Review for Bubble Bobble 4 Friends. Game for Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 19/11/2019 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 31/03/2020
In the world of video games there are sacred monsters, titles that are spoken of with reverence and a pinch of nostalgia and that have helped to make the medium what it is today, pioneers of a world in which the components of the competitive own of modern times gave way to cooperation between players, often side by side in the arcade, ready to make their way to be able to add - after the game over - their acronym with the three letters on the high score screen.
A striking example of this description is Bubble Bobble, the title of Taito which was born in 1986 and that has undergone, as usual for the classics of the genre, porting on all consoles and in all sauces. Bubble Bobble arrived today also on Nintendo Switch in its version Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, which tries to combine the classic features of the title with the ability to play in groups of up to four people.
The general feeling is that of a good tribute to the original work of Fukio Mitsuji (better known as MTJ), with levels with a more labyrinthine structure than the original and consequent paths to be studied carefully - especially in difficult mode - before letting our little dragons travel them. The original work is also present and playable in Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: it is fascinating to discover how the original Bubble Bobble consecrated Mitsuji as one of the best game designers of all time, also capable of giving birth to masterpieces such as Rainbow Islands, partially reinventing itself and courageously avoiding sailing in known and safe waters.
The concept behind Bubble Bobble 4 Friends reflects and respects that classic canon that made the series famous, which Mitsuji at the time thought of as a combination of two essential elements in terms of design for a work that wanted to entertain the public: this' development idea foresaw a particular symbiosis given by the union of elements associated with carefree and fun - the bubbles - with an ingredient that gave rise to a particular emotion in the player, that is the possibility to burst the bubbles all together, producing important results in terms of score, prizes and consequent satisfaction of the players. Mitsuji's mantra and genius have produced a model that is followed today, and that Bubble Bobble 4 Friends respects with reverence and partial quotation, which starts from the notes of the (excellent) music of the game that often follow the famous jingle of the original, up to the possibility of experiencing the adventure in the roles of Bub and Bob (or their friends Peb and Pab), small dragons born by Mitsuji as dispensers of bubbles to replace the more inflated flames.
The whole story is lived within a particular setting, that is a kid's bedroom where toys come to life and they constitute the enemies that infest every little crevice of furniture and desks; everything goes to build an adventure consisting of 5 sections, each consisting of 9 levels and a boss fight. Once you have finished the story in normal mode, you will be able to retrace your steps in difficult mode, in 5 other sections with a similar structure but oriented towards greater complexity and more enemies and obstacles.
With the addition five different power-ups, each obtainable once a boss is defeated, will help to vary even more the structure at the base of the game: it will be possible to take shots to overcome the enemies in front of us, increase the range of our bubbles, produce the famous and lethal lightning-bubbles (do you remember them?) or explosive bubbles, or more simply we can stop the flow of currents inside the sections.
Each level, in fact, will be equipped with lines on the screen that will indicate the wind flow and therefore substantially the directions in which our bubbles will move: all this allows us to read in advance the situations that will arise, not leaving the movements of the bubbles to chance and not limiting them only to going upwards, with some interesting ideas which can jump to the eye in some level, in which it will be necessary to carefully ride the bubbles at the right time to reach places otherwise inaccessible.
The classic overall score system remains, which however remains a value in its own right and not comparable with that of other users: it would have been interesting to have an online leaderboard thanks to which you can compare your score with that of other players (and who knows that something will not arrive in the near future). All this would have added a further challenge and significantly pushed the replayability of a work that - unfortunately - does not shine for the amount of content.
However, the real power-up of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is the local multiplayer mode: compared to the classic canons to which the series had accustomed us, the levels have undergone an upgrade in size and a change compared to the structures of the original such as to emphasize even more the possibilities guaranteed by cooperation between multiple players: as a couple you are able to benefit from all this and the possibility of coordinating makes the task even easier for Bub and Bob. Playing in pairs would seem the most recommended solution: Bubble Bobble 4 Friends - as the name suggests - allows you to reach a maximum of 4 players at the same time. Perhaps an excessive number, especially for the size of the levels, however not suitable for too many players.
From a technical point of view Bubble Bobble 4 Friends did not focus on the classic pixel-art, choosing a very appreciable style that provides a touch of modernity, while always remaining faithful to the world of two dimensions. To be commended again the music tracks and their rendering, perfectly suited and in keeping with the spirit of the title.
Each title bearing the words “Bubble Bobble” in its name takes on a critical role: responsibility weighs like a sword of Damocles on the neck of video games that very often fail to achieve the quality of the original work. Bubble Bobble 4 Friends still honors the cabinet title, with a work with a good quality at the base and a decent yield, which, however, lacks from the point of view of the number of contents proposed.
► Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a Platform-Arcade game developed by Taito for Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 19/11/2019 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 31/03/2020
