''Bubble Bobble 4 Friends'' is a platform

arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily game of skill, games of skill and in ...

developed and published by

Taito is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, Toy, toys, arcade cabinets, and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, Vending machine, vending machines, and Juk ...

in Japan, and published by ININ games worldwide. The game is part of the ''Bubble Bobble'' arcade series. The game's reception had been mixed when it was first released on the

Nintendo Switch The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...

, but the

PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...

version was better received one year later.

Gameplay

The game has a gameplay similar to other titles in the franchise. The game characters are 3D models, with only the background in 2D. Players control two dragons, Bub or Bob, that can trap enemies in bubbles and pop them in order to eliminate them from the screen. When eliminating an enemy, a fruit is generated that can be collected as a reward to increase the player's score. The game contains 50 different stages that can be played in two difficulty levels. To unlock the most difficult level, the player must first complete the 50 stages in the normal level. Also included is the original ''Bubble Bobble'' arcade game released in 1986. In addition, there is an "Arcade of the Future" feature that can only be completed with ten lives and no continues consisting of 100 levels (one on each floor in a tower) where players can complete it by getting past the 100th floor.

Release

The game was released for the Nintendo Switch, initially in Europe and Australia, on November 19, 2019. In February and March 2020, it was released, respectively, in Japan and American continents. Later, a free update known as ''Bubble Bobble 4 Friends - The Baron is Back'' was released on November 17, 2020, with a PlayStation 4 version releasing in the same day. A

Steam Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...

version, under the name ''Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron's Workshop'', was released on September 30, 2021.

Reception

The Switch version of the game received mixed reviews. On

Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

, the game has a weighted average score of 68 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Regarding the version released later for the PlayStation 4, called ''Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back'', it received 75 out of 100 points on Metacritic, based on 5 reviews. Although the environment and gameplay were highly praised, the small number of stages was pointed out as negative points. Britt Roberts of Nintendo Life praised the gameplay, describing it as fluid and fun, and highlighted the timelessness of the formula adopted by the game since the first version.

References

{{Authority control 2019 video games Arcade video games Bubble Bobble ININ Games games Nintendo Switch games Platformers PlayStation 4 games Taito games Video games developed in Japan Windows games