Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron's Workshop

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron's Workshop screenshot

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 50 reviews

graphics4 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the original Bubble Bobble, featuring both the classic arcade version and new levels.
The graphics are modern and visually appealing, and the music is catchy, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
The inclusion of a level editor and workshop allows for community-created content, adding replayability and creativity to the gameplay.

The game is considered overpriced for the amount of content it offers, with many players suggesting it should be sold at a lower price point.
There are significant issues with controller support, making it difficult for players to use their preferred input devices, leading to frustration.
The gameplay is criticized for being too easy and lacking challenge, which may disappoint fans expecting a more difficult experience akin to the original.

graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The graphics of "Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron's Workshop" feature a mix of modern and simplistic designs, with the new interface showcasing vibrant visuals while the arcade version retains its classic, aged look. While some players appreciate the cute and colorful graphics, others find them lacking in depth and detail, comparing them unfavorably to more polished 3D games. Overall, the graphics are functional and perform well on various machines, but they may not meet the expectations of those seeking a more visually impressive experience.
- “The new mechanics are really fun (riding on bubbles) and the graphics are really cute.”
- “I liked the game a lot and enjoyed playing the first game; good graphics, easy controls on a pad, replayability.”
- “The simple graphics, however, do give the game really good performance on almost any machine.”
- “The interface and the new Bubble Bobble have modern graphics, but the arcade version is simply the original. In my mind, it did age quite well, but it is simple on the graphics side.”
- “As far as the Lego graphics go, personally I'm not the biggest fan of them as they look a bit cheap and plain for 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 veil of the Switch's technical limitations.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
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 new mechanics are enjoyable, but some feel the level design is overly simplistic compared to the original's challenge.
- “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 includes 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 also 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.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The music in the game is widely praised as fantastic, enhancing the overall experience and enjoyment. Players appreciate the engaging soundtrack, which contributes to the fun and unlocks achievements and additional content. Overall, the music is a standout feature that elevates the gameplay.
- “The music is fantastic!”
- “It's fun and has some good music too.”
- “The score is high enough that you become rated with stars; depending on the rating, 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 seems off, leading to a frustrating listening experience.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
Overall, "Bubble Bobble 4 Friends" offers some replayability through its enjoyable gameplay and graphics, but many users feel it lacks sufficient content and updates to justify its price. The absence of online multiplayer further diminishes its replay value, making it seem like a barebones experience compared to other titles.
- “I liked the game a lot and enjoyed playing the first game; good graphics, easy controls on a pad, and great replayability.”
- “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.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The story mode of the game has been criticized for its lack of visual charm compared to the original, with only 50 levels that some feel should have included entirely new content instead of remixed versions. 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 full potential. Overall, the narrative experience is marred by broken controls and a sense of missed opportunities.
- “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.”
- “While it no longer has any game-breaking issues, the main story levels still lack the visual charm of the original Bubble Bobble, particularly in regards to enemy designs and block skins; proving that new doesn't always equal better.”
- “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).”
- “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.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
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 story.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
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 devices.”
- “I appreciate how the developers focused on optimization, making the game accessible to a wider audience.”