''Space Bust-A-Move'' is a

puzzle video game Puzzle video games make up a broad genre of video games that emphasize puzzle solving. The types of puzzles can test problem-solving skills, including logic, pattern recognition, Sequence, sequence solving, Spatial ability, spatial recognition, ...

developed by Lancarse 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

Square Enix is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, video game publisher and entertainment conglomerate. It releases role-playing video game, role-playing game franchises, such as ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', and '' ...

worldwide for the

Nintendo DS The is a foldable handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens worki ...

. It was first released in Japan under the title on December 18, 2008. It was later released in North America under the title ''Space Bust-A-Move'' on July 28, 2009, and in Europe under the title ''Puzzle Bobble Galaxy'' on August 28, 2009. As with '' Arkanoid DS'', '' Space Invaders Extreme'' and '' Space Invaders Extreme 2'', the game is compatible with Taito's paddle controller.

Gameplay

As with the previous games in the ''Puzzle Bobble'' series, the player controls a pointer on the bottom of the screen (with either the

gamepad A gamepad is a type of video game controller held in two hands, where the fingers (especially thumbs) are used to provide input. They are typically the main input device for video game consoles. Features Some common additions to the standar ...

or Taito's paddle controller) that shoots differently-colored bubbles upwards. The object is to shoot bubbles at other bubbles of the same color at the top of the screen. When a group of three or more bubbles that touch each other are formed, then that group disappears. The objective is to clear the screen of all bubbles. Players can pick up various

power-up In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a Game mechanics, game mechanic. This is in contrast to an Item (game), item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that ca ...

s during the course of gameplay, such as stars that clear the playing field of all bubbles of a specific color or a flame that destroys a group of bubbles, regardless of color, within a certain radius. The

level Level or levels may refer to: Engineering *Level (optical instrument), a device used to measure true horizontal or relative heights * Spirit level or bubble level, an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is horizontal or vertical *C ...

s remains the same, with some levels containing

boss Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, ...

battles. The game includes a story mode, in which players go through eight "worlds" that reveal a story. It also includes a mode in which players can compete against other users via a

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (sometimes shortened to Nintendo WFC) was an online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo that formerly provided free online play in compatible Nintendo DS and Wii games. The service included the company's W ...

Reception

The game received above-average reviews according to the

review aggregation A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...

website

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 ...

. It received some criticism for its controls, which Daemon Hatfield of ''

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

'' described in its Tokyo Game Show review as "slow and clunky", and for its continue system that makes players unable to continue directly at the stage they failed at. In Japan, ''

Famitsu , formerly , is a line of Japanese Video game journalism, video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly f ...

'' gave it a score of three eights and one seven for a total of 31 out of 40.

References

External links

*
Space Bust-a-Move (YouTube)
{{Bubble Bobble series 2008 video games Bubble Bobble Lancarse games Multiplayer and single-player video games Nintendo DS games Nintendo DS-only games Puzzle video games Square Enix games Taito games Video games developed in Japan