Bubble Bobble Revolution DS - WTF?

[figgler]

I came this close to buying this at Toys R Us yesterday, thought about my cable bill and decided to wait unitl payday.

Good thing too. I've read similar stories in 2 seperate reviews. Don't get me wrong, as reviews in general have little to no value to me, but I was interested in this game and was looking for some purchase justification.

But, this is just bad. As I said, WTF?

 

What ultimately kills the remake are all of the glitches that cause various strange things to happen, including one that makes it impossible for anyone to get through more than two-thirds of the game. Enemies sometimes won't appear in a level. After a few seconds alone, you'll be whisked off to the next level, which may or may not have enemies on it. Even on the levels that do have enemies, there are times when they'll pop away as if you'd shot them, when it's clear that you did not. The worst glitch, by far, happens on level 30. The boss for that level simply doesn't appear. Fire bubbles drift up from the bottom of the screen, suggesting that you'll need to toast the boss when it eventually does appear, but it never does. Because you can't move on to the next batch of stages without defeating that boss, you're effectively stuck. Unfortunately, this glitch isn't random--it occurs 100 percent of the time.

[BrianC]

The Japanese version doesn't have the glitches, though that version seems to be out of print. I'm not sure about the European version.

Edited October 12, 2006 by BrianC

[sega saturn x]

Judging by the awesome box art this looks like a total rush job in terms of the U.S release. Why they were rushing and who for I have no idea.

[Jess Ragan]

Oh man, that box art is totally ghastly! It's also a preview of coming attractions, as the gameplay is every bit as rotten as the cover art. I played the Japanese version earlier this year, and was not even slightly impressed with it.

 

JR

[madhatter667]

If the US version has problems, sniff out the import. You should be able to find it somewhere. As far as I know the new handhelds aren't region locked.

[BrianC]

Judging by the awesome box art this looks like a total rush job in terms of the U.S release. Why they were rushing and who for I have no idea.

 

The European version has that ugly box art too. I haven't heard anything about the glitches being in the EU one. It's extremely lame how the US version has glitches. As for the game being a rush job, it's extremely puzzling how a game that has very little text to localize and had already been localized somehow got messed with and ended up having glitches for the US version.

 

If the US version has problems, sniff out the import. You should be able to find it somewhere. As far as I know the new handhelds aren't region locked.

 

The DS isn't region locked. I know for sure that the Japanese version doesn't have the glitches and I doubt the EU version has them. I don't remember any glitches being mentioned back when the European version was talked about at gamefaqs. The comments about the glitches didn't surface until the US version came out.

Edited October 12, 2006 by BrianC

[cyberfluxor]

I was interested in purchasing this game at some point but if the glitches are for real then I may hold back and see if they re-release it with fewer problems. But with that said, who has actually purchased the US version and see those glitches occure?

Edited October 12, 2006 by cyberfluxor

[Video]

Is that a standard complaint among reviews, or is it just one review like that? If its only one review, it's entirely possible that the copy the person got, is defective.

 

I can't imagine them releasing an unplayable game for any console, or handheld, with all dedicated hardware being exactly alike, there's simply no excuse.

[BrianC]

Is that a standard complaint among reviews, or is it just one review like that? If its only one review, it's entirely possible that the copy the person got, is defective.

 

I can't imagine them releasing an unplayable game for any console, or handheld, with all dedicated hardware being exactly alike, there's simply no excuse.

 

It's not just one review. Why not check for yourself? The IGN review says they tried multiple copies and the posts at gamefaqs suggest that people buying the game are getting the same glitches too, for the US version. It's puzzing how the glitch even ended up in the US version. Also, some posts at gamefaqs suggest that the problem is actually being worked on.

Edited October 12, 2006 by BrianC

[Gabriel]

If it were just an IGN review, I'd be highly suspicious of it being a bald faced lie. IGN has been known to do such things. However, it's Gamespot, and they have a better track record of not intentionally mischaracterizing objectively confirmable things in games.

 

And sorry, I can't resist:

 

1) On the good side, you can still play the original Bubble Bobble no problem. GBA and DS fans should be used to paying current game prices for 15 year and older NES games.

 

2) That's the Nintendo Seal of Quality for you.

 

Ok. Ok. It's out of my system now. Sorry.

 

Seriously, return it to the store and BITCH LIKE HELL. Demmand your money back. If you don't like to make a scene, find one of your friends who does. Despite stores claiming they won't give money back on opened games, it's just a matter of complaining enough. It probably won't hurt to show them the reviews. Complain to Nintendo. Complain to any company related to this game.

