Twinworld Game Reviews

Posts Tagged ‘Bubble Bobble 4 Friends’

TAITO, together with ININ games, is pleased to announce that after the acclaimed release on Nintendo Switch of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, PlayStation 4 owners can look forward to the digital debut release of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back which is bigger, better, with more features for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo fans to revel in.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back will be available digitally and in physical editions in America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand on 17th November 2020.

More Stages – More Content! More Fun!

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends on Nintendo Switch received praise and acclaim from the critics and fans although many requested more content. TAITO and ININ Games listened, hence its return and PlayStation 4 debut along with a favourite character to spice up this platform feast. Conveying even more exciting challenges and more ‘Bubble Bursting’ addictive mayhem, it looks and plays like a dream. Beware though the infamous Baron marks his appearance within 100 unique new stages: twice as many stages as before to offer unprecedented confrontations!!! Nintendo Switch will not miss out either for, if you purchased the original title, the extra content can be downloadable free on release and new purchasers of course will get this bumper game in full!

In Game Elements

• 4 Player Co-Op mode
• Total of 200 Levels
• Original Arcade version included
• Online Ranking feature
• Return of a fan-favorite villain: Baron von Blubba

About the Game. Simple – Smart – Addictive

The cutesy adorable Bub and Bob are ready to float to the challenge presented. Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back is a single-screen platform action game released as a complete new addition to the legendary Bubble Bobble series, in which you control the bubble dragons Bub and Bob, clearing stages by blowing bubbles to trap enemies, then bursting them to defeat them. Players can acquire special skills by completing an area, and level them up by collecting letter bubbles that form the word “EXTEND”. You can play together in multiplayer with up to four players. Also included is the original arcade version of Bubble Bobble.

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, October 22nd, 2020 – Strictly Limited Games is pleased to announce that A Magical High School Girl on Nintendo Switch, along with Taito’s Darius Extra Version (Mega Drive/Genesis) and Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back! for PlayStation 4 are now online. Preorder starts on October 25th only at www.strictlylimitedgames.com.

A Magical High School Girl is a delightful crafting, rogue-like RPG that also combines action adventuring. An isometric turn based game where a very ordinary high school girl wanders her way into a world of magic, monsters, and mysterious witches! Whether or not she can survive in this harsh but alluring world depends entirely on the gamer’s creativity! Attacks are conducted with magic that is conjured from within. The gamer can freely name the magic. The elemental properties and effects are generated automatically with what is typed in. However, unlike other roguelikes, the HP system, experience system, levels, UI, and almost everything else have been reimagined to fit the theme of the game. A Magical High School Girl, most importantly of all, offers a challenging and enjoyable experience for the casual player whilst also offering many layers of gaming elements for veteran and experienced players.

The Collector’s Edition is limited to 1,300 copies worldwide, priced at 49,99€. The Limited Edition is limited to 1,700 copies worldwide, priced at 29,99€.

Darius Extra Version (Mega Drive/Genesis) – Strictly Limited Games is excited to also announce this release which will delight owners of the Mega Drive/Genesis system. The cartridge will contain a brand new version of the original arcade game made for the classic Mega Drive console that has never been released before. This brand new conversion of the arcade original includes new exclusive modes, improved FM music/SFX and balanced gameplay fixes, making it the finest Darius experience ever made for retro consoles! Choose between US or EU cover design with reversible nostalgic box styles.

The editions for Mega Drive and the Genesis are limited to 2,000 copies each worldwide, priced at 49,99€.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back! (PS4) – The cutesy adorable Bub and Bob are ready to float to the challenge presented. Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back! is a platform experience with more than 200 levels that caters for everyone. With the couch co-op 4 player mode it makes for a great party and family game.

This bigger, more comprehensive presentation is the ultimate experience along with the return of the infamous Baron von Blubba bursting to seek his revenge.

The Collector’s Edition is limited to 1,700 copies, priced at 89,99€. The Limited Edition is limited to 2,000 copies, priced at 39,99€.

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, Germany – August 27th 2020 – TAITO, together with ININ Games, is pleased to announce more news on two iconic titles; Space Invaders Forever and Bubble Bubble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back!, which will both be released later in the year.

Space Invaders Forever will be released as boxed editions as well as digitally on the Nintendo eShop and PlayStation Store in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand by ININ Games.

Lighting the fuse for a gaming revolution.

