Bubble Bobb-l-ikes

Developed almost exclusively in Japan, Bubble Bobb-l-ikes are cooperative, two-player, arcade videogames characterized by progressing, one-screen stages that are cleared when all enemies have been defeated through means of immobilization. Other common elements include power-ups or score bonuses (often in the form of food) dropped by defeated enemies, collectible letters used to unlock bonus stages once a specific word is completed, and a variety of distinctly themed worlds and jocular geographical inference.

Lineage

Bubble Bobble, the defining and most well-recognized example of this group of games, arguably descends from Mario Bros. Both games have limited playfields, increasingly agitated and dangerous enemies after a time limit, and an incapacitate/defeat mechanic.1)

Offshoots

Bomb Jack-alikes

Puzzle Bobb-l-ikes

Examples

YearTitleCompanyNotes
1984The Fairyland Story Taito
1986Bubble Bobble Taito
1989Don Doko Don Taito
1990Rod·Land Jaleco
Snow Bros. Toaplan
1991Parasol Stars Taito
Tumblepop Data East
1992Dark Tower The Game Room
Diet Go Go Data East
Funky Jet Mitchell Corp
Saboten Bombers Tecmo
Wani Wani World Kaneko
1993Bubble Bobble Part 2 Taito
Jump Kids Comad
Super Methane Brothers Apache Software Ltd.
1994Joe & Mac Returns Data East
Little Robin TCH
Metal Saver First Amusement
Pang Pang Dong Gue La Mi Ltd.
1995Sea Hunter Penguin WSAC Systems ?
1996Fancy World - Earth of CrisisUnico
Miss Bubble II Alpha hack of Bubble Bobble
Toppy & Rappy SemiCom
Ultra Balloon SunA
1998Bomb Kick Yun Sung
Raccoon World Eolith
2000Bang Bang Busters Visco
Dream World SemiCom
Dynamite Bomber Limenko
Head Panic ESD sound effects ripped from Dynamite Headdy and Klax
Nightmare in the Dark SNK
Penguin Brothers Subsino
2001Jumping Pop ESD hack of Tumblepop
Zupapa! SNK made in 1994, but not released until 2001 after Nightmare in the Dark was a success2)
2003Super Bubble 2003 Limenko

Scrolling Variants

  • Liquid Kids
  • Magic Boy
  • The New Zealand Story
  • Rainbow Islands
  • Teddy Boy Blues

Contemporary Indie

  • Super Crate Box
  • Deepak Fights Robots
  • Towerfall Ascension
 
 genre/bubble_bobb-l-ikes.txt · Last modified: 2017/04/08 09:58 (external edit)
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