Bubble Symphony - Retro gaming review

Bubble Symphony, also known as Bubble Bobble 2, is the second of three main Bubble Bobble games. I say main because the sheer amount of ports, cameos and spin-offs is amazing for a little game that is basically two dragons spiting bubbles at enemies and bursting them. That says a lot... It was released in 1994 for the arcades and also for the Sega Saturn, Xbox (Taito Legends 2), Microsoft Windows (Taito Legends 2) and PlayStation 2 (Taito Memories II Volume 2). I remember spending countless hours playing the first Bubble Bobble on PC when I was a kid, with my neighbor and best friend at the time. We played so many times that game and were so damn proficient at it that we would actually get to the end with more lives than the ones we started with.

From the three main games, Bubble Symphony is the one that is chronologically more recent. Bubble Memories - The Story of Bubble Bobble III is actually between Bubble Bobble and Bubble Symphony. In Bubble Symphony, the levels are more or less the same as in the first game. I recognized some of them immediately. The same enemies return and there are new ones. In terms of bosses, the old ones also return and there are also new bosses. What sets this game apart from the first one is that you can choose one character among four, each one with it's own abilities. This introduces an interesting slight strategic element to the game. Their names and abilities are:

• Bubblun (バブルン Baburun) is the well-rounded character; he can fire three grouped bubbles straight ahead when powered up (the bubble button is held for a few seconds then released).
• Bobblun (ボブルン Boburun) has faster speed in exchange for shorter range. He can shoot three bubbles in a spread pattern when powered up.
• Kululun (クルルン Kururun) has the longest available range, but is slow. She can shoot her bubbles in a "T" pattern (forwards, backwards, and down) when powered up.
• Cororon (コロロン Kororon) has the fastest bubble blowing and can shoot her bubbles in an inverted-"T" pattern (forwards, backwards, and up) when powered up.

Why did I choose to review this game? Simple... It's the one that really feels like a refinement of the previous one and with similar levels and enemies, really brings me some memories from my childhood. The gameplay pretty much stays the same.

In the third game, there's actually giant enemies in the levels and you can charge the fire button to release a big bubble. While that's interesting and refreshing, it changes a little bit the way you play and feel the game. In Bubble Symphony, in some levels you must choose the path you take. While in terms of levels this appears to change only the background, I don't really know if it has any real effect in the end. Just like it's predecessor, this game has multiple endings that depend on your performance throughout the game.

Being a little more specific about the gameplay, at first this game seems really easy and boring. You move your little dinosaur around, spit bubbles to catch the enemies, and then pop the bubbles. But don't let yourself be fooled! There are many twists and turns that keep the game interesting. There are different air currents on each level. Some levels seem easy, but then you notice that they're made in such a way that you can't blow bubbles in certain areas, or that some places are unreachable. You're able to jump on top of bubbles to get to different places, which adds some more challenge to the game. You may even have to watch where the air currents take your bubbles to find out how to get at certain enemies. There are some special bubbles with lightning, fire, water and hurricanes. Some of these, depending on the direction you are facing, will blow and send the corresponding effect in the opposite direction. Learn how each effect works and what it does to enemies and to you.

When playing with a second player, a co-op approach can make catching enemies easier. Your choice of character could help as well. I haven't found huge differences in each one, but some shoot bubbles faster, some move faster, etc, just like described above. There's also a time limit, which can put the pressure on. When the time runs out, a little whale will appear, and chase you around slowly at first, but the more time you take, the faster it moves, and you can't put it in a bubble! As you go through the game, you'll find many different items. A sneaker makes you move really fast, a red cross makes you shoot fire, and the list goes on. There's also some letters that you can collect. If they work like in the first game, and I believe they do, you have to complete the word EXTEND to get one extra life. Some items make different characters appear which mimic your movements and aid you! What's great about this is that they're all cameo appearances from other games.

As mentioned before, there are multiple endings that depend on how you perform throughout the game. There are so many that finding them all is not an easy task. This adds some replayability to the game. If possible, enjoy it with a friend. It's easier and funnier that way. Overall, it's a great arcade game, with game mechanics that are simple enough for a first time player to catch on real quick, but also deep enough for those that know the game and are a bit more serious about it. The colorful nature of the game encourages joy and happiness and the song is really catchy. You'll get it in your head for a while... XD If you never played one of the Bubble Bobble games, try it! It's a great game. ^^

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