Space Invaders is surely one of the most famous video games of all time and was the launching pad for the video gaming revolution. The game mechanics and its design make it a game that encompasses all the very best.

The following games are part of the Space Invader Forever Collection:

• Space Invaders Extreme
• Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE
• Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders

Space Invaders Extreme has arrived to invade consoles with greatly improved graphics and interactive sound to deliver a new immersive experience! Packed with vibrant visuals and a pulsing soundtrack. Space Invaders Extreme comes with 16 stages, packed with devious invaders and fiendish boss fights. Practice individual stages in Free Play, then boost your high score to new heights in Arcade Mode!

Can you find all the countless, hidden bonuses?

Welcome to the new invasion!

Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE will finally be available on consoles as part of the Forever Collection.

Team up with up to 3 friends to shoot down the invaders to clear the stages as fast as possible. This brand new 4-player-coop-experience offers new stages, gimmicks and new music written by TAITO’s in-house sound team ‘ZUNTATA’.

Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders is the perfect union of two Arcade Kings. Two of TAITO’s most iconic and beloved video game series clash on console and combine elements from both arcade classics. Players are controlling the Arkanoid Vaus paddle ship to defeat waves of Space Invaders.

Beat all 150 stages with your skills and unlock 40 different characters from the TAITO legacy. Each character has unique abilities – use more than 20 different skills, including power-ups and protective fire. Are you ready to defeat the huge 3D Invader bosses and save the galaxy?

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back!

TAITO together with ININ games, have exciting news for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch release of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back! later in the year. The game will be available digitally and in physical editions in America, Europe and Australia and New Zealand.

Online Ranking Feature!

A newly included feature for Switch will be the much requested online ranking. This will allow players worldwide to compare their high scores and compete against each other, giving the game an additional boost on replayability and fun.

More Stages – more content!

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends received a lot of praise from the critics and fans, with many requesting more content. TAITO and ININ Games listened. The Baron is Back comes with 100 unique, new stages: twice as many stages as before!

The brand new trailer shows the tons of fun that will be added.

The return of the fan-favourite villain, Baron von Blubba, brings additional thrills and makes the new stages quite challenging, given that he is invincible. The player has to dodge him while defeating the other enemies one by one to clear the stage.

About the game

After the successful release of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends on Nintendo Switch, the cutesy adorable Bub and Bob mark their return with a bigger and more comprehensive offering that PlayStation 4 fans will be excited to play for the first time – Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back!

Switch fans haven’t been forgotten and are in for a special treat. Nintendo Switch fans who purchased the current Bubble Bobble 4 Friends will be able to download the new content with all new stages and features for free.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a single-screen platform action game released as a complete new addition to the legendary Bubble Bobble series, in which you control the bubble dragons Bub and Bob, clearing stages by blowing bubbles to trap enemies, then bursting them to defeat them. Players can acquire special skills by completing an area, and level them up by collecting letter bubbles that form the word “EXTEND”. You can play together in multiplayer with up to four players. Also included is the original arcade version of Bubble Bobble.

Source: PR Email

If you were around in the 1980s, you were no stranger to the Video Arcade scene. Kids and adults alike would gather at their local Arcades to compete for the top score of their favorite video games. Some of these games included Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, Dragon’s Lair, and Pac-Man. In 1986, TAITO released Bubble Bobble to the arcade scene, a challenging co-op platformer which became a huge success. The game included 100+ stages, secret levels, various power-ups, and multiple endings for the player to uncover.

With the release of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, TAITO aims to bring the joy the bubble busting back with their new entry in the beloved Bubble Bobble series for 1-4 players. The game uses cute 3D models, reworked music, and brand new stages. TAITO also included the original arcade release of Bubble Bobble for those wanting to play the cult-classic that started it all.

The game starts off showing you the night sky, with the camera then moving backwards into a child’s bedroom via an outside window. You can see the classic Bubble Bobble arcade machine at 1 end of the room, along with some toys on the ground and someone sleeping in the bed at the other end. You can also spot Bub and Bonner laying on the bed. After some glowing lights fly through the bedroom window, a couple bubbles enter the room and hit the 2 dolls. A few moments later, Bonner awakens and strikes Bub on the head. Bub proceeds to jump off the bed, which then brings us to the world selection screen.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is made up of 5 worlds, each containing 9 normal stages and 1 boss stage. While progressing through each world, players will come across various letters trapped in bobbles. If you manage to pop the letters before they disappear, you’ll end up spelling the word EXTEND. When you did this in the original game, you were granted an extra life. With Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, each collected letter provides 1 extra life. When you spell the whole word, something special happens but we won’t spoil the surprise for you. You’ll also earn up to 3 stars in each world, depending how well you’ve performed.