[BrianC]

And sorry, I can't resist:

 

1) On the good side, you can still play the original Bubble Bobble no problem. GBA and DS fans should be used to paying current game prices for 15 year and older NES games.

 

2) That's the Nintendo Seal of Quality for you.

 

Ok. Ok. It's out of my system now. Sorry.

 

Complain to Nintendo. Complain to any company related to this game.

 

1) The original Bubble Bobble is available for GBA in a version that has single cart multi, unlike the version in the DS Bubble Bobble. Yes, it's a single game release, but it's quite well done. It was originally 20 dollars, but it might be a bit more now.

 

It's not Nintendo's fault or idea that Codemasters priced the DS Rainbow Islands and Bubble Bobble at 29.99. They may not be top quality, but they are technically new games. They were also full price in Japan and Europe.

 

BTW, the classic NES series was technically not a full priced release at $19.99 for each game. However, relasing the games in standard NES Packaging and not special packaging like the Japanese Famicom Mini series was a mistake. Also, the Japanese retail price was the same, though import places sold them for about 25-30 dollars. Nintendo should have either used special packaging for the US or sold the games for cheaper. Still, $19.99 is worth it for playing a well emulated Excitebike, Castlevania, SMB, Xevious, Zelda 1, or Zelda 2 on GBA without pirating the games. A few of these can be found for cheaper too. Also, it's not like Nintendo was the only company selling older games by themselves for about $20-25 dollars. There are releases of classic games for PS2 from a company named Hamster that are only a single game.

 

Also, with emulation, it seems like games are given less respect. Games are now pirated quite often and official releases with a good selection of games are often rated fairly low, even if they are well done. Sometimes, compliations are even rated lower becuase of missing extras or a missing game rather than by the games they have. Also, Namco Museum 50th GBA is a good example of a lack of respect towards compliations. The games are all ported extremely well, much better than the ports in the previous GBA Namco Museum and Pac-Man Collection, but the game gets bashed becuase it only has five games. The other versions of Namco Museum 50th are also unfairly picked on. They may have many of the same games as before, but the games are finally emulated and closer to the arcade than previous versions.

 

It's not like the GBA is without compliations. It has Atari Arcade Advance, Namco Museum, Konami Arcade Advance, and Game and Watch Gallery 4, all of which are well done. DS doesn't have many compliations, but I can't think of any single game classic releases for it either. BTW, games like Pac 'n Roll, which are new games, that include the classic don't count as single game releases since they have a brand new game with it and games like Dig Dug DS are brand new games, not the originals.

 

2) Again, Nintendo is getting the blame for something that isn't their fault. Yes, Nintendo did approve the game, but it's up to the publishers and designers of the game to test the game before it gets into Nintendo's hand. There are PS2 and Xbox games with glitches too, but I don't see the blame going to Sony or Microsoft for those.

 

BTW, Codemasters is the company who is responsible for publishing the Bubble Bobble Revolution DS in the US and, if the posts at gamefaqs are to be believed, they are already working on it.

Edited October 12, 2006 by BrianC

[King_Salamon]

I bought a copy and thankfully I never opened it until I heard about the mess. Thank goodness Dragon Quest Heroes - Rocket Slime has been keeping itself firmly in my DS.

 

Another Bubble Bobble Revolution is coming to the PSP, perhaps that's be the one to get. Too bad I sold my PSP.. well the stores do sell them so I could get another. (There are quite a few interesting classic titles releasing in the near future too)

 

I almost considered keeping the bugged copy just so I could have some portable Bubble Bobble goodness.

[figgler]

BTW, Codemasters is the company who is responsible for publishing the Bubble Bobble Revolution DS in the US and, if the posts at gamefaqs are to be believed, they are already working on it.

 

Working on it how? Are they planning to fix the bugs, then send everyone a new copy of the game? I doubt it somehow, but that would be the good thing to do.

Still, not catching this in the first place is ridiculous. I feel like they must have known. I can't believe that no one ever popped the localised version into a DS to see if it played properly.

[BrianC]

BTW, Codemasters is the company who is responsible for publishing the Bubble Bobble Revolution DS in the US and, if the posts at gamefaqs are to be believed, they are already working on it.

 

Working on it how? Are they planning to fix the bugs, then send everyone a new copy of the game? I doubt it somehow, but that would be the good thing to do.

Still, not catching this in the first place is ridiculous. I feel like they must have known. I can't believe that no one ever popped the localised version into a DS to see if it played properly.

 

I'll link directly to the post at gamefaqs. Here is the link. I agree that not catching the bug is silly, especially since the EU and JP versions don't have it. I noticed that the reviews of the import have been low and not becuase of bugs (which are only in the US version).

