Overview – developed by Taito and published by ININ Games, Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! is the latest entry in the bubble popping franchise. The Rainbow Islands have been covered in bubbles, with Bub, Bob, Peb and Pab going on an adventure to fix this problem. This title is available exclusively for the Nintendo Switch system, with a link to the game at the bottom of this review as well as a link to the special physical release.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound for providing the copy of Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting off with the story of Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! Please note, this review only covers the version of the game that is available in all releases, as there is a bonus version of Bust-A-Move for SNES in the special physical release.
Story – on the peaceful Rainbow Island, the bubble dragons Bub, Bob, Peb and Pab live happily and go on adventures with their special ability to blow bubbles. The Miniroons, a race of small dragons that can’t blow bubbles want to be just like the bubble dragons, so they wish upon a rainbow hoping for the chance to fulfil their dreams.
However, the mischievous wizard Bonner answers their wish, giving them a special potion that allows them to blow bubbles. But not all is as it seems, as the bubbles overtake the island, causing chaos across the land. Now the Bubble Dragons set out on a new adventure, travelling the islands to help the residents and get rid of the Miniroons bubbles.
Gameplay – Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! is the latest entry in the classic bubble popping series, with the main objective of clearing stages by popping bubbles. The game is separated into three modes for players to take on, which I will be giving a breakdown of each of them. But first some details on the core mechanics of the game.
Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! is a match 3+ bubble popping game, where players must clear colored bubbles on screen. This is done by matching the colors and launching bubbles at them, when three or more bubbles are connected or hitting a cluster with a matching color. If the cluster has extra bubbles connected, they may drop for a nice score boost on that stage.
There are also blank bubbles that will turn to a color when contact is made, popping them if two or more are hit at the same time. As well as special bubbles in the main story mode that will change the colors around them, mixing things up in the middle of a stage. There are also obstacles for the player to tangle with, but be careful as bubbles can bounce off all sides of the field when shot.
There are also special bubbles that can be activated, causing effects to activate. These effects include a guide to help aiming, a special bubble to clear the color shot at it and more. In all stages, the player will fail if the bubbles reach the bottom line of the screen. This can be from the player, or by the bubbles descending from the top of the screen.
The player has access to some extra abilities during most modes, with the option to switch the current bubble with the next. There is also the ability to hold onto special bubbles if they have been dropped by a cluster, switching into them when needed. But only one bubble can be held at a time and there is also a drop button, which lowers the bubbles on screen in certain places.
The game can be played with up to 4 players, allowing all players to play as a team or competitively depending on the game mode chosen. This makes for a fun puzzle experience that everyone can enjoy together. Alongside plenty of options for customisation, as new characters and cosmetics are unlocked during play.
Now onto the game modes of Puzzle Bobble Everybubble!
Story Mode: the main game mode where most time will be spent. Here the player will experience the narrative of the chaos covering Rainbow Island, with interactions between the bubble dragons and the residents of the island. There are seven locations to visit, with a set of stages to complete giving the player the chance to earn stars for succeeding.
Each stage will have a total of three stars to obtain, with different targets to reach for each of them. They will also have a mission that will need to be cleared, while under a relatively strict time limit. The missions include clearing all the stage of all bubbles within the time limit and clearing specific bubbles as quickly as possible.
There will be stages that have the bubbles static, with a timer at the bottom of the screen. This is alongside stages where bubbles will slowly descend from the top of the playfield, which adds a sense of urgency to the stages. All of these stages can be played with up to 4 players, either as humans or CPU partners, which can alter the layout of the stages.
When all of the stages have been cleared in a world, if three stars have been obtained for all of them special EX stages will be available to the player. These are much harder stages and can really push the player, with tighter time limits and more complex layouts. These stages also have three stars each that can be obtained but they are much tougher.
If the player reaches set targets during the game, they will unlock new characters, additional cosmetic items and extra companion cosmetics. These can be used to customize the characters and add a more personal touch to their bubble dragon of choice in arcade mode. The costume parts can also be used in the multiplayer mode.
The last part of the story mode to cover is the Baron’s Tower. This is a special challenge stage where the player can try to get the highest score possible, while dealing with an endless supply of bubbles that descend from the top. The bubble drop is set to a timer, adding new one periodically. There are also items that can appear to help and obstacles to hinder.
