"Time to pop some bubbles!!"

As far as I'm aware, the Bust A Move (also known as Puzzle Bobble) series has now appeared on just about every format for the past decade. Aside from possibly the pre 32 bit Sega consoles, I really can't think