bubble puzzle game

bubble puzzle game

Taito's popular bubble bursting, tile matching game, Puzzle Bobble is back and playable on your computer or handy laptop. Also known by the name Bust-a-Move, this 1994 hit has entertained many arcade players the world over. Utilizing an angle-based mechanic, Puzzle Bobble definitely kept the attention of many fans who were looking for a unique spin on a matching game.

Back to the Past

Retro gamers may fondly remember Bub and Bob, the dinosaur mascots of the game, Bubble Bobble. Aside from being a bit of a tongue twister, this Taito platformer is the 1986 hit that started it all. For Puzzle Bobble, the main objective is to clear all the pieces, or "bubbles" as they are called, found in your rectangular play area. To do this, you control a pointer found at the bottom of the screen. The Left and Right arrow keys control your pointer's firing angle. After choosing the direction you want the orb to go, pressing the spacebar or the Up key makes your pointer fire a bubble. This bubble then travels straight until it either bounces off a wall or sticks onto something. The latter happens whenever your orb reaches either the top of your playing field or touches other orbs in its way.

As you may have guessed, the real trick is to find just the right angle to fire a bubble from. Lining up three or more similarly colored orbs together clears them from the playing field and gives you more room to reach the rest of the set. There is no way to predict what color your bubble ammo will be, but it will surely share the hue with remaining pieces on the field.

Clear the field in a matter of seconds and you get rewarded bonus points. Prolong playing the round and the ceiling starts to come down on you along with any remaining bubbles still in play. Due to the fact that the pieces are set up differently in each stage, figuring out the most efficient moves and actually pulling it off makes Puzzle Bobble as challenging, and addicting, as it gets.

Timing is the Key

Finicky about your moves? Delaying a shot results in your pointer firing its bubble ammo automatically, giving you less incentive to play slowly. The best thing to do is to make those first moves really count. If you are really lucky with the ammo spawns, you may be able to drop a whole string of orbs in a single shot. If even a single bubble manages to cross the line found at the bottom of the playing field, you will have to repeat that round. Three strikes and you are met with a Game Over screen.