games / Reviews
Puzzle Bobble Everybubble (Switch) Review
Image Credit: Taito
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I grew up as a fan of Bubble Bobble and its loosely related spin-off, Puzzle Bobble. Besides Tetris, it was one of the main puzzle games of choice growing up, so getting a new iteration on the Switch was appreciated.
Puzzle Bobble Everybubble still keeps the standard formula of past iterations, but puts a much heavier focus on multiplayer than Bust-a-Move Bash on the Wii did.
There is a story that goes along with the main puzzle mode, which I’m not sure why this puzzle title needs one. Basically, Miniroons, smaller versions of Bub and Bob, wanted the ability to spit bubbles. Grumple Grommit grants them the power, but then they can’t stop, covering the island with bubbles. Again, not much of a reason for one here when the main goal is just to clear as many puzzles as you can.
For those that have never played a Puzzle Bobble or Bust-a-Move title, you’ve no doubt seen similar games to it. You shoot a bubble toward the top of the screen, trying to make matches of three or more to eliminate bubbles. On most stages, you have a goal of either trying to clear all bubbles or rescue little creatures called Chack’ns.
Each world has several stages to clear and clearing all with a three star rating (quickest amount of time possible) will grant access to EX stages that are harder and can give collectibles when completed.
As mentioned above, the co-op is the big draw for Everybubble. Levels scale for one to four players, with huge sprawling levels once all four people get involved. Don’t have four people nearby (it is couch co-op)? Don’t worry, up to three Ais can assist in the insanity as well.
While I unfortunately didn’t get to experience a lot of co-op with people due to the lack of interest around here, I did enjoy my time with the AI. They seemed to hold their own for the most part, and often I would find myself launching a few their way just to help or shore up bubbles if they had colors showing I needed to get rid of.
Outside of the puzzle mode, there is also a competitive mode with friends to try and survive a continuous onslaught of bubbles as long as possible. Blubba’s Tower has a single-player version of this, but the continuous mode has always been the best played with others.
The game also features an odd Puzzle Bubble Vs. Space Invaders mode, where you clear bubbles moving sideways slowly down the screen. It’s a fun little diversion, but one I only played a few times before going back to the main puzzle mode.
The main drawback for the game is one that most titles face: replayability. Outside of trying to get three stars on everything, the amount of time you spend in Puzzle Bobble will depend on how much you enjoy match-3 puzzles. The burnout may hit sooner for some than others.