When the player gets a game over, their highest score will be added to the global rankings. There are 3 difficulty options for the Baron’s Tower, with the higher challenge settings being unlocked by passing set targets. These difficulty options are Normal, which is available from the start, then Hard and Extreme, which ramp up the challenge significantly.
Versus Mode: this is the competitive mode of Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! where players can battle it out in single battles 1 on 1 or in pairs. The gameplay is functionally identical to the Baron’s Tower, where players must try to survive as long as possible. However, the players can attack each other by dropping large chains of bubbles, sending blanks to their opponent.
This mode has adjustable settings, allowing players to customise the battles that they have. These settings include the speed new bubbles appear, the number of wins needed in a match and the colors that appear. This makes for a fun a flexible competitive experience, that everyone can enjoy, allowing handicaps to even the playing field.
There is also an online option in versus mode, where players can battle it out all across the globe. There are only two options for battles while playing online, the first is Global Match, a ranked match where players gain points and rankings. Then there is the Password Matching option, which lets players send each other codes for casual matches.
Puzzle Bobble VS Space Invaders: this is the last play mode of the game and quite the unique crossover too. In this mode, the traditional match 3+ bubble popping gameplay applies, but there is a twist with this one. The bubbles on screen move in the same way as the aliens in Space Invaders, moving across the screen and slowly descending upon the player.
To pop the invader bubbles, the player can move left and right, throwing a bubble directly up to try and pop the invaders by matching 3 or more. But great care must be taken, as the player can get zapped by enemy attacks, knocking them down for a few seconds in the process. Once all invaders have been popped, the stage will reset, only ending if they reach the bottom.
This is a score based mode where up to 4 players can challenge the invaders, trying their best to get the highest score possible. All of the scores are stored locally, with the best possible score kept as the current high score. CPU players can be used in this mode to make it more competitive, either with another human involved or when playing alone.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to cover the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – this title is an arcade game at heart, so it has a relatively easy to use control system. the D-Pad and left thumbstick controls the aim movement, while the face buttons handle all of the bubble popping. There is however one issue that the controls suffer with, the buttons to use special bubbles and switch bubbles are in the wrong position. The switch button is on the right and special button the left, which doesn’t match the bubble positions on screen.
Difficulty – this is a challenging title, especially as the stages progress and get tougher in the later part of the story mode. This can make for a stressful experience at times, trying to reach the targets to earn 3 stars as fast as possible, made worse during the EX stages. However, the difficulty increase is gradual, with the ability to return to older stages to practice so players can hone their skills.
Presentation – this is a visually stunning release, with beautiful 2D artwork and environments that fit the world of Puzzle Bobble perfectly. There is a distinct look that Taito games have, which this has succeeded in maintaining. The colors of the world and stages pop out of the screen, with backgrounds that are a treat to behold.
The sound for this title has all of the whimsy that the series is known for, with bright and happy music that can get frantic when the player is close to defeat. This enhances the overall presentation of the title, complimenting the visuals on screen. There is also the inclusion of voice samples for the bubble dragons, as well as a title screen with a vocal melody in Japanese to top it off.
Final Thoughts – I am a big fan of the Puzzle Bobble series, having played it for a considerable number of years and seen all of the changes made. Initially this was a bit of a mixed bag for me, as I had to take some time to get used to the new gameplay systems of this release. However, I had a good time with this title, even if it does have a few minor faults here and there. The story is challenging and the extra modes are a lot of fun.
The only issues that I had were getting used to the controls of the game, with buttons that feel like they are in the wrong place. There is a healthy online component for this title, with a lot of players in the online ranked mode battling it out, which is nice to see too. I am happy to recommend this to all fans of Puzzle Bobble and bubble pop games in general. It is an excellent entry in the series and a welcome addition to the series.
In the end, I give Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! a final score of 5/5. This is an excellent puzzle title and one of the best entries in the series that has come out in recent times, the stages are challenging, the gameplay is engaging and the whimsical charm is felt throughout. If you want to check this gae out for yourself, a link to the game will be below.
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
Link to Special Physical version (HERE)
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