Bubble Symphony/Bubble Bobble II (SAT, 1997)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-8 Control-7 Challenge-7
Level Design-7.5 Frustration-7 Fun-8/ Originality-5.5
Overall Score-7.5
+
2-player co-op
Same easy to learn but hard to master and addictive gameplay (see the prequel for mechanics and power ups)
Secrets (avoid dying until a certain level in a world to be able to make doors to treasure rooms appear (can find up to 5 of them in a run? - these rooms also hold part of a clue to the best ending), find four big keys to unlock the final world (crystal ball items (not sure how to get them) reveal hidden keys for several levels onwards) - pick up three notes of the same color as the key shown in-between levels in a world to make one appear, hidden note items - get three of one color to get an item (big diamond=points))
Bubble attack upgrades (blue bubble=speed, orange=rate of fire, purple=range)
Adds 2 more chars (female dragons) - each of the four dragons has four different base stats (walking speed and the three bubble attack stats) and you can switch after using a continue
Some new power ups (green scroll - Bob from Don Doko Don comes out to smash enemies with his mallet, grayish white scroll - the Space invaders base ship (shoots through walls), purple scroll - Ptolemy from Fairyland Story will help you (you can control her), falling rainbow attack (rainbow islands) - collect the rainbow potion and then jump into your bubbles, whirlwind bubble - goes in the opposite direction to what your dragon is facing and follows the air currents of the level, pink scroll - Tiki from New Zealand Story/Kiwi Kraze hops out of the ether and slings arrows, Blue scroll - summons Hipopo from Mizubaku Adventure/Liquid Kids (he can jump+shoot and his mizubakus (water bombs) cause a torrent of water like the one that comes out of a water bubble), white flag - summons Pocky who throws her cards at enemies, Heart - summons a large pink dragon who causes lightning damage and stomps enemies, Red Shield - summons the Silver Hawk from Darius 2 (it drops bombs when jump is pressed and fires its laser when bubble is pressed), Cane - summons Mr. Mikata from Pulirula (twirls around dancing and anything he kills becomes strawberries), three rings which increase points gained, bomb=smart bomb, silver rod and candy cane - turn bubbles into point items/fruit, Necklace - an Arkanoid ball will bounce around and turn any enemy it hits into a blue diamond)
Charge attacks (fires 3-4 bubbles; different bubble pattern for each char)
Can control your fall speed here (can basically hover jump if you hold up)
8 different endings (5 bad ones which are somewhat different in human form, one decent one and one good ending - have to collect the letters R O D by waiting until the "hurry up!" warning on certain levels to collect a rod item and turn into humans for this one, then there's the best ending which also requires switching to Super Game mode),
Difficulty options however the menus are in Japanese* (easy-very hard, up to 5 lives per credit) - can make the rest of the game English by using the secret menu code but not this menu (see below, switches region to USA or World)
Pretty good length (40+ levels per path, 140+ levels in total)
Good art direction
Decent bosses
Large and detailed boss sprites
Video tutorial demo if you let the game run at the title screen (doesn't explain how to make doors or keys appear though)
Decent platforming puzzles in the final world
Password save and continue with level select?
+/-
No major warps here? (spelling EXTEND gives you a full life stock and takes you to the next level - happens about once per run)
Missing some power ups from the prequel? (ice magic?)
Non-linear structure (pick between 3 paths after the first level and then between 2 after each boss fight)
Unlimited continues on default (Normal)
Invincibility time while within a wall (jumping through one from below)
Can start the game as humans or pick Super Game mode with codes (https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/arcade/583699-bubble-symphony/faqs/1212) - Super mode kicks the difficulty level of the monsters up a few notches (they go faster, many gain projectile attacks) and provides the only way to getting the "true" ending
Very short levels and no scrolling levels
Still can't jump down through platforms (can bounce through the roof and loop back to the floor of levels so you don't get stuck though)
Some items are rare (stop watch for example)
Can't save power up items for later use (stat upgrades do carry over to the next level until you die though)
Dropped items disappear after 5-10 seconds
Minor mini-game added (a bunch of cards appear for a limited time and you compete with your teammate to grab the most - point reward)
No bonus levels? (collect items or open chests on time in the first one)
-
You can't go back to the levels (the game tells you which) with letters or keys after finishing a run to get a better ending here and there's also no save feature or level select as far as I can tell - Could do these things in the first game (on SMS anyway)
Some control/interface issues (still can't adjust jump height, somewhat poor mid-air control, touching walls or platforms when jumping stops your horizontal movement temporarily, can't see how many keys you're holding)
Only one level theme and it restarts between levels if you take too long in a level (the beginning of it is kind of grating but the rest is good) - also not as good as the BB1 theme but you can switch to a nice rearrangement of that theme with a code
Trial & error (finding most of the treasure rooms and getting the best ending, you need to learn what all items do, some levels have a very strict winning tactic, some bosses)
Repetitive
Sometimes uneven difficulty (spikes: the flood bubble attack kinda sucks vs the boss(es) you get it against compared to others, final boss)
Can't remove the "2P start" icon in the bottom right when playing alone?
