Bubble Bobble
1986 · Platform · Arcade
Overview
Bubble Bobble (1986) is Taito's co-operative platformer: Bub and Bob trap monsters in bubbles and pop them across 100 single-screen levels.
Deep Dive
Bub and Bob, two boys turned into bubble-blowing dragons, fight through 100 single-screen levels to rescue their girlfriends. Monsters trapped in bubbles are popped for fruit and points, and linking pops together multiplies the score; dawdle too long and an invincible pursuer appears. Designed by Fukio Mitsuji, it is built around two players working together — the true ending can only be reached by finishing the game with both.
Developer Story
Bubble Bobble was designed by Fukio "MTJ" Mitsuji at Taito in 1986. Mitsuji was known for his eccentric personality and unconventional design ideas. The game featured two simultaneous players as bubble-blowing dinosaurs on a 100-level adventure to rescue their girlfriends. The true ending required completing the game in two-player mode — solo players saw a fake ending. Bubble Bobble became one of the most beloved co-operative arcade games ever made.
Did You Know?
- Bubble Bobble has two endings: a false ending for solo players and a true ending that could only be seen by completing the game with two players simultaneously.
- The 100 levels were each a contained puzzle with specific bubble trajectories and enemy behaviour — flow state design at its finest.
- Bub and Bob were humans transformed into dinosaurs — the narrative motivation was rescuing their human girlfriends and breaking the curse.
- The Baron Von Blubba boss appeared in certain levels as an indestructible pursuer if players were too slow — the first example of a patience mechanic in the series.
- The game's catchy theme music became one of the most recognisable video game melodies of the 1980s.
Sources & further reading
- Bubble Bobble — Wikipedia
