bubble pop

The title screen

 Despite the fact we've started this blog by looking at some well known clones, sometimes you get a game that shocks you. This Bust-a-Move clone is simple one of the standard out Android games and yet will have been often dismissed as simply being "another clone".

As soon as you see the title screen (look to the left) you should realise this is something that has had real time put into it. The screen is shiny, it's bright and yet it's also sharp, there isn't any sort of messiness to it...it looks likes the developers (Ezjoy Network) have put effort into making it look good, though they didn't just stop there.

The help screen

Before getting onto the actual game most players will want to know how this differs from your regular Bust-a-Move clone. If you visit the help screen from the title menu you get this very attractive and excellent little guide explaining how to play the game and also pointing out how it is different to the usual games. In the normal games of this type you need to clear all the bubbles from the screen, this time you only actually need to hit 1 bubble in particular, a bubble with a heart it that is generally hidden behind a lot of other bubbles.

In game screenshot

So now onto the game it's self, you fire bubbles from the bottom of the screen upwards trying to match 3 or more of the same colour. When you match them up they will pop and vanish from the screen moving you closer to the elusive heart bubble that marks the end of the level. To fire the bubbles you tap the screen with your finger in the place you want to (much like in Shoot Bubble Deluxe) and using the bubbles you can form combinations and collect points for high scores.

The failure screen

Where this game really separates it's self from similar games is in the way it's been packaged and made. The game doesn't only look beautiful and play like a dream with slick controls and smooth actions but also a genuinely nice musical tune in the background. The game doesn't have the big flaw of one of it's main rivals, it doesn't sit there quietly "blopping" every so often, instead it sounds happy to be played with.

Whilst I'll admit I was playing this on the brand new spanking Samsung Galaxy S2 and it may "kill" older phones which don't have the power of the phone I was using, it played like a dream with only 1 problem. If you make too many moves too quickly and clear the screen before it can catch up with it's self the game does seem to get confused  and reset it's self. This is a worrying problem though one you can work around by just giving the game a few seconds to catch up with it's self.

Addictiveness-9/10. It's Bust-a-Move, it's a classic and it's addictive very very addictive
Controls-9/10. Nigh on perfect, a minor improvement over Shoot Bubble Deluxe
Graphics-9/10 Simply glorious. A real really beautiful take on a classic
Sounds-7/10 Whilst many alternatives only have limited sound effects this has nice background music.
Originality-3/10 It's a Bust-a-move clone with a few added concepts. Nothing hugely original but a nice twist on a classic.

Total score
37/50

Overall one of the slickest most attractive and brilliant Bust-a-Move clones out there today. Whilst the game has just a single flaw that seems to force it to reset (and I'm hoping Ezjoy Network to rectify this in an update) it has a lot going for it and is genuinely a joy to play. It's simply fantastic, smooth, charming and addictive, simple to play and even simpler to enjoy.

Game mark A+

If you enjoy this game also try out:

Shoot Bubble Deluxe

Shoot Bubble Deluxe

We all remember the classic games that we grew up playing and games like Bust-a-move/Puzzle Bobble are timeless classics. I'm sure we all remember playing at least one version of the Naito classic, well here's another rendition of the game this time for the Android system. The game is for all intents and purposes the same loveable game we all know and love just with the cuteness that Taito added.

The title screen

Straight from the title screen you can tell this is going to be easy on the eye, nothing special but nice to look at and not something you'll be squinting to see. Good start already for the boys and girls from City Games LLC who developed the game. From the title screen you can select either Puzzle mode are Arcade mode, to be honest the concepts of both are the same with just different level designs and small differences (such as a level select in Puzzle mode).

If you are wondering what the third option is, it's "Game Center" which appears to be a leader board, though I maybe wrong with that assumption.

 So now onto the game it's self. If the image to the side looks familiar, you'll know exactly what the game is all about. You fire balls (or bubbles, hence the name of the game) from a cannon at the bottom of the screen trying to create a a set of 3 of the same colour which wipes out those bubbles/balls. The concept it's self is a simple one and one we've all played before and yet even now, 25 years after the original, it's addictive.

The controls for the game are simple and although at times they seem a little inaccurate they are usually right as you use your finger to fire the bubbles where you want them (so it's probably more me sucking at the game as opposed to poor controls). The bubbles, as you can see, all look very sharp and clear, and although some of the colours (a teal and a silver/grey) can look a little bit too similar you can use a "colourblind mode" to help differentiate them.

When the bubbles hit each other a simple sound is made and this one of the few flaws with the game. The sounds are really, really basic, the fact that the game lacks it's own music just adds to the fact the sound is lacking. It's a minor flaw and one that's easy to cover up by using the music app, but it is still a flaw and one that could have easily been over-come by adding a small tune on a loop. This is about the only flaw I can find with the game other than the fact it completely lacks any really original idea of it's own.

Addictiveness-9/10. It's Bust-a-move, it's a classic and it's addictive
Controls-8/10. They do feel slightly off at times though are generally good and responsive
Graphics-7/10 Bright and sharp though nothing excellent. Solid but unspectacular
Sounds-2/10 Just very basic “collision” sounds, no music and nothing impressive
Originality-0/10 It's a Bust-a-move clone, nothing original

Total score
26/50

Overall an immensely fun Bust-a-Move clone which only really falls short on the grounds it's "sounds" are very poor. If you ignore the fact it's a clone and ignore the "originality" rating this game scores really highly and will almost certainly see you being forced to charge your battery on more than one occasion.

Gaming mark B+

If you enjoy this game also try out:

Shoot Bubble, Bubble Pop