Puzzle Bobble Live a.k.a Bust a Move Live (A Taito Game)

Want to add me as a friend? Click here · palindromic BOB on Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:01 am

Puzzle Bobble Live! a.k.a Bust-a-Move Live

Another puzzler hits the line up for XBLA, this time in the form of Puzzle Bobble Live aka Bust-a-Move Live! This classic ball busting game (thats the aim of it) set the standard for trigonometry based colour matching games, and the game mechanic can be seen in newer titles such as Zuma. The original now makes a long overdue comeback as part of Taito’s XBLA line up.

The game is simple. Point your bubble cannon and shoot so that it joins forms a chain of at least 3 matching colours that are suspended from the ceiling above. When done successfully they pop and a give you access to the rest of those colourful little critters. You can also bounce your bubbles off the walls of each level to reach areas that a straight shot can’t. After every few shots the ceiling drops a little and the goal is to clear the screen and prevent any bubbles crossing the threshold.

"Say hello to my little friend."

The game has a number of options in which to apply the aforementioned basics. This includes:

Story Mode:
The story is about err well it doesn’t really matter. Like the main characters other title, Bubble Bobble, there is a rough story line that has no impact of the gameplay. Basically you have to clear the screen of all bubbles and progress through levels of increasing difficulty. You have an element of control in how hard you make it by choosing your path. Left = easier, Right = harder. Some of these levels are really challenging and you may find you need the forethought of a snooker player to complete them. They are fun and there is a real sense of satisfaction when you complete a level that has stumped you on more than one occasion.

I love to go, a wandering!

Infinity mode:
Basically keep matching those colours for as long as you can. This is a good endurance mode and a huge challenge to keep going for an extended period of time. One wrong move will see you panicking. Your score is posted onto the online leaderboards so you can attempt to become the best in the world (or at least in your friends list). A very addictive game mode, you'll want to better yourself all the time (plus there is an achievement if you play for a full 60 minutes).

CPU Battle:
This is a ‘best of 3’ mode. The goal is to match up colours faster than your opponent. Each successful match will cause an increased build up of bubble on your opponents screen until they can do anything and lose as the bubble cross the threshold. As you progress the A.I difficulty increases. This provides excellent practice for the multiplayer modes. You can select different ball sets to attempt to assist with the challenge although I found myself sticking with the default set and having no real issues.

Multiplayer Battle.
You can either play this over XBL or on the same screen. From an achievement stand point this is handy as there is an easy 45G up for grabs here when playing online. This is my favourite mode as it provides the greatest challenge and the most fun. It’s excellent against a friend, especially when you are winning.

Suck my bubbles!

Puzzle Bobble is far from being a new game. At 14 years old it is somewhat retro and its’ influence can be seen in many other XBLA titles. With countless incarnations on most consoles it has changed very little with time. The addition of leaderboards and online play allow you to challenge friends and have a bit of fun although that is about as far as the modernisation goes. With infinite continues there are no real problems finishing the game either. The lack of a save function can mean you’ll be forcing yourself to play longer than you want to milk some achievements. When you have these you may find yourself avoiding the story mode and CPU battles in favour of infinity and multiplayer modes which are the mainstay of this game. With other games on the market that have evolved the gameplay mechanic it does feel dated yet it's still addictive and a lot of fun. If you enjoyed this back in the day then it is a must. If you are too young to remember it but enjoy Zuma or Luxor then maybe it’s time for a little history lesson.

Graphics: 6G
The classic elements are all there but now in HD although there isn't much polish. The charming sprites of Bub and Bob are always a joy although the CPU battle sprites leave much to be desired. The integration of your Avatar is nice and great to see when playing an online battle with friends.

Sound: 8G
Hard to fault purely through retro tinted headphones. The music is beautiful in a way that's only possible with Japanese arcade games. It's simple, relaxing and fits the game like a glove.

Gameplay: 8G
The simple to pick up yet challenging gameplay will keep you going for a while. This game is also a joy to come back to time and time again. The multiplayer and infinity modes are where the longevity lays. Infinite continues in single player remove a lot of the pressure that made the arcade game highly frustrating yet fun.

Overall: 7.5G (Not an average)
It’s a classic what more can I say. With a decent single player challenge and excellent multiplayer options at 800 points it is a bargain to be had. If you can’t find a place in your heart for this title then you are either too young or too cynical. With more evolved games on the market can this addictive little game still hold its’ own in the world of XBLA? Well I for one think it certainly has its place.

Click any of the images in this review to zip straight to the marketplace so you can queue a download for the next time you turn your Xbox on.

**Kent Hammer** on Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:17 am

A good review of a good game! Very Happy

patchychris on Mon Oct 12, 2009 12:43 pm

nice lil game, gotta get around to getting this addiction-fest

MDub on Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:09 pm

Good review. I still have a soft spot for this game, as does the wife, so it was (yet another) instant XBLA purchase for me.

Geeky side note: a guy at work gave me a copy of the PS1 soundtrack today, so I listened to it as I worked.

Puzzle Bobble Live a.k.a Bust a Move Live (A Taito Game)

Puzzle Bobble Live a.k.a Bust a Move Live (A Taito Game)

Re: Puzzle Bobble Live a.k.a Bust a Move Live (A Taito Game)

Re: Puzzle Bobble Live a.k.a Bust a Move Live (A Taito Game)

Re: Puzzle Bobble Live a.k.a Bust a Move Live (A Taito Game)