Top tier Bust-A-Move puzzling, addictive in the best way. Aiming, calculating and dropping cascading bubble chains with a daft grin. Brilliant on the couch with friends, timeless solo.
Your verdict
Category
Puzzle4 players3+
Description
The player shoots coloured bubbles at a board to eliminate groups of matching bubbles in this Taito Bust-A-Move 4. Published by Taito, released in Europe in November 1999. Bubble-shooting puzzle with precise aiming, numerous levels, solo and versus modes, colourful characters. European version.
Bust-A-Move 4 review
3/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Polished"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Aim, ricochet, set off chains: the bubble-shooting mechanic takes seconds to grasp yet hours to master. The precision of the aim and the instant readability make every round tense and addictive, alone or in pairs. Nothing has aged in this perfect balance between reflex and anticipation, which remains a safe bet in the puzzle genre.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Aim, cluster the colours and trigger cascades: the rule clicks in ten seconds but the grin lasts for hours. The split-screen duel turns a calm puzzle into a nervy little war. Easy to start, hard to drop, it remains the archetype of the game you switch back on without a second thought.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Aiming, popping a cluster and triggering a cascade of bubbles delivers a clean satisfaction that pushes you to the next board. Difficulty climbs in fine steps, you brush failure then save yourself with a perfect shot, and the versus mode keeps reviving the challenge. The principle has barely changed since the arcade, but its clarity and tempo keep their effectiveness fully intact.
Released in 2000, this fourth entry in Taito's series brings colourful bubble shooting to Dreamcast with impeccable precision. The dragons Bub and Bob, the colour chains and the new pulley system renew the puzzle tension. The two player mode stays a peak of frantic conviviality. The plain presentation and a concept unchanged for years may feel modest, yet puzzle lovers and Puzzle Bobble fans find a clean arcade pleasure that remains every bit as addictive.