Notes:
-Translation: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/saturn/574559-bubble-symphony/faqs/5289
-Arcade original is from 1994 and it's actually the third game in the series
-Press A B A B A B R(ight) C during the title screen intro animation to play with a nice rearrangement of the BB1 theme and black backgrounds
-Branching paths map: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/arcade/583699-bubble-symphony/map/7331-branching-worlds-map
Level Design-7.5 Frustration-7 Fun-8/ Originality-5.5
Overall Score-7.5
+
2-player co-op
Same easy to learn but hard to master and addictive gameplay (see the prequel for mechanics and power ups)
Secrets (avoid dying until a certain level in a world to be able to make doors to treasure rooms appear (can find up to 5 of them in a run? - these rooms also hold part of a clue to the best ending), find four big keys to unlock the final world (crystal ball items (not sure how to get them) reveal hidden keys for several levels onwards) - pick up three notes of the same color as the key shown in-between levels in a world to make one appear, hidden note items - get three of one color to get an item (big diamond=points))
Bubble attack upgrades (blue bubble=speed, orange=rate of fire, purple=range)
Adds 2 more chars (female dragons) - each of the four dragons has four different base stats (walking speed and the three bubble attack stats) and you can switch after using a continue
Some new power ups (green scroll - Bob from Don Doko Don comes out to smash enemies with his mallet, grayish white scroll - the Space invaders base ship (shoots through walls), purple scroll - Ptolemy from Fairyland Story will help you (you can control her), falling rainbow attack (rainbow islands) - collect the rainbow potion and then jump into your bubbles, whirlwind bubble - goes in the opposite direction to what your dragon is facing and follows the air currents of the level, pink scroll - Tiki from New Zealand Story/Kiwi Kraze hops out of the ether and slings arrows, Blue scroll - summons Hipopo from Mizubaku Adventure/Liquid Kids (he can jump+shoot and his mizubakus (water bombs) cause a torrent of water like the one that comes out of a water bubble), white flag - summons Pocky who throws her cards at enemies, Heart - summons a large pink dragon who causes lightning damage and stomps enemies, Red Shield - summons the Silver Hawk from Darius 2 (it drops bombs when jump is pressed and fires its laser when bubble is pressed), Cane - summons Mr. Mikata from Pulirula (twirls around dancing and anything he kills becomes strawberries), three rings which increase points gained, bomb=smart bomb, silver rod and candy cane - turn bubbles into point items/fruit, Necklace - an Arkanoid ball will bounce around and turn any enemy it hits into a blue diamond)
Charge attacks (fires 3-4 bubbles; different bubble pattern for each char)
Can control your fall speed here (can basically hover jump if you hold up)
8 different endings (5 bad ones which are somewhat different in human form, one decent one and one good ending - have to collect the letters R O D by waiting until the "hurry up!" warning on certain levels to collect a rod item and turn into humans for this one, then there's the best ending which also requires switching to Super Game mode),
Difficulty options however the menus are in Japanese* (easy-very hard, up to 5 lives per credit) - can make the rest of the game English by using the secret menu code but not this menu (see below, switches region to USA or World)
Pretty good length (40+ levels per path, 140+ levels in total)
Good art direction
Decent bosses
Large and detailed boss sprites
Video tutorial demo if you let the game run at the title screen (doesn't explain how to make doors or keys appear though)
Decent platforming puzzles in the final world
Password save and continue with level select?
+/-
No major warps here? (spelling EXTEND gives you a full life stock and takes you to the next level - happens about once per run)
Missing some power ups from the prequel? (ice magic?)
Non-linear structure (pick between 3 paths after the first level and then between 2 after each boss fight)
Unlimited continues on default (Normal)
Invincibility time while within a wall (jumping through one from below)
Can start the game as humans or pick Super Game mode with codes (https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/arcade/583699-bubble-symphony/faqs/1212) - Super mode kicks the difficulty level of the monsters up a few notches (they go faster, many gain projectile attacks) and provides the only way to getting the "true" ending
Very short levels and no scrolling levels
Still can't jump down through platforms (can bounce through the roof and loop back to the floor of levels so you don't get stuck though)
Some items are rare (stop watch for example)
Can't save power up items for later use (stat upgrades do carry over to the next level until you die though)
Dropped items disappear after 5-10 seconds
Minor mini-game added (a bunch of cards appear for a limited time and you compete with your teammate to grab the most - point reward)
No bonus levels? (collect items or open chests on time in the first one)
-
You can't go back to the levels (the game tells you which) with letters or keys after finishing a run to get a better ending here and there's also no save feature or level select as far as I can tell - Could do these things in the first game (on SMS anyway)
Some control/interface issues (still can't adjust jump height, somewhat poor mid-air control, touching walls or platforms when jumping stops your horizontal movement temporarily, can't see how many keys you're holding)
Only one level theme and it restarts between levels if you take too long in a level (the beginning of it is kind of grating but the rest is good) - also not as good as the BB1 theme but you can switch to a nice rearrangement of that theme with a code
Trial & error (finding most of the treasure rooms and getting the best ending, you need to learn what all items do, some levels have a very strict winning tactic, some bosses)
Repetitive
Sometimes uneven difficulty (spikes: the flood bubble attack kinda sucks vs the boss(es) you get it against compared to others, final boss)
Can't remove the "2P start" icon in the bottom right when playing alone?
Notes:
-Translation: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/saturn/574559-bubble-symphony/faqs/5289
-Arcade original is from 1994 and it's actually the third game in the series
-Press A B A B A B R(ight) C during the title screen intro animation to play with a nice rearrangement of the BB1 theme and black backgrounds
-Branching paths map: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/arcade/583699-bubble-symphony/map/7331-branching-worlds-map