Bust-A-Move

Description

The Bust-A-Move video game that can be played at home is not an exact replica of the original arcade version. It adds new gameplay features, significantly more levels, and new game modes, as well as an increased overall level count.

The fundamental idea is the same as before: the player directs the action of a catapult located at the bottom of the screen, which fires bubbles of a variety of colours. When there are three or more bubbles of the same colour that touch on the playfield, those bubbles are eliminated, and any other bubbles that are not attached to the ceiling, the sidewalls, or another bubble fall away. The ceiling moves down at regular intervals, which causes the bubbles to descend. If any bubbles make contact with the ground, the game is over.

The objective of the single-player mode is to eliminate bubble patterns that have been predetermined. There are a total of one hundred levels in the game, which is more than three times as many as there were in the arcade version. Some of the arcade levels have been played before, but the vast majority are brand new. Also new are elements of the gameplay that take the form of special bubbles, such as explosive bubbles, which, when hit, cause the destruction of bubbles in a small radius around them. If they are hit, lightning bubbles will move laterally, clearing a line horizontally. The downward stream of water causes the water bubbles to burst, changing the colour of any bubbles it comes into contact with. A boss fight has also been added as one of the new features for the final level.

The two-player mode from the arcade version is also brought back, but this time the player has the option of adding ten computer opponents, each of which has a unique approach to the game. In the mode with two players, the objective is to ensure that the other player is unsuccessful. Rather than the ceiling coming down, new bubbles are being added from the top. If you pop more than the minimum of three bubbles in a single turn, your opponent will receive bubbles on their field.

The final mode is called Challenge mode, and it is a never-ending mode that you cannot win. New bubbles are constantly added from the top of the screen. The goal of the game is to achieve the highest score possible; points can be earned by popping as many bubbles as possible.