Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron's Workshop
- September 29, 2021
- TAITO CORP.
Get on Steam"Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron's Workshop" is a fun and energetic action-puzzle game where players control Bub, Bob, Peb or Pab to blow bubbles and defeat bullies across hundreds of stages. The game offers a Story Mode for up to four players and an Arcade of Memories mode that faithfully recreates the original 1986 Bubble Bobble arcade game. Players can also create and share their own stages in the workshop.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game retains the charm of the original Bubble Bobble while introducing new mechanics and puzzle-like levels that enhance gameplay.
- Local multiplayer is a highlight, allowing up to four players to enjoy the game together, making it a fun experience for families and friends.
- The inclusion of the original arcade game adds value, providing a nostalgic experience for long-time fans of the series.
- The game suffers from significant controller support issues, making it frustrating for players who prefer using gamepads.
- Many players feel the game is overpriced for the amount of content it offers, with complaints about the short main campaign and repetitive level design.
- Technical issues, such as the arcade mode running too fast on certain monitors and a lack of online multiplayer, detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The gameplay retains the core mechanics of the original Bubble Bobble while introducing new features such as crawling, evading projectiles, and five unlockable abilities that can be upgraded. While these additions provide some variety, players express a desire for more distinct character strengths to enhance strategic gameplay. Overall, the experience is enjoyable but may feel less challenging compared to the original arcade version, catering more to a home gaming audience.
“Now getting into the actual gameplay, it remains largely the same as the original Bubble Bobble, although it does feature new mechanics such as the ability to crawl through narrow spaces and evade projectiles or accidentally bursting bubbles in narrow corridors. It also introduces five new abilities that can be unlocked after defeating the boss at the end of a level's 10 stages, including 'bomb' bubbles that explode when the timer runs out or upon contact, and the ability to dash on the ground or mid-flight for speedy players. These abilities can be upgraded to allow for larger amounts, as their usage is limited and can only be restored through fruit collected.”
“The new mechanics are really fun (riding on bubbles) and the graphics are really cute.”
“It clearly deviates from the original arcade gameplay, but it's probably to its benefit here as it's more of a home-based rodeo than anything.”
“Although not anything to get truly excited about, it does vary up the gameplay a fair bit. However, I do wish the same could be said for the four playable characters, as I believe it would further improve the gameplay if each of the four had their own unique strengths. For example, Bob could jump higher but move slower, Peb could have faster movement but lower bubble power, Pab could boast more bubble push with lower jumping abilities, and Bub could be the typical 'balanced' type. This could offer something for those looking for a challenge or to achieve a top rank on the online scoreboard.”
“I'm mostly upset because I expected the kind of difficulty and gameplay the original games envisioned, but the level design feels far too 'hand-hold-y' than it should have been.”
“It clearly deviates from the original arcade gameplay, but it's probably to its benefit here as it's more of a home-based experience than anything.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron's Workshop" have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the cute, block-like aesthetic reminiscent of LEGO, while others find them cheap and plain compared to modern standards. Although the visuals are not considered groundbreaking, they perform well on various machines, and the game's design shows effort and care. However, some users have noted minor graphical issues and limitations, particularly on higher refresh rate monitors.
“The new mechanics are really fun (riding on bubbles) and the graphics are really cute.”
“The simple graphics, however, do give the game really good performance on almost any machine.”
“Obviously the original is a title that will easily carry on for generations yet, hence why there are so many ports of the original over the decades. 'Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron's Workshop' has its main focus on its new vision of block-like platforming that looks to separate itself from other Bubble Bobble sequels.”
“As far as the Lego graphics go, personally I'm not the biggest fan of them as they look a bit cheap and plain compared to other 3D games with arcade origins. However, it is done with effort and care when you look at some of the stage designs.”
“I also find the graphics to be slightly ugly, although the PC version does make it look better without the limitations of the Switch's technical capabilities.”
“I've heard this game has framerate issues on certain refresh rate monitors, namely 144Hz monitors, with minor graphical glitches and the port of the original game running at double speed.”
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The story mode of the game has been criticized for its lack of visual charm compared to the original, with only 50 levels that feel insufficient, especially since the remixed hard mode levels should have been new content. Additionally, the workshop mode is seen as cumbersome and disappointing for veterans, lacking essential features and requiring completion of the main story to unlock its potential. Overall, the narrative experience is marred by broken controls and a sense of missed opportunities.
“The workshop mode is passable but cumbersome, especially in regards to browsing and playing community-made levels, and will probably still leave veterans of the series feeling disappointed as it not only lacks the ability to make stages with classic enemies and aesthetics, but also lacks some course elements used even in the modern stages.”
“The main story mode has only 50 levels (100 if you count the remixed hard mode levels, but honestly these should've been entirely new levels).”
“While it no longer has any game-breaking issues, the main story levels still lack the visual charm of the original Bubble Bobble, especially in regards to enemy designs and block skins; proving that new doesn't always equal better.”
“The workshop mode is passable but cumbersome, especially in regards to browsing and playing community-made levels, and will probably still leave veterans of the series feeling disappointed as it not only lacks the ability to make stages with classic enemies and aesthetics, but also lacks some course elements used even in the modern stages, such as half-height blocks and spikes, and requires you to beat story mode before you can make any real use of it.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that "Bubble Bobble 4 Friends" offers some replayability, but it is hindered by a lack of new content, insufficient updates, and the absence of online multiplayer. Many feel the game's price does not reflect its limited replay value, making it seem overpriced and less appealing for repeated play.
“While this does give the game lots of replay value, it's unfortunately barebones for me at least.”
“To finish up this review, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is an adequate modern take on the classic arcade original, but the asking price is simply too high for a game that doesn't bring enough new and polished content to justify purchasing it. There's a general lack of care for updates and no signs of any online multiplayer, which would have easily given this game some much-needed replayability and helped it stand out from other flawed ports.”
“While this does give the game lots of replay value now, it's unfortunately barebones for me at least.”
“Despite the content and replay value, the value of the game itself is just overpriced and not worth it.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for being enjoyable and engaging, contributing positively to the overall experience. Players appreciate the high-quality score, which not only enhances gameplay but also ties into achievement unlocks and customization options. Overall, the controls complement the music well, creating a fun atmosphere.
“It's fun and has some good music too.”
“The music is fantastic and the controls are very nice.”
“As you achieve a high score, you unlock achievements, music, and editor parts.”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found the soundtrack to be uninspired and forgettable, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“The audio quality is subpar, and the mixing makes it difficult to appreciate the music fully.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development is criticized for its lack of depth, with users noting that the character designs appear bland and unremarkable.
“The character designs look rather bland.”
“I found the character development to be shallow and unengaging.”
“There was little to no growth in the characters throughout the game.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's simple graphics contribute to excellent performance, allowing it to run smoothly on a wide range of hardware.
“The simple graphics, however, provide the game with excellent performance on almost any machine.”
“The optimization is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
“I appreciate how the developers focused on optimization, ensuring that the game runs seamlessly across various platforms.”
