Best home version of Bubble Bobble??

[Eps]

It's not a console, but the Amiga version all the way for me.

[Escape-To-88]

So the PSX/Saturn bubble bobble - are they pretty much arcade perfect? Did they mess around with it in any way? ie updated visuals or different music?

Yeah music is no longer 'Over the Rainbow' s license expired! Also Saturn and Psone versions come with the original and updated Rainbow Islands. Nicer graphics, backgrounds etc.

[anagrama]

The Master System version naturally can't compare graphically to some of the later ones, but it's a stellar conversion, and comes intact with a lot of the bonus mechanics that some ports are missing.
It's not a straight arcade port though (it's Mark III name was 'Final Bubble Bobble') since it doubles the number of levels to 200, and introduces some new gameplay quirks. Definitely worth a look for any BB fans.

[Ouenben]

The Master System version naturally can't compare graphically to some of the later ones, but it's a stellar conversion, and comes intact with a lot of the bonus mechanics that some ports are missing.
It's not a straight arcade port though (it's Mark III name was 'Final Bubble Bobble') since it doubles the number of levels to 200, and introduces some new gameplay quirks. Definitely worth a look for any BB fans.

yeh the graphics are a bit dated compared to newer versions but it certainly had it's extras and was the version I always liked best because of it.

Big bosses on certain levels
Hidden doors on levels such as 1, 10, 20 and 50
200 levels

ahhh memories

[yosai]

Sorry this thread just reminded me about the quality DS cover.

[Baseley09]

ahhh memories

Bubble Memories??






I'll get me coat.

[Ouenben]

Never actually played it. Whats it like?

[deded]

the only one i ever really played hardcore was the atari st version

which seemed pretty damn similar to the arcade one

fat game, insta-nostalgia

[Kubrick]

which seemed pretty damn similar to the arcade one

Yep, excellent conversion for sure, but it lacked the 3 secret islands.

[Ratso]

If I recall correctly...

The 1996 PSone and Saturn versions of Bubble Bobble are by Dave Broadhurst (Software Creations), and are pretty much direct ports of the Amiga version, which itself was a port of their own ST version.

All four are highly playable but far from arcade perfect, as I don't believe he had access to the code behind the complex and specific bonus mechanics. In fact, as per many other conversions of the day, the whole thing was probably recreated by playing the coin-op through on free play and copying by sight and feel.

There are two slight differences between the PSone and Saturn versions:

1. The screen ratio on the Saturn version is closer to the arcade, whereas the PSone version is stretched horizontally to fill a 4:3 PAL 'window'

2. The earlier Saturn version has a maximum of 9 credits available per game, whereas (I'm guessing due to player feedback) the slightly later PSone version has 15 credits to share.

[anagrama]

I could've sworn the Amiga & Saturn versions of RI have the bonus mechanics intact. Wasn't there an incredibly complex guide to it all in Amiga Power back in the day? Or am I inventing false memories again?

[Ratso]

No, you're quite right about Rainbow Islands. Graftgold implemented everything perfectly on that.

But I was talking about Bubble Bobble.


Edit: And yes, Amiga Power issues 1 & 2 carried a marvellous RI guide.

[anagrama]

D'oh! Dunno why I thought conversation had turned to RI...

[Molloy]

The C64 might not have been arcade perfect, but it was bloody fantastic. Most C64 games were **** but that was one game my brother and I played to death. The soundtrack was better than the arcade version too, not nearly as annoying.

[Ratso]

D'oh! Dunno why I thought conversation had turned to RI...

I think that maybe it had, but I hadn't!