Bubble Bobble

n/a

PAL
NTSC-J
Game Gear

Bubble Bobble

System(s): Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear

Publisher:

Sega

Taito

Developer:

Taito

Open Corp.

Distributor:

Tec Toy (BR)

Samsung (KR)

Licensor: Taito

Original system(s): Taito Bubble Bobble

Peripherals supported:

Gear-to-Gear Cable

Genre: Action^[1], Arcade^[2]

Number of players: 1-2

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	1988-07-02^[1]	¥5,5005,500	G-1362
EU	1991-12		7077
PT	199x
UK	1991-11-02^[3]^[4]	£29.9929.99^[5]^[6]	7077
AU	199x
BR	199x
KR	1989-10		GB-2362
US	1994-11^[7]		T-11028

Non-Sega versions
Amiga Amstrad CPC Apple II Arcade Atari ST Commodore 64 Famicom Disk System FM Towns Game Boy IBM PC MSX2 Nintendo Entertainment System X68000 ZX Spectrum

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Bubble Bobble is an arcade game developed by Taito and released in 1986. It was subsequently ported to a variety of systems including the Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear. In Japan, the Master System version of the game is called Final Bubble Bobble (ファイナルバブルボブル), while in Brazil this version is called Dragon Maze.

Bubble Bobble follows two humans who have been transformed into dragons named Bub and Bob. The must progress through various mazes capturing enemies within bubbles and then popping said bubbles. A sequel to this game was later released as Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2.

The two Sega versions are relatively faithful ports of the arcade game, although adjust their levels to suit the differing screen resolutions. This is particularly noticeable with the Game Gear version, as although the objects in the game are the same size, the play areas are much more cramped so as to avoid screen scrolling.

The Master System version was re-released for the Nintendo Switch in 2020 as a pre-order bonus for people who bought Bubble Bobble 4 Friends in Japan. It was available for general purchase on Nintendo eShop in August 26, 2024. This re-release includes only the Japanese version with the Sega logo screen being omitted, but two employees from Sega (at the time, Sega Games) were credited for it.

Versions

Localised names

Also known as
Language	Localised Name	English Translation
English	Bubble Bobble	Bubble Bobble
English (US)	Bubble Bobble	Bubble Bobble
Japanese	ファイナルバブルボブル	Final Bubble Bobble
Portuguese (Brazil)	Dragon Maze

Production credits

Master System version

Game Programmer: M, Nanno KHK
Music And Sound: YAG, Oonui, By ZTT
Game Graphic: S.Yamana, S.T
Game Design: Rainbow S.T
Special thanks to: Original Bubble Bobble Team, MTJ, I.F, Kim, And Taito C.P. Team, Dranker KZM, Gamer Y.K, Hucker N.Santa, Super M.Hatano, Great G.Kuriki, Mr.Nishikado, Other People...
Produced: Mr.Sanbe, S.Takahasi

Thanks For Your Playing

Presented by: Taito

Source:

In-game credits (JP) ^[8]

Nintendo Switch version

Special Thanks: Yousuke Okunari (SEGA Games), Yoshihiro Sakuta (SEGA Games)

Source:

In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Bubble Bobble/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Pixel (GR) #96: "Fevrouários 1993" (1993-0x-xx)

Physical scans

Master System version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)

50

^[9]

Aktueller Software Markt (DE)

65

^[10]

Consoles + (FR)

PAL

88

^[11]

Console XS (UK)

PAL

79

^[12]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

74

^[5]

Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)

85

^[13]

Game Mania (UK)

PAL

85

^[14]

Gamers (DE)

73

^[15]

Games-X (UK)

PAL

90

^[16]

Joypad (FR)

95

^[17]

Joystick (FR)

PAL

94

^[18]

Mega Force (FR)

PAL

85

^[19]

Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)

68

^[20]

Mean Machines (UK)

PAL

85

^[21]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

85

^[22]

Player One (FR)

PAL

90

^[23]

Play Time (DE)

58

^[24]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

89

^[25]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

79

^[26]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

86

^[27]

Video Games (DE)

68

^[28]

	80
Based on 21 reviews

Bubble Bobble

Master System, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, PT

Master System, AU

Cart File:BubbleBobble-SMS-AU-Manual.pdf Manual

Master System, BR
Cover
Cart

Master System, KR

Cart

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US)

NTSC-U

78

^[29]

	78
Based on 1 review

Bubble Bobble

Game Gear, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Technical information

ROM dump status

System

Hash

Size

Build Date

Source

Comments

?

CRC32	e843ba7e
MD5	d79c186a74550876691e97ca830c66c7
SHA-1	44876b44089b4174858e54202e567e02efa76859

256kB

Cartridge (EU)

?

