Space Bust-a-Move

Space Bust-a-Move
North American cover art
Developer(s)	Lancarse[1]
Publisher(s)	JP: Taito WW: Square Enix[2]
Series	Puzzle Bobble
Platform(s)	Nintendo DS
Release	JP: December 18, 2008 NA: July 28, 2009 EU: August 28, 2009
Genre(s)	Puzzle
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Space Bust-A-Move is a puzzle video game developed by Lancarse and published by Taito in Japan, and Square Enix worldwide for the Nintendo DS. It was first released in Japan under the title Space Puzzle Bobble (スペース パズルボブル, Supēsu Pazuru Boburu) on December 18, 2008. It was later released in North America under the title Space Bust-A-Move on July 28, 2009, and in Europe under the title Puzzle Bobble Galaxy on August 28, 2009.^[2] As with Arkanoid DS, Space Invaders Extreme and Space Invaders Extreme 2, the game is compatible with Taito's paddle controller.^[3]

Gameplay

As with the previous games in the Puzzle Bobble series, the player controls a pointer on the bottom of the screen (with either the gamepad or Taito's paddle controller) that shoots differently-colored bubbles upwards. The object is to shoot bubbles at other bubbles of the same color at the top of the screen. When a group of three or more bubbles that touch each other are formed, then that group disappears. The objective is to clear the screen of all bubbles. Players can pick up various power-ups during the course of gameplay, such as stars that clear the playing field of all bubbles of a specific color or a flame that destroys a group of bubbles, regardless of color, within a certain radius. The levels remains the same, with some levels containing boss battles.^[4] The game includes a story mode, in which players go through eight "worlds" that reveal a story. It also includes a mode in which players can compete against other users via a Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Reception

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	71/100[5]

Review scores

Publication	Score
Destructoid	8/10[6]
Edge	5/10[7]
Famitsu	31/40[8]
GameRevolution	B[9]
GameZone	7.5/10[10]
IGN	7.8/10[11]
NGamer	69%[12]
Nintendo Life	[2]
Nintendo Power	7/10[13]
Nintendo World Report	8/10[14]
411Mania	7.8/10[15]
Teletext GameCentral	6/10[5]

The game received above-average reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.^[5] It received some criticism for its controls, which Daemon Hatfield of IGN described in its Tokyo Game Show review as "slow and clunky",^[4] and for its continue system that makes players unable to continue directly at the stage they failed at.^[13] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of three eights and one seven for a total of 31 out of 40.^[8]

References

1. 業務実績. Lancarse (in Japanese). January 4, 2010. Archived from the original on May 6, 2009. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
2. Aaron, Sean (March 24, 2010). "Puzzle Bobble Galaxy Review". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on September 27, 2017. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
3. Hatfield, Daemon (September 30, 2008). "Paddle Bobble on the Way". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
4. Hatfield, Daemon (October 11, 2008). "TGS 2008: Space Puzzle Bobble Hands-on". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
5. "Space Bust-A-Move Critic Reviews for DS". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on June 6, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
6. Bennett, Colette (August 11, 2009). "Review: Space Bust-A-Move". Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
7. Edge staff (October 2009). "Puzzle Bobble Galaxy". Edge. No. 206. Future plc. p. 99.
8. Valay, Brian (December 10, 2008). "Famitsu review scores". Nintendo Everything. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
9. Schaller, Kevin (August 21, 2009). "Space Bust A Move [sic] Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
10. Aceinet (August 10, 2009). "SPACE BUST-A-MOVE - NDS - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
11. Harris, Craig (August 5, 2009). "Space Bust-a-Move Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
12. "Review: Puzzle Bobble Galaxy". NGamer. Future plc. November 2009. p. 73.
13. "Space Bust-a-Move". Nintendo Power. Vol. 245. Future US. September 2009. p. 90.
14. Balicki, Lukasz (October 1, 2009). "Space Bust-A-Move". Nintendo World Report. NINWR, LLC. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
15. Harris, Jeffrey (September 1, 2009). "Space Bust-A-Move (DS) Review". 411Mania. Archived from the original on September 8, 2009. Retrieved August 12, 2022.

External links

• Space Bust-a-Move at MobyGames
• Space Bust-a-Move (YouTube)