For those experienced with platforming titles, this game might be on the easier side for you. The main title can be completed within 1-2 hours, depending how quickly you go through it. For young kids or those that have trouble progressing through the game, you are provided an option to become invincible if you die too many times in a stage. I’m guessing TAITO has taken a page out of Nintendo’s handbook with this one, as the most recent Yoshi games provide a normal and casual mode to assist those that really need it. Once you manage to complete the main game, you are presented with a new difficulty level. This new difficulty adds in more enemies and disables the option to become invincible.

The 3D artwork in Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is quite adorable. While many developers have used mediocre models in some of their games on Switch, TAITO has done a great job with their character models, backgrounds, and game animations. Player and enemy movement appear to be quite smooth and there’s no noticeable slowdown in the game. As you progress through the various stages, the background shifts to various places in the bedroom. The shifting background is quite a nice touch versus having just a static black background like in the classic title. The background music is essentially the same as the original game, but remastered a few different ways. Most of the music tracks sound great, but there is 1 that sounds a bit off for some reason. You’ll probably know which one I’m referring to when you hear it.

Even though Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a fun game for all ages, they did make some changes to the game that I was surprised to see. One of the cool features of the original was finding power-ups to help you along the way, which lasted until you lost your life. Bubble Bobble 4 Friends does have power-ups, but they are unlocked after you defeat the boss for that world. Even though the game has 5 power-ups to choose from, you can only equip 1 of them on your hero before starting a world. The game also shows you air currents in the background, so you know which direction your bubbles will float. Luckily you can hide this within the game settings if you wish to make things more challenging for yourself.

A couple other differences in Bubble Bobble 4 Friends would be related to the use of bubbles. There’s a few stages where platforms are positioned at slightly different angles. When you attempt to hit enemies with your bubbles when positioned slightly above them, they end up missing. The classic game was a bit forgiving by allowing bubbles to capture enemies, even if those enemies were slightly below your bubbles. The 2nd change relates to bouncing on bubbles. If you didn’t hold your jump button down in the classic game, you would pop the bubbles. In Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, your hero will bounce on the bubbles until you press the down arrow to make them pop.

At the end of the day, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is definitely a fun title that anyone can pick-up and enjoy by themselves or with others. Not only do you get 50+ new stages to work your way through with up to 4 players, but you also get to experience the original 100 stage co-op cult classic in all its glory. I hope to see TAITO bring more classic titles over to Switch, such as Rainbow Islands or Arkanoid.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends launch March 31st on the Nintendo Switch eShop!

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, developed by the original studio TAITO Corporation and exclusively released on Nintendo Switch, is about to burst onto the American scene complete with the return of the popular dragons, Bub and Bob, along with news skills and amazing challenges. The sequel will be released, both digitally and physically, exclusively for Nintendo Switch in North and South America on March 31st 2020.

100 levels to defy the wicked wizard, Bonner, and his henchmen, where the player can be a solo star and jump, cavort, float and become a platform high flyer or play co-op mode with up to 3 friends. This integrated cooperative mode provides even more fun with friends, as well as offering some of the cutest, addictive, ‘platforming’, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends includes the legendary original Bubble Bobble game, plus much, much more….

Collectors from all over the world will also be delighted by the commemorative releases from Strictly Limited. A few copies of the very extensive Collector’s Edition of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends can still be pre-ordered from the Strictly Limited Games online store at a price of approx. 101 USD. The Collector’s Edition is limited to only 2500 Units and contains a sturdy hardcover box with magnetic lock, the original soundtrack, a fully localized hardcover artbook and many more exclusive items.

The Standard Edition is limited to 3500 units and offers a beautiful retro-style cover and an individual number on each copy, and is available for appro. 45 USD. Both editions will come with a very special Acrylic Print of Bub or Bob as an exclusive bonus item.

Collectors can look forward to the Collector’s Edition of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, distributed exclusively by Strictly Limited Games. The ININ publishing label markets the retail versions and digital releases on the Nintendo eShop.

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, Germany – February 25, 2020 – Bubble Bobble 4 Friends by ININ GAMES, including the legendary original Bubble Bobble, will be released digitally and physically exclusively for Nintendo Switch in North and South America on March 31, 2020.