CRC32	3ebb7457
MD5	3573a65921b0506f7124f1f9ffb30974
SHA-1	ab585612fddb90b5285e2804f63fd7fb7ba02900

256kB

Cartridge (JP)

?

CRC32	fba338c5
MD5	4f08cab3e252c2e3979ef33e9e59f294
SHA-1	c2c99d798bd0d4960021743a55e74644ad9020c6

256kB

Cartridge (US/EU)

?

CRC32
MD5
SHA-1

Page

References

Bubble Bobble
	Main page \| Comparisons \| Maps \| Hidden content \| Magazine articles \| Reception \| Bootlegs Prototypes: Prototype

Bubble Bobble/Rainbow Islands games for Sega systems
Bubble Bobble (1988) \| Rainbow Islands Extra (1990) \| Rainbow Islands (1993) \| Bubble Bobble also featuring Rainbow Islands (1996) \| Bubble Symphony (1997)
Puzzle Bobble/Bust-a-Move games for Sega systems
Bust-A-Move (1996) \| Bust-A-Move 2: Arcade Edition (1996) \| Bust-A-Move 3 (1997) \| Bust-A-Move 4 (2000) \| Azumanga Daioh Puzzle Bobble (2002)
Unlicensed Bubble Bobble/Rainbow Islands games for Sega systems
Super Bubble Bobble MD (1995)

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20190621034428.2Fhttps:.2F.2Fsega.jp.2Fhistory.2Fhard.2Fsegamark3.2Fsoftware.html-1] 1.0 ^1.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/segamark3/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2019-06-21 03:44)

[:File:BubbleBobble_SMS_EU_Box.jpg_p-2] File:BubbleBobble SMS EU Box.jpg

[:File:GamesX_UK_28.pdf_p6-3] Games-X, "31st October-6th November 1991" (UK; 1991-10-31), page 6

[4] Computer Trade Weekly, "" (UK; 1991-11-04), page 27

[:File:CVG_UK_122.pdf_p91-5] 5.0 ^5.1 Computer & Video Games, "January 1992" (UK; 1991-12-15), page 91

[:File:SegaPower_UK_27.pdf_p27-6] Sega Power, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-02), page 27

[:File:EGM_US_063.pdf_p226-7] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 226

[https:.2F.2Fwww.youtube.com.2Fwatch.3Fv.3DsUa9pJ9kDp4-8] ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUa9pJ9kDp4

[9] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 97

[:File:ASM_DE_1992-03.pdf_p120-10] Aktueller Software Markt, "März 1992" (DE; 1992-02-14), page 120

[:File:ConsolesPlus_FR_006.pdf_p104-11] Consoles +, "Février 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 104

[:File:Console_XS_UK_01.pdf_p139-12] Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 139

[:File:MeanMachinesEssentialSegaGuide_Book_UK.pdf_p131-13] Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 131

[:File:GameMania_UK_05.pdf_p81-14] Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 81

[:File:Gamers_DE_1992-01.pdf_p24-15] Gamers, "Februar/März 1992" (DE; 1992-xx-xx), page 24

[:File:GamesX_UK_32.pdf_p28-16] Games-X, "28th November-4th December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-28), page 28

[:File:Joypad_FR_004.pdf_p56-17] Joypad, "Janvier 1992" (FR; 1991-12-1x), page 56

[:File:Joystick_FR_022.pdf_p172-18] Joystick, "Décembre 1991" (FR; 1991-1x-xx), page 172

[:File:MegaForce_FR_02.pdf_p95-19] Mega Force, "Septembre/Octobre 1991" (FR; 1991-09-13), page 95

[:File:Micromania2_ES_043.pdf_p78-20] Micromanía (segunda época), "Diciembre 1991" (ES; 1991-1x-xx), page 78

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_16.pdf_p80-21] Mean Machines, "January 1992" (UK; 1991-12-27), page 80

[:File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p132-22] Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 132

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_015.pdf_p48-23] Player One, "Décembre 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 48

[:File:PlayTime_DE_1992-03.pdf_p92-24] Play Time, "3/92" (DE; 1992-02-05), page 92

[:File:SegaPower_UK_27.pdf_p26-25] Sega Power, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-02), page 26

[:File:SegaPro_UK_04.pdf_p51-26] Sega Pro, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-16), page 51

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p70-27] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 70

[:File:VideoGames_DE_1991-03.pdf_p79-28] Video Games, "3/91" (DE; 1991-09-06), page 79

[:File:EGM_US_063.pdf_p42-29] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 42

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Bubble Bobble

From Sega Retro

Contents

Versions

Localised names

Production credits

Master System version

Nintendo Switch version

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Physical scans

Master System version

Game Gear version

Technical information

ROM dump status

References