It’s no surprise to see the folks at Square Enix bring their beloved Bust-a-Move (or Puzzle Bobble in Japan and Britain) franchise over to the Nintendo 3DS. Serving alongside a couple other weak efforts in the 3DS’ launch, I was never looking forward to this game. The fact is Bust-a-Move Universe is just about as basic as they come and it definitely also deserves to be labelled as a weak launch title.
Anyone familiar with the Bust-a-Move formula should know what to expect. You control a crane that holds coloured bubbles that must be shot into the distance. Along the very top of the playing area you’ll find an arrangement of bubbles that must be wiped clean before you can advance to the next round. For every few moves you make, large blocks will push the bubbles downwards, and any bubbles that reach the very bottom will trigger a Game Over.
Holding Left or Right on the +Control Pad or Circle Pad will move the crane into position with a dotted-line guide to help you judge where your bubble will end up. You can also press L or R to move the device in increments for more precise placements. Once you’re ready to send off the bubble, just press the A Button.
Bursting normal bubbles will not only give you points, but also add energy to the Special Gauge. You can store energy for one of three different bubble upgrades which can then be brought into play using the X Button. Spark Bubbles turn all bubbles within a small area to one colour while Wild Bubbles can be used as a link in any colour match. The Laser Bubble can clear off a whole clump of bubbles but none of these bursts earn you points.
If you clear a series of bubbles that are in one colour (say green) while there’s another different-coloured grouping underneath it, the ones underneath will fall off the stage. This is referred to as a ‘Drop’, and it will reward you with more points than usual. Additionally, when more than six drops are made in one move, players take part in a short but mildly enjoyable bonus round where you fire off as many bubbles as you can to rack up combos.
When playing on the standard levels in Puzzle Mode, you’ll encounter a couple levels that feature Key Bubbles. These can be used to free one of your buddies who have been held captive by the world boss. Collecting all the keys will give you a ‘Rescue Bonus’ for boss battles. Instead of firing Bomb Bubbles one-by-one, you’ll fire them off in quick rapid-fire succession. However, I honestly thought all the boss fights were repetitive and boring.
The most you’ll see of the 3D effects in this game are things like little characters or keys popping out at you as bubbles burst. The backgrounds are also mildly subject to 3D; as planets spin, you can spot satellites flying by, a family of penguins gathering or some run-down ruins sticking out. But because the impact is hardly significant, this definitely isn’t a game to get for the 3D.
Other aspects of the game’s presentation were good, though. Each world had its own variation on the main tune and while the first few were annoying, progressively the music improved. I could have done without the silly font choice used in certain areas, but that’s a minor thing.
Hardcore fans of the Bust-a-Move franchise will be pleased to hear that Universe still retains the addicting gameplay that has long accompanied each release. But the degree to which you actually enjoy yourself is really debatable. Even though there is something to be said about the progression with the bubble layouts, all in all there’s a notable lack of challenge. Your ability to remain engaged wanes considerably with each passing session and the lack of extended content doesn’t help with that at all.
Aside from the standard Puzzle Mode, you have a Challenge Mode which introduces Gimmick Bubbles (among other things) and there’s also a rather shallow Awards list you can focus on. Otherwise, that’s about all there is to the package.
Not only is there a lack of additional 3DS-exclusive functionality, the game doesn’t feature a multiplayer option for battles against friends or even computers. And that’s a huge oversight.
Even for $30, Bust-a-Move Universe is not worth getting. The game fails to provide any sort of longevity or value and after just a few hours, its flaws quickly come to the fore. Simply put, there are stronger launch titles you should put your money towards.
Loved:
- Still addicting, albeit to varying degrees
- Mostly good presentation
Hated:
- Lack of challenge
- Not very replayable
- Boring boss battles
