In the 1990s...

Ah the good ole’ days… When you had to be skilled and persistent to conquer a video game. You also often needed a gaming buddy to help you out – and be just as skilled. There are few examples of this greater than Bubble Bobble… Such a fun game, yet with a buzz kill of an ending. You fight your way through a 100 grueling levels, getting killed endless times by crack-induced monsters of all kinds, typing in passwords over and over again. You then proceed to a some sort of gigantic wizard boss who mercilessly sprays barrages of whoopee-cushions at you, which you finally defeat after hours of trial and error – only to find you still suck…

You think the least they can give you for your time and effort is the gratification of ending the game on a positive note… You know, tying up all the loose ends, and living “happily ever after”? But noooo, instead, you are made to feel inadequate as the game informs you of how did not earn the TRUE ending. In case you’re wondering, to get this “real” ending, you must go back and get some kind of secret crystal ball that briefly pops up during the final stage before the boss, then proceed to complete 10 additional “bonus” levels that are even more challenging than the original 100 levels you battled your heart out to get through.. But that STILL isn’t enough! You also have to accomplish this with a friend. And if you have no one to play with, or at least no one willing you play this intense game with you, well then my friend you are shit outta luck! In addition, you’d better damn well make sure you’re friend has some skills, because you must BOTH get through the boss ALIVE. This game will fast turn your “friend” into an enemy as they foolishly perish right before you have knocked off the boss.
Remember though, you must achieve BOTH of these feats. I cannot tell you the frustration felt by my friend and I as we countless hours and days of struggle, finally conquering the final boss, only to be given a giant middle finger by the developers. “Sorry, come back when you’ve TRULY beaten the game, losers!”
Thankfully, this game was so damn awesome, we didn’t care too much. After our initial shock and anger, we were ready to keep on truckin’ and show the game who is boss, with our bubbles of furry. Bubble Bobble simply defines the 8-bit co-op multiplayer gaming experience like no other. It will have you mashing the few buttons of the NES controller until your fingers are numb.

Once you FINALLY beat this game for REAL, you will not only have enjoyed the ride, but you feel a nice sense of accomplishment. So go forth, gamers, and conquer this old-school gem, and make the developers eat their words for their lame ass “false” ending! Whether by yourself or with your friend, you will enjoy every grueling step of the way.