Edited October 13, 2006 by BrianC

[Jess Ragan]

Yeah, this game is a bomb regardless of where you bought it. The bugs in the US version are actually a blessing, because they take out two-thirds of a remake you'll hate after playing just a few stages.

 

JR

[Gregory DG]

Whatever happened to the Nintendo "Seal of Quality?"

 

I doubt this would pass the test...

[figgler]

Actually there is no Nintendo Seal of Quality any longer. You can argue there never was or we never would have seen games like Total Recall and the awful translations in Metal Gear, POW, etc. They've changed it to the Official Nintendo Seal, indicating that it's an official licensed product, not necessarily that it's quality assured, though I think this is implied in any case.

Regardless, let's not forget that the only real culprit here is Codemasters and their "QA" department.

[Atarifever]

Yeah, this game is a bomb regardless of where you bought it.

JR

Sorry for the tangent, but what is it about articles that totally changes whetehr something is negative or positive:

If the game were THE bomb it would be good, A bomb means it's bad. If it were THE shit it would be good, if it were the shitS it would blow.

 

Anyway, this is another example of the double edged knife of popularity. The DS ends up with SOOOO much garbage and broken stuff that it isn't even funny. Companies think that even garbage will sell well enough to make a profit if something is done quickly enough.

[Jess Ragan]

I guess "the" is today's "not."

 

JR

[BrianC]

Anyway, this is another example of the double edged knife of popularity. The DS ends up with SOOOO much garbage and broken stuff that it isn't even funny. Companies think that even garbage will sell well enough to make a profit if something is done quickly enough.

 

All systems end up with garbage. IMO, what is important is that the system has plenty of good games, not that the system has more bad games than good.

 

Taito has been hit/miss lately. They aren't the same company they used to be. I definatly recommend picking up Puzzle Bobble DS, though. IMO, it's the better of the DS Bust-A-Move/Puzzle Bobble games and quite good. I also heard good things about the Taito Memories collections.

Edited October 13, 2006 by BrianC

[cyberfluxor]

Any word on if there's a glitch with Rainbow Islands Revolution?

[Video]

 

2) Again, Nintendo is getting the blame for something that isn't their fault. Yes, Nintendo did approve the game, but it's up to the publishers and designers of the game to test the game before it gets into Nintendo's hand. There are PS2 and Xbox games with glitches too, but I don't see the blame going to Sony or Microsoft for those.

 

Uhm...I may be missing something here, but if it's got the Nintendo seal of quality on it, dosen't that mean Nintendo OK'd the game? And therefor, it IS Nintendo's fault? Maybe they only playtested a few levels, found it to work, and didn't get far enough in to find the big problems, but there's really no excuse.

 

Their Seal used to mean something (at least that the game worked, and was compatible with whatever you bought it for, not necessairly that it was good)

[BrianC]

 

2) Again, Nintendo is getting the blame for something that isn't their fault. Yes, Nintendo did approve the game, but it's up to the publishers and designers of the game to test the game before it gets into Nintendo's hand. There are PS2 and Xbox games with glitches too, but I don't see the blame going to Sony or Microsoft for those.

 

Uhm...I may be missing something here, but if it's got the Nintendo seal of quality on it, dosen't that mean Nintendo OK'd the game? And therefor, it IS Nintendo's fault? Maybe they only playtested a few levels, found it to work, and didn't get far enough in to find the big problems, but there's really no excuse.

 

 

You definatly missed my point. Nintendo OK'd it, but it's not up to Nintendo to find the big problems, it's up to the designers of the game. Did you even notice that I mentioned that other companies besides Nintendo let games with glitches slip by too?

 

Their Seal used to mean something (at least that the game worked, and was compatible with whatever you bought it for, not necessairly that it was good)

 

Again with the seal. You just stated exactly what it means. It doesn't mean that the game is of good quality, it only means that the game is compatible with the system. The first US run of Bubble Bobble Revolution may be broken, but it's still technically compatible with the system and still technically plays. The seal also means that the game won't mess up your system.

Edited October 14, 2006 by BrianC

[King_Salamon]

Anyway, this is another example of the double edged knife of popularity. The DS ends up with SOOOO much garbage and broken stuff that it isn't even funny. Companies think that even garbage will sell well enough to make a profit if something is done quickly enough.

 

Case in point is the PS2... anything that becomes popular gets it's share (actually more than it's share) of crapware released.

 

Codemasters is making replacement copies and apparently some stores have begun pulling the game to avoid hassles. I just hope that they put a sticker on the packaging to let people know that this is the revised version or something... otherwise you wouldn't know the difference.