Bubble Bobble is still an absolute cult game today and is considered the most popular and innovative platformer of the ’80s. The twins, Bub and Bob, set out to free their friends from the hands of the evil Bonner, who also enchanted them in Bubble Dragons. As such, the brothers hop through the differently arranged platforms of the 100 colourful levels and shoot bubbles at numerous enemies. In the ’80s and ’90s, players bounced through the levels solo or in two-player co-op mode. The success of Bubble Bobble has led to it being ported to more than 20 different platforms over the past decades, including the PlayStation, Sega Mega Drive and NES Classic Mini.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, the latest game in the popular Bubble Bobble series, includes a 4-player co-op mode for even more fun with friends. Players can also acquire special skills by collecting letter bubbles that form the word “extend” to add strategic depth and increase replayability. Players will have plenty to discover and craft as they journey through the all-new worlds of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends.

About ININ Games:

ININ Games, the new publishing label of United Games Entertainment GmbH, focuses on the classic digital and physical marketing of high-quality retro, indie and arcade titles. Along with undisputed classics, numerous other milestones of gaming culture are in the planning and will be announced in the coming months.

About TAITO Corporation:

TAITO Corporation (TAITO) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, TAITO operates core businesses such as game arcade operations, coin-operated game machines, and mobile phone content services. A seminal part of gaming history, TAITO caused a worldwide sensation with its arcade legend, SPACE INVADERS, and developed such fan favourites as PUZZLE BOBBLE (BUST-A-MOVE) and ARKANOID. Today, TAITO continues to thrill game lovers of all generations by offering both classic and new family-oriented titles on the latest gaming platforms. TAITO delivers a wide range of entertainment experiences with the goal of providing consumers with fresh surprises and new discoveries.

About Bubble Bobble:

Bubble Bobble is an action game planned, developed, and released by TAITO CORPORATION (TAITO) in 1986.

The game centres around Bubby and Bobby, two boys who were cursed by a wizard and turned into the bubble-blowing dragons, Bub and Bob, who are on a quest to rescue their kidnapped girlfriends. To do this, they must brave all 100 floors of the cave of monsters, defeating their enemies by catching them in bubbles, then bursting them.

The lovable Bub and Bob were a big hit and went on to star in numerous sequels and the original has since been ported to countless home platforms. Puzzle Bobble (a.k.a. Bust-A-Move), a puzzle game spin-off, became a huge hit, going on to personify the franchise.

TAITO is the exclusive owner of the global intellectual property rights, including copyrights and trademarks, for Bubble Bobble and its characters, and takes an active role regarding new Bubble Bobble-related enterprises.

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, November 8 2019 – 33 years after the debut of the classic video game Bubble Bobble by TAITO, the two dragons Bub and Bob are returning to the screens. On November 19, 2019, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends will be released digitally in Europe and Australasia, exclusively for Nintendo Switch. On the same day, the physical version will be available in stores throughout Europe. North and South American digital Nintendo eShop releases Q1 2020

As previously announced, there will also be a Special Edition that comes with two keychains, a poster and four trading cards – this very special edition of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends will be available on December 13th, while stocks last.

Publisher ININ today announced new details on the EXTEND feature. This is a new skill upgrade system that will allow players to boost their dragons with additional features. To unlock the upgrades, players will need to collect letter bubbles, each containing one of the letters of the word “EXTEND”. In every stage, one of those special letter bubbles appears briefly and has to be collected before it bursts. If the player manages to collect all letters of the word “EXTEND” within a world and also win the boss battle, the player will receive either a new skill or an upgrade to an existing skill to become even more powerful.

The following skills can be unlocked:

• Long Shot: increases the range of the bubbles
• Thunder Bubble: attacks enemies in a horizontal line when bubble bursts
• Bomb Bubble: The bubble explodes after some time and causes damage.
• Stop Wind: air flows are interrupted for a short time
• Dash Skill: lets characters pass through enemies unharmed

Before entering a new world, players can equip their dragons with the skills they’ve learned so far, using a variety of tactical variations to master even the most difficult stages and clear a stage particularly quickly.

Apart from skills, there are other features that increase the replay value of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends and spur players on to ever wilder manoeuvres. Chain reactions from multiple bursted bubbles with captured enemies generate more and higher quality food for players to collect – the higher the number of bubbles, the more points and food you get as a reward. Special bubbles, such as bomb or lightning bubbles, provide new aspects of the game and tactics.

