Taito's quintessentially addictive puzzler, perfect for short bursts or heated duels. Solo content is light, but multiplayer is a riot.
Your verdict
Category
Puzzle4 players3+
Description
Colored bubble shooting puzzle in which characters clear the screen by color groups. Published by Taito, released in the USA in 1995. Bubble shooting in color groups of three or more to burst them, solo and versus modes and Bubble Bobble characters. American version of Taito's Puzzle Bobble.
Bust-A-Move review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Aim, group three bubbles of the same colour and set off cascading drops: the mechanic lands instantly. The tension climbs as the ceiling creeps down, and the versus mode quickly turns into a friendly little war. Crystal clear to grasp, sly to master, this Bubble Bobble spin-off is the puzzle you switch on by reflex, perfect for quick duels.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Aiming to the degree, popping a cluster, and triggering a cascade of bubbles delivers a crisp reward that pushes you toward the next board. The difficulty climbs in fine increments and the versus mode revives the challenge relentlessly. The concept hasn't budged since the arcade days, but its clarity and tempo keep their effectiveness fully intact.
The Super Nintendo version of Taito's Puzzle Bobble, Bust-A-Move imposes its crystal clear principle of matching bubbles in threes to pop them, fronted by mascots Bub and Bob. The simplicity of the concept, the well judged difficulty curve and the two player mode make it a fiercely addictive puzzler, still perfectly playable today. The modest production matters little against the efficiency of the gameplay. A timeless classic to recommend to all fans of snappy puzzle games.
