Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a pleasant but safe return to the foundations of the classic Bubble Bobble series. It’s nothing that will blow your mind, but it’s a cozy and breezy title for any arcade enthusiasts.
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends
Developer: Taito
Price: $40
Platform: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
MonsterVine was supplied with a Switch code for review.
The Nintendo Switch seems to be getting quite a few reimagined arcade classics ported to it, from the various Namco and SNK collections to the recent Burgertime party game. Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is the latest title to follow this trend, and it does it with a good measure of success.
The story of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is suitably simple and charming. You play as a toy version of Bub, the iconic green Bubble Dragon, who is laying in bed with his assumed owner. The toy version of series baddie Bonner comes to life beside him and smacks Bub on the head with his staff, then leads him to the various levels that make up the story mode. It’s cute and silly, which is fitting for Bubble Bobble.
4 Friends‘s gameplay is classic Bubble Bobble with a few small additions. You can now play with up to three friends or on your own, and the story stages are made with that in mind. Many of the levels are quite large, which can be a bit of a challenge in singleplayer but is definitely preferable for playing with others. Throughout each level, you’re tasked with defeating all enemies by capturing them in a bubble and popping them with the horn on Bub’s head or the spikes on his back. You can bounce and float on the bubbles you shoot out, which provides some fun mobility options to keep the gameplay feeling fresh.
“The story is pretty short though, so unless you’re aiming for high scores or playing with different friends, 4 Friends may not last you very long due to its length and simple nature.“
Also handy in that regard is the power-ups that you gain from completing a world. From bomb bubbles that count-down and blow up your enemies to electrical bubbles that shoot a horizontal laser across the screen, there’s a good variety of unique powers that are plenty of fun to use. The story is pretty short though, so unless you’re aiming for high scores or playing with different friends, 4 Friends may not last you very long due to its length and simple nature. The original arcade version of Bubble Bobble is also available if you’re feeling nostalgic, which is a nice feature that helps pad out the game a bit.
The visuals and sound in Bubble Bobble 4 Friends are great, as they’re perfectly in-line with the innocent and cheerful tone that the game emanates. There’s a comfortable sense of homeliness in 4 Friends, largely thanks to the nighttime bedroom setting and the soft colors. Alongside various remixes of the classic Bubble Bobble theme, the other tracks are suitably fun and hectic.
The Final Word
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a simple and comfortable arcade platformer that is quite fun for its short runtime. There’s nothing revolutionary at play, but if you’re looking for a straightforward and relaxing little game to play, 4 Friends is a decent choice.
MonsterVine Rating: 3.5 out of 5 – Fair
