosaur mascots? Square Enix is having Bubblun and Bobblun sit out for the latest Puzzle Bobble (Bust a Move) in favor of someone named "Mickey Mouse." Puzzle Bobble: Disney Edition for Japanese mobile phones combines the familiar bubble-shooting, color-matching game with cutesy Disney characters. Mickey is joined by Minnie, Donald, Winnie the Pooh, Stitch, and Marie from the Aristocats. We must admit that the renditions of those characters are pretty cute. The more we look at that Pooh bear, the less we mind the exclusion of the dinosaur mascots. Of course, whether or not we like the look is totally meaningless, since this is only being released on Japanese cell phones.
X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Bubble Bobble Neo, Red Alert 3: Commander's Challenge
It's a double dose of XBLA this week, with the release of both Bubble Bobble Neo and Red Alert 3: Commander's Challenge. The former is a classic Taito arcade game, while the latter is a standalone expansion to Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3. Both of them have their charms and both, as it happens, cost 800 ($10). Watch this week's XBLA in Brief and see if either one tickles your fancy. Download the trial version of Bubble Bobble Neo Download the trial version of Red Alert 3: Commander's Challenge [iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes. [Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly. [RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [M4V] Download the M4V directly.
This Wednesday: Bubble Bobble Neo, Red Alert 3: Commander's Challenge arrive on XBLA
Well, folks, it's not quite the Summer of Arcade anymore. Microsoft's Major Nelson has announced C&C Red Alert 3: Commander's Challenge and Bubble Bobble Neo as this week's Xbox Live Arcade releases. Despite the inclusion of "C&C Red Alert 3" right there in the title, the former game is a standalone experience and can be played without the original Red Alert 3 game disc. Each title will draw 800 ($10) from your account, assuming it doesn't go toward this week's Xbox Live deal, Lode Runner. %Gallery-68517%
Bubble Bobble Neo finally on XBLA! ... In Japan!
Were we the kind of bloggers that liberally sprinkled our posts with emoticons, this one would be festooned with sad faces. Taito revealed earlier this month that Bubble Bobble Neo was set to debut on Xbox Live Arcade on August 5 (today). We found it appropriate, considering it would release alongside another retro remake, TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled. Sadly, we are instead subjected to a very rare instance of Japan receiving one title and the rest of the world getting another. That's right, Bubble Bobble Neo is only available in Japan, while Turtles in Time is available everywhere except Japan and Korea.Microsoft was unable to supply us with the worldwide launch date for Neo, but we're confident it will happen eventually (probably after the Summer of Arcade promotion wraps up). After all, Square Enix saw fit to release its WiiWare cousin, Bubble Bobble Plus, outside of Japan, so it's a safe bet that the same fate will befall Bubble Bobble Neo.We'd like to know when that will happen, but the truth is that any time other than "right now" just isn't soon enough.[Thanks, Menno B!]
Bubble Bobble Neo pops onto XBLA in August
click to enlarge Look, if you've never played Bubble Bobble before, you need to. It may be one of the cutesiest games ever created by man, but it's also one of the best co-op action games of all time. Regardless of your level of fondness for the series, you should know that Taito has announced (translation) that Bubble Bobble Neo will be arriving on Xbox Live Arcade on August 5, which appropriately coincides with the release of TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled, another retro remake. As Siliconera notes, August 5 may be the date for Japan only, but almost all XBLA games have simultaneous worldwide releases.The game will be priced at 800 ($10). If Neo is anything like the recently released Bubble Bobble Plus on WiiWare (we're guessing it's nearly identical), then we can tell you it's worth every penny. As for the planned DLC, we'll wait and see.[Via Siliconera]%Gallery-68517%
Bubble Bobble NEO coming to XBLA
GamerBytes has confirmed with multiple sources that a new Bubble Bobble subtitled NEO is headed to XBLA. It seems to be part of a full on resurgence for the franchise, which is also set for WiiWare as Bubble Bobble Plus.If you're unfamiliar with the gameplay, which has you using bubbles to battle enemies across several levels, you can get a taste in the video after the break, even though there's no promise that this new Bubble Bobble will bobble the bubbles like its predecessor.
ESRB rates Bubble Bobble Plus!
