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