ININ has also built a new website for the cult game with helpful information on where to buy, the history of Bubble Bobble since 1986 as well as plenty of background information.

As a special gift for the fans, there will be desktop pc and mobile wallpapers ready to download. The design team from Taito has put a lot of effort into these wallpapers, to make sure that they look great on various devices.

Collectors from all over the world will also be delighted by the commemorative releases from Strictly Limited. A few copies of the very extensive Collector’s Edition of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends can still be pre-ordered from the Strictly Limited Games online store at a price of 89.99 Euro. The Collectors Edition is limited to only 2500 Units. The Standard Edition is limited to 3500 units and offers a beautiful retro-style cover and an individual numbering on each copy, and is available for 39,99 Euro. Both editions will come with a very special Acrylic Print of Bub or Bob as an exclusive bonus item.

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, October 21, 2019  – Stuttgart, publisher Strictly Limited Games, specializing in the release of strictly limited physical Collector’s Editions of digital games for PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita and Nintendo Switch, today announced the limited Standard and collector’s edition of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, the sequel to the 1986 video game classic Bubble Bobble.

From Sunday 27 October, both editions for Nintendo Switch can be pre-ordered exclusively from the Strictly Limited Games online store. The limited Standard Edition will be offered with an exclusive cover and individual numbering at a price of 39.99 Euro. The Collector´s Edition will celebrate the origins of this milestone in video game history in a very special way. Accordingly, it contains numerous items about Bubble Bobble and its history, which have been translated from Japanese with great attention to detail in order to make them accessible to fans and collectors. The Collector’s Edition will be offered at a price of 89.99 Euro.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, the latest game in the popular Bubble Bobble series, includes the original Bubble Bobble Coin-Op version from 1986 in addition to the 100 stages in Bubble Bobble 4 Friends – this means that there will be 100 more stages in the original Bubble Bobble with original music, sound and visuals in addition to the 100 stages in Bubble Bobble 4 Friends.

The Strictly Limited Collector’s Edition of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends includes the following exclusive fan items from the Bubble Bobble universe:

• High-quality collectors box with magnetic closure
• Original soundtrack from TAITO’s legendary “House Band” Zuntata (includes the soundtrack from Bubble Bobble 4 Friends and the original music from Bubble Bobble)
• Hardcover book, providing fascinating insights into Bubble Bobble
• 2 sheets with a stylish marquee and artwork stickers
• Bubble Bobble Instruction Card
• Bubble Bobble Arcade Flyer

As an additional bonus, the Collector’s Edition is shipped in a special retro-style cardboard box – a tribute to the classic packaging of vending machine circuit boards in the 1980s and 1990s.

Starting October 27th, collectors and fans of the games series will be able to pre-order the 3,500-piece limited Standard Edition or the 2,500-piece limited Collector’s Edition of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends for Nintendo Switch.

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, Germany – August 14, 2019 – After more than 10 years, Nintendo Switch players can look forward to a sequel of the cult 80’s game series Bubble Bobble by TAITO. The new Bubble Bobble 4 Friends was developed by the original studio TAITO Corporation and will include a brand new local 4-player mode. The sequel will be released both digitally and physically exclusively for Nintendo Switch in Europe on November 19, 2019, with the release in the USA to follow in the first quarter of 2020.

As in the previous highly popular series, the thrilling and epic bubble fight starts again!

One night, a child’s room became enfolded by a miraculous light and every object under its rays suddenly came to life – including the child’s most favourite toy, the little dragon called Bub. Full of jealousy, the wicked magician Baron von Blubba challenges the friendly dragon to battle.

In the ’80s and ’90s, the players jumped through the levels either solo or in the two-player mode. In the new part of the popular Bubble Bobble series, a 4-player cooperative mode is integrated, providing even more fun with friends.

“Bubble Bobble is an extremely popular title in Europe, so we decided to implement a pre-sale in Europe in conjunction with ININ Games and Strictly Limited Games. It is also the first internally developed title since Taito has re-entered the consumer market, and the development team is thrilled to be working on this famous IP. I deeply hope that many people will enjoy it” says Hiroshi Uemura, Executive Officer, Division Manager of Development, TAITO CORPORATION.

Collectors can look forward to the Collector’s Edition of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, distributed exclusively by Strictly Limited Games. The ININ publishing label markets the retail versions and digital releases on the Nintendo eShop.

Source: PR Email