We'll get to discussing the details of this news in just a second, but there's something that we must get out of the way first:Yaaaaaaaaay!The ESRB has posted a rating for Bubble Bobble Plus!, the WiiWare version of Taito's wonderful arcade platformer. We don't know when it will come out here -- Nintendo is seemingly very careful to make sure nobody knows when downloadable games are coming out -- but at least we know that Square Enix is planning it. And we are so happy.In other ESRB WiiWare news, it appears that Silver Star Chess is coming to North America, published by Agetec. "Players can browse through a menu screen that displays still images of fictional opponents," the description reads. "One of the still images depicts a female opponent wearing a dress that exposes deep cleavage." So there's that.%Gallery-43668%
Rating suggests that Bubble Bobble Wii will journey out of Japan
We knew if we believed hard enough (and probably also if we didn't), Square Enix would bring Bubble Bobble Wii to the world. Now it is the beginning of a fantastic story! The first evidence of SE's plans to release the WiiWare game outside Japan has appeared in the form of a rating on the German USK database.The game, which we had no idea used 3D character models until just now, is listed under the new title Bubble Bobble Plus!, with that very appropriate exclamation point. Of course, this rating is no guarantee that the game will be released in Germany, nor is a German release firm confirmation of a release anywhere else, but it certainly seems likely! Besides, those "world rankings" work a lot better if the "world" isn't limited only to the area within Japan.%Gallery-43668%[Via Siliconera; screens via Inside-Games]
First screens for Bubble Bobble WiiWare revealed
We may have caught a glimpse at the game already, thanks to some blurry Famitsu scans, but now we have some actual clear images -- and these look nice. We've always been big fans of the simple and charming approach of Bubble Bobble, so a WiiWare update to the franchise seems like a good fit. If you pop over to Famitsu, you can see various screens from the game, which Famitsu reminds us will include 400 unique stages. In fact, the game also features a full recreation of the original Bubble Bobble, for those nostalgic folks out there. And there are even some high difficulty levels if you find capturing enemies in bubbles a bit too easy.On top of that, this new WiiWare installment offers 4-player local co-op and a brand new enemy. It can be expanded further with 2 DLC packs, which will go for 200 Points each, with each individual pack offering 50 stages of high difficulty, quick-moving enemies and a unique boss character. There will also be Wi-Fi leaderboards, if you and your friends want to compare who can Bubble Bobble the best.[Thanks, Fernando]
New for WiiWare: Bubble Bobble, Crystal Defenders, Pole's Big Adventure
The latest issue of Famitsu reveals three awesome new WiiWare games from Square Enix, Taito, and Sega. Square Enix's Crystal Defenders R1 is a WiiWare version of their mobile/iPhone game Crystal Defenders. The tower defense game will be released on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network soon too, but Japan's WiiWare gets it first (well, first after cell phones and iPhone) on January 27.Bubble Bobble Wii, due this month in Japan for 800 Wii Points, is a 16-bit-style remake of Taito's arcade classic, featuring play for up to four players in old stages, "arranged" stages, and expert versions of both, for a total of 400 stages. Additional new stages will be available as DLC. We have been waiting to see this game since we first saw the title!Finally, Sega's Chindouchou! Pole no Daibouken (Eventful Journey! Pole's Big Adventure) is the retro-style game at which they've been hinting with a countdown page. The Famicom-esque game, releasing on February 3 for just 500 Points, seems to be riddled with jokes about other games -- the mushroom item seen on the countdown page actually comes out of bricks and increases the character's size just like in Super Mario Bros., but in this game it enlarges the character far beyond the limits of the screen.
Bury the Shovelware: Bubble Bobble Revolution
Pedigree Though certainly not as revered as Mario or Zelda, the Bubble Bobble franchise falls into the category of 1980s arcade games that were made legendary when ported to the NES. Games such as Ninja Gaiden and Bionic Commando were successful in the arcades, but the home ports were often tweaked for the technically inferior systems, but usually to great success. In particular, Bubble Bobble was a pioneer for two-player cooperative gameplay. While many games offered two player modes and most sports titles offered simultaneous play, Bubble Bobble was one of the first titles to have players working together towards a common goal. Despite how outdated one may find the original title to be, its legacy as a pioneer deserves kudos. So, like many other publishers, the team of Rising Star Games, Atari, Codemasters -- all of which are shovelwaring repeat offenders -- decided to tap the well of nostalgia and remake the original. Furthermore, developer Marvelous Interactive is the publisher behind the ill-created Space Invaders Revolution. Things are looking bad for poor Bubble Bobble Revolution. The Critics Said ... "The new game is frustrating, repetitive, and not as memorable as the first. " That was a comment from one of the highest scoring reviews this game received, courtesy of GameZone. Yikes. The critics were fairly brutal to this game, due mostly to a game-ending bug in the original version that caused the game to become unplayable at the end of the 30th level. Thus, many reviews for this title tend to stray from discussing the actual gameplay and instead focus on the neglect of the developer and publisher. Interestingly enough, with over two thirds of the game being inaccessible due to an utterly inexcusable bug, the game's metascore is still over 20% better than Deal or No Deal. Having played both games, I can definitely see why.
