Bubble Bobble 4 Friends

It’s a fine line when creating a sequel to such a classic game. Go too modern and you alienate your classic player base, but go too retro and it doesn’t appeal to the new generation of gamers. Taito has got the balance spot on here though, and created a Bubble Bobble for 2019 that feels completely right, but without being mere fanservice. It’s a brilliant game that all Switch owners ought to get in my opinion.

We really enjoyed Bubble Bobble 4 Friends on the Nintendo Switch and like the 1986 original, it is definitely a far superior game if played with others. As a result, it ramps up the fun factor as gamers with their friends and family are once again returned to the loveable characters of Bub and Bob with its tweaked gameplay and equally cute graphics. It’s the perfect 2019 reimagining of an arcade classic and is also fun to play solo as well!

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a solid, enjoyable and well-made entry in the Bubble Bobble franchise. At its core, it's still a simple pick-up-and-play arcade game, but 4 Friends does a good job of expanding and improving on the core mechanics. There's something bizarrely addictive about chaining together bubbles for huge point strings, and the simple nature of the game makes it excellent for parties or get-togethers. It might not be a huge narrative-driven experience like some modern titles, but there's something comforting about returning to the days when all you needed was a dinosaur-shaped blob of pixels, some bubbles, and a whole lot of quarters.

Bubble Bobble returns in fine form, showing off to a new generation why it’s earned such a following over the decades. This new version looks great, is full of nostalgic charm, and most importantly, tons of dinosaur bubble-filled charm.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is the best-playing entry in the long-running series. If you’ve ever enjoyed a Bubble Bobble game, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. The gameplay is faster-paced and tighter than ever before and it looks fantastic in either handheld mode or on TV. The core formula has been tweaked to include more puzzles and boss battles, but the root of the game remains intact. The end result is a classic-feeling, user-friendly game that isn’t bogged down by a lot of the clunkiness of games of the original’s era.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a great addition to the Bubble Bobble franchise, but it's expensive for what it provides. A solid afternoon of gaming will get you to the end credits, but you'll return to do things a little better than before.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a great modern addition to the series. It offers a solid balance of fun and challenge with high replayability due to the three-tier scoring system and collectables, as well as the inclusion of the original game in the series. The focus on teamwork will be wonderful for families and friends looking for some co-op fun, but the lack of online play and the absence of any real competitive features could limit its longevity. However, given how much fun this is to play, these complaints seem a little spiteful; what we've got here is a quite brilliant reimagining of a stone-cold classic which understands that amazing gameplay is timeless and doesn't need totally overhauling to keep it relevant in the modern age.

Overall, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is every bit of Bubble Bobble and more. I’m just not sure the price tag justifies the gameplay.

Playing Bubble Bobble 4 Friends will make you appreciate just how well certain classic gameplay formulas have held up over the decades. From its charming presentation to its enjoyable multiplayer implementation, retro and modern gamers will find a lot to love here.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is the type of game the Nintendo Switch was made for. It is a title that anyone can pick up and play and it gets progressively more challenging the deeper you get. It is fast, fun, and simple. While not exactly a long game you will enjoy every second of this charming game. Add in the ability to play with up to 4 friends locally and it makes for a great party game.

Overall, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a great time but is lacking in content. From start to finish, the classic Bubble Bobble gameplay was a joy and return to form. However, only fifty new levels and the original arcade release left me feeling like there should have been much more included. For veterans of the Bubble Bobble series, this is a worthy follow up to the classics. For newcomers, the accessibility options, like the lack of a serious penalty for dying, make this one of the easiest places in the series to jump in. If you don’t mind the light amount of content, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is an excellent pickup.