Puzzle Bubble / Bust-A-Move review by LitPhoenix

Graphics
Just like the real game, the graphics are fairly simple. You got your dino, Bob, the bubbles and a solid background instead of a picture background. What more do you need for Puzzle Bubble(PB). My only complaint about the graphics is that the pink and orange color bubbles will blend together if not looked head on in moderately lit area.

Sound effects
The sounds are appropriate for this title, but none of the tradition sounds for the puzzle bubble series exist here. (Just a random comment, the cannon launcher noise sounds just like shooter from an old Atari 2600 game called Air Sea Battle.) Because the roms size is so small for the NGP, like all pocket titles, there are no voices, but not all the voices have been replaced with sounds. I'm just complaining that there's no start round ping or something other similar sound effect.

Music
Slightly remixed, but the same tunes you have heard before. Suffered nearly no butchering like some other music for NGP titles, except no voice sound effects mixed in with the music. (This is a plus for me because I really got tired of hearing the characters going bleep, bleep in the song for the Saturn version of Puzzle Bubble.)

Gameplay
If you never played PB before here is a brief description for the game. You have a cannon n the bottom of the screen. You shoot a bubble at a set of bubbles above you. If 3 or more bubbles meet with the one you shoot, they disappear. If there were other bubbles connected to that bubble, if the destroyed bubble was their only support, they drop off the screen.

There are 3/4 modes of play for PBmini. First is puzzle mode where you play 99 puzzles and try to beat your best time (there are no points in puzzle mode of PBmini). Once a stage is done, you can go back to it whenever you want, but for the first stage you play, the guide is turned on. ( I wish they would get rid of this feature, I've always considered using the guide cheating)

An minor note for PB fans, in puzzle mode, a very large portion of the puzzles in this mode have been in previous PB games, most from PB1, PB2X, PB SNES versions.

Second is cpu vs mode. You choose one of 8 CPU characters and go against them in a best out of three fight. There are only 8 characters, and you don't fight the next one after beating one (like other puzzle vs games) This makes this mode seem like a tack on feature that was never completed, but 3 of the characters are unusually hard.

Third is survival mode. This is similar to challenge mode in PB for the snes, or endless in any other puzzle game. Bubbles continuously come, and you destroy them, occasionally being attacked by as if you were in vs mode. You lose when you go over the line or maybe you get something if you can clear all the bubbles. You then get a score and rank for your performance.

The final mode is 2p vs, but you need two pockets, two games, and a link cable for this.

Control
Gee, what is there to talk about, you move the cannon with the stick and shoot with the A button, simple.

For PB addicts, you'll be happy to know that holding te B button while moving the cannon will make the cannon move in 1 click increments for precision shooting. Holding up will bring the cannon to straight position quickly, and down will point the cannon to a low position quickly.

Overall
If you have always wanted PB on the go, this is the only way to do it, just make sure you don't play it in dim light.

Reviewed on a NGPC
Graphics 8
+ the usual PB graphics
- some pink & orange will blend together in dim light

Sound 7
+ appropriate sound effects
- start round voice not replaced with a sound effect

Music 8
+ classic PB tunes translated very well
- there are only three songs
- no new songs

Gameplay 8
+ it's all here, not half bad
- need well lit area to see some similar colors
- CPU vs feels "tacked on"

Control 9
+ you have fine adjustment for the cannon
- its not mentioned in the manual

Overall 8
The best portable version of PB that you can get, and it goes cheaper then other NGP games, Wahoo!