Pop the Bubble

In the grand scheme of things, creating groups of three or more coloured bubbles and watching them pop to get points is one of the more peculiar concepts for a puzzle game. But that’s exactly what you get with Bust-A-Move (also known as Puzzle Bobble in its native Japan). There’s something satisfying about the whole enterprise in a sort of Tetris meets Breakout in a pinball-type way and the DS is getting its shot at the perennially popular game with Bust-A-Move DS.

As is the way with reinterpretations of such classics, the game features a couple of different options. The most straightforward is the tried-and-tested arcade version, where you have to rotate your cannon to direct each bubble into an appropriate gap and so try to clear the screen of coloured bubbles as quickly as possible.

There is a new-fangled version as well, though. This uses the DS’ touchscreen as you wield the stylus to flick each new bubble in the direction you want it to go. It doesn’t sound as accurate a way of going about things as the cannon, but it will provide some advantages as you can fire your bubbles faster this way. Another new option is the quick swap bubble, which is a reserve bubble you can swap with the one in play should the mood (or colour combination) take you.

Both this and the classic modes will be available in a four-way multiplayer, and there will also be hundreds of puzzle-based missions for you to challenge your fingers and brains with.

Gently floating in the wind, Bust-A-Move DS is due for release in early February.