Bubble Bobble, Rainbow Islands, and tons more Japanese WiiWare announced
We're still finding new information to come out of Nintendo's fall conferences, both in the US and Japan. Those things were rich with info. We basically completely missed the WiiWare announcements, which are every bit as epic and exciting -- and numerous -- as the retail games.At the top of the list (actually the middle of the list in terms of organization but right up at the top in terms of interest): Bubble Bobble Wii and Rainbow Island Tower! If these are actually developed by Taito instead of the third parties responsible for the DS games, it is time for celebration! Other interesting games on the list include: a revival of Tecmo's Tsuppari Oozumo sumo series! A game from NIS called Let's Hitchhike, which ... couldn't possibly be a strategy RPG. Right? Three new Okiraku games, following the great Okiraku Ping-Pong A drum-based followup to Aero Guitar The rest, we either don't know anything about, or don't know enough to talk about in detail. Or, is Major League Eating. We'll look into it all as information becomes available. There's ... kind of a long list of games after the break.
VC Tuesday: Champion by default
Japan's Virtual Console releases today are, literally, infinitely more awesome than our domestic lineup, because they exist. This week was Nintendo of America's turn to take a break from VC games to promote WiiWare, so any Virtual Console game that came out in Japan this week looks that much better in comparison to nothing.Even without the easy advantage, the lineup is not bad at all. Bubble Bobble is a total classic, as is Alex Kidd in Miracle World. And Martial Champion, Konami's Street Fighter II-era fighter, is the kind of previously unknown oddity we love to see on the VC. Bubble Bobble (Famicom, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points) Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Sega Master System, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Martial Champion (PC Engine CD-ROM, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points)
Play video game music on a piano -- just like the pros!
Taking a break from porting visual novel demos like Fate/hollow ataraxia Prologue and Snatcher Pilot, developer Multiple: Option has posted its first original project, a neat homebrew application that teaches you how to play simple video game melodies with a virtual piano. If only there was a similar program for 90s gangsta rap songs -- we would love to learn 2Pac's "I Ain't Mad at Cha!"Multiple: Option's software, Game Melody Oratorio, includes lessons for songs Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, Tetris, Bubble Bobble, and The Legend of Zelda. Each melody has two modes, one for practicing the tune with visual cues, the other for playing the melody without any help once you've mastered it. Don't see your favorite video game song on the list? There's also a "Free Play" mode that allows you to experiment and play whatever you want.[Via NEO Compo 2008]
DS releases for the week of March 3rd
Look sharp, DS owners -- there are a couple of solid choices competing for your funds this week. Our own beloved Shiren is wandering onto shelves alongside the Eco Creatures, and that's not all that's hitting stores. For gamers still wrapped up in other great recent releases, there may be some tough choices ahead. Time to start that stack of games that you'll still be working through by December!For our friends in Europe -- we sure hope you happen to be Dora the Explorer fans .... Anno 1701 Bubble Bobble: Double Shot Chicken Hunter Eco-Creatures: Save the Forest Homie Rollerz Imagine: Figure Skater Let's Ride! Friends Forever Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer Ninja Reflex Petz: Bunnyz
DS releases for the week of February 25th
Unfortunately, not every week can be last week, but maybe you'll find something to interest you in this latest crop of releases, especially with the wide variety of titles hitting shelves across regions today. From the latest Naruto title to Soma Bringer's debut in Japan, it's an unusual week for DS games. Be sure to let us know what interests you! Brain Assist Bratz: Super Babyz Bubble Bobble: Double Shot Disney Friends Fantasy Aquarium by DS Mazes of Fate DS (for real this time?) Naruto: Ninja Destiny Petz Wild Animals: Tigerz Spitfire Heroes: Tales of the Royal Air Force
The VC Advantage: Bobble heads
Now it is the beginning of a fantastic story! This week, one of the iconic classic game experiences made it to the Virtual Console in its NES incarnation. Bub and Bob are synonymous with video games and gamer culture, for two unsurprising reasons: 1) they're really damn cute, and 2) Bubble Bobble is awesome. With that in mind, we thought we'd focus a bit on the cheating options available in the NES version of Bubble Bobble.Now, Bubble Bobble is best experienced with two players, in which case progress isn't really as important as kickin' back and having a good time bubblin' up some baddies with your dino-pal. There's a whole host of level passwords for your single-player excursions, available where fine passwords are sold at GameFAQs. More interesting than the plain level passwords, however, are the "special" passwords, that give you options beyond starting at a certain level. DDFFI allows you to access a level select mode for the "normal" Bubble Bobble levels, and HEAGD does the same for the advanced Super Bubble Bobble levels. BACCF starts you off with 99 lives. If you complete Super Bubble Bobble mode, you'll get access to a sound test. Of course, by that time you'll be so freaking tired of the music, you won't want to go into a menu and listen to it again. The music's totally great when you haven't been playing the game for five hours, though.Should you decide not to employ the 99 lives code, then you and a friend can play cooperatively, or be huge jerks to each other, depending on your temperament. In two-player mode, when you die, you can pause the game and hit the Select button to steal a life from your friend.[Jamie's awesome shoes found here]
