Bubble Symphony
Encyclopedia
Bubble Symphony is an arcade
video game in the Bubble Bobble
series. While being a new Bubble Bobble
for a new generation, in actuality it takes place after Parasol Stars
.
Bubble Symphony was released on the Sega Saturn in Japan, as well as Xbox and PC in North America and Europe via Taito Legends 2
and PlayStation 2 in Japan via Taito Memories II Gekan. A PlayStation
version was completed, but never released.
.
According to the intro, the four characters (as humans) inadvertently unleash Hyper Drunk, the final boss, while reading books. Hyper Drunk transforms the four into bubble dragons and banishes them to a new world.
Although a sequel to Bubble Bobble
, the game inaugurates few changes to the gameplay formula of that title. The small changes that have been made are that a boss is now encountered every five to ten levels, giving those scenes a similar prominence to Rainbow Islands
, and the player takes a branching route through the levels by selecting one of two doors after every boss. The players can now charge the bubble shot; if released when the dragon's horns or bow is glowing, he/she will breathe three bubbles at once, with the specific formation dependent on the character chosen. The players must collect certain square cards with music notes inside, in order to get the 4 keys that lead to the final world or face an early false ending. Also, the characters have to collect a rod to turn their characters from their dragon to human forms during the course of the game.
characters or settings from games as diverse as The New Zealand Story, Darius, Space Invaders
, Arkanoid
, Liquid Kids
, KiKi KaiKai
(including Cindy, known in Japanese versions as Sayo and the English Pocky & Rocky
games as Pocky), Quiz by Yu Yu, PuLiRuLa
and Fairyland Story
.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
video game in the Bubble Bobble
Bubble Bobble
is an arcade game by Taito, first released in 1986 and later ported to numerous home computers and game consoles. The game, starring the twin Bubble Dragons and , is an action-platform game in which players travel through one hundred different stages, blowing and bursting bubbles, avoiding...
series. While being a new Bubble Bobble
Bubble Bobble
is an arcade game by Taito, first released in 1986 and later ported to numerous home computers and game consoles. The game, starring the twin Bubble Dragons and , is an action-platform game in which players travel through one hundred different stages, blowing and bursting bubbles, avoiding...
for a new generation, in actuality it takes place after Parasol Stars
Parasol Stars
is a video game by Taito released in 1991. It is a sequel to Rainbow Islands . It is technically the third game in the Bubble Bobble series.-Straight to home systems:...
.
Bubble Symphony was released on the Sega Saturn in Japan, as well as Xbox and PC in North America and Europe via Taito Legends 2
Taito Legends 2
Taito Legends 2 is the sequel to Taito Legends and is a follow-up collection of 39 Taito arcade games for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC....
and PlayStation 2 in Japan via Taito Memories II Gekan. A PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
version was completed, but never released.
Story
For this adventure, Bubblun and Bobblun, the familiar green and blue bubble dragons, are joined by girls Kululun (an orange dragon) and Cororon (a magenta dragon). These are stated as the four children of the starring characters from Bubble BobbleBubble Bobble
is an arcade game by Taito, first released in 1986 and later ported to numerous home computers and game consoles. The game, starring the twin Bubble Dragons and , is an action-platform game in which players travel through one hundred different stages, blowing and bursting bubbles, avoiding...
.
According to the intro, the four characters (as humans) inadvertently unleash Hyper Drunk, the final boss, while reading books. Hyper Drunk transforms the four into bubble dragons and banishes them to a new world.
Characters
is the well-rounded character; he can fire three grouped bubbles straight ahead when powered up (the bubble button is held for a few seconds then released). has faster speed in exchange for shorter range. He can shoot three bubbles in a spread pattern when powered up. has the longest available range, but is slow. She can shoot her bubbles in a 'T' pattern (forwards, backwards, and down) when powered up. has the fastest bubble blowing and can shoot her bubbles in an inverted-'T' pattern (forwards, backwards, and up) when powered up.Gameplay
Bubble Bobble
is an arcade game by Taito, first released in 1986 and later ported to numerous home computers and game consoles. The game, starring the twin Bubble Dragons and , is an action-platform game in which players travel through one hundred different stages, blowing and bursting bubbles, avoiding...
, the game inaugurates few changes to the gameplay formula of that title. The small changes that have been made are that a boss is now encountered every five to ten levels, giving those scenes a similar prominence to Rainbow Islands
Rainbow Islands
is a 1987 arcade game developed and published by Taito. The game is subtitled "The Story of Bubble Bobble 2" and is the sequel to Taito's hit game Bubble Bobble from the previous year...
, and the player takes a branching route through the levels by selecting one of two doors after every boss. The players can now charge the bubble shot; if released when the dragon's horns or bow is glowing, he/she will breathe three bubbles at once, with the specific formation dependent on the character chosen. The players must collect certain square cards with music notes inside, in order to get the 4 keys that lead to the final world or face an early false ending. Also, the characters have to collect a rod to turn their characters from their dragon to human forms during the course of the game.
Cameos
The game features cameos by other notable TaitoTaito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
characters or settings from games as diverse as The New Zealand Story, Darius, Space Invaders
Space Invaders
is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
, Arkanoid
Arkanoid
is an arcade game developed by Taito in 1986. It is based upon Atari's Breakout games of the 1970s. The title refers to a doomed "mothership" from which the player's ship, the Vaus, escapes.-Overview:...
, Liquid Kids
Liquid Kids
is an arcade video game released by Taito in 1990.-Gameplay:Liquid Kids is a single player platform game that features Hipopo, a platypus who must fight his way through a large number of enemy-packed levels in search of his missing girlfriend - rescuing other hippopotamus-like creatures along the way...
, KiKi KaiKai
KiKi KaiKai
is a multi-directional shooter developed and published by Taito Corporation originally for Japanese arcades in 1986. Since then, the game has received a number of console and home computer ports in and outside of Japan, both as a stand-alone title and as part of compilations...
(including Cindy, known in Japanese versions as Sayo and the English Pocky & Rocky
Pocky & Rocky
Pocky & Rocky, known in Japan as , is a scrolling shooter video game with action elements licensed by Taito to Natsume, who developed and published the game for release in Japan in 1992 and the rest of the world in 1993...
games as Pocky), Quiz by Yu Yu, PuLiRuLa
PuLiRuLa
PuLiRuLa is a 1991 arcade game released by Taito. The game was later ported to the FM Towns Marty, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, and PlayStation 2 in Japan. The PS1 and Saturn versions are known as Pu-Li-Ru-La Arcade Gears. The PS2 version is part of a compilation called Taito Memories , but omitted...
and Fairyland Story
Fairyland Story
The Fairyland Story is a classical arcade platform video game released by Taito in 1985 in its arcade form. The game has two known conversions, to the MSX and X68000 computer families....
.
Continuity
- Within the context of the game world, Bubble Memories - The Story of Bubble Bobble IIIBubble MemoriesBubble Memories is a video game by Taito released to arcades in 1995. It is the sequel to Bubble Symphony and is the fifth Bubble Bobble game...
takes place before Bubble Symphony. - All the enemies from the original Bubble Bobble appear in this game, along with a lot of newer enemies.
- The credits (in the arcade version) show all the enemies' names, and those of characters who make cameos from other Taito games.