Rising Star Games have just announced details of the next iteration in the much-loved Bubble Bobble series, which will be unveiled exclusively at a Rising Star Games press event at some swanky London hotel in London on January 12th. SPOnG, rest assured, is first on the list.
Check out the new Bubble Bobble Evolution PSP artwork SPOnG was sent from Rising Star earlier today. Although, SPOnG finds it somewhat ominous that the press release announcing the game plays heavily on the ‘new direction’ which the series is taking. Whenever a developer tries to take an all-time arcade classic such as this in a ‘new direction’ our immediate reaction is mainly one of concern mixed in with a mild bafflement. You don’t mess with something that works, after all.
What’s even more unsettling is the fact that Bubble Bobble Evolution’s Producer, Tony Byus, has the following to say: "This isn't Bubble Bobble as fans of the series are used to. This is an entirely new game and with these puzzle elements included, it is literally an evolution of the original game design concept." Hmmmm, SPOnG’s concerned frown deepens.
Bubble Bobble Evolution’s Story Mode retells the classic story of two human brothers trapped in bubble-blowing dinosaur bodies by an evil nemesis, only this time the action takes place in two "Towers of Entertainment", cylindrical sections of which form the game's levels. The level structure is where the first major new feature of the game appears - gone is the classic static structure of Bubble Bobble and in its place are three screens on a central 'spindle', which the player can move between at will.
The second new features centres around the fact that your character’s progress is no longer a simple issue of dispatching the wandering monsters to advance onward – a new array of puzzle elements now hinder the player, adding (we hope) an entirely new gameplay dynamic to the classic Bubble Bobble. Players must overcome a cerebral challenge in each level. These can take various forms of elemental exchanges, such as finding a source of fire to melt an ice barrier, or watering a seed so it can grow to fill a gap left by a missing platform.
We’ll be sure to report back next Thursday as soon as we’ve managed to have a play on Bubble Bobble Evolution, and hopefully also managed to collar someone from Rising Star Games to tell us more about their intriguing looking remakes this and other of SPOnG’s favourite Taito arcade classics.
Check out the new Bubble Bobble Evolution PSP artwork SPOnG was sent from Rising Star earlier today. Although, SPOnG finds it somewhat ominous that the press release announcing the game plays heavily on the ‘new direction’ which the series is taking. Whenever a developer tries to take an all-time arcade classic such as this in a ‘new direction’ our immediate reaction is mainly one of concern mixed in with a mild bafflement. You don’t mess with something that works, after all.
What’s even more unsettling is the fact that Bubble Bobble Evolution’s Producer, Tony Byus, has the following to say: "This isn't Bubble Bobble as fans of the series are used to. This is an entirely new game and with these puzzle elements included, it is literally an evolution of the original game design concept." Hmmmm, SPOnG’s concerned frown deepens.
Bubble Bobble Evolution’s Story Mode retells the classic story of two human brothers trapped in bubble-blowing dinosaur bodies by an evil nemesis, only this time the action takes place in two "Towers of Entertainment", cylindrical sections of which form the game's levels. The level structure is where the first major new feature of the game appears - gone is the classic static structure of Bubble Bobble and in its place are three screens on a central 'spindle', which the player can move between at will.
The second new features centres around the fact that your character’s progress is no longer a simple issue of dispatching the wandering monsters to advance onward – a new array of puzzle elements now hinder the player, adding (we hope) an entirely new gameplay dynamic to the classic Bubble Bobble. Players must overcome a cerebral challenge in each level. These can take various forms of elemental exchanges, such as finding a source of fire to melt an ice barrier, or watering a seed so it can grow to fill a gap left by a missing platform.
We’ll be sure to report back next Thursday as soon as we’ve managed to have a play on Bubble Bobble Evolution, and hopefully also managed to collar someone from Rising Star Games to tell us more about their intriguing looking remakes this and other of SPOnG’s favourite Taito arcade classics.
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Comments
siberdib 11 Jan 2006 13:42
1/1
Im not quite sure what to think, why change a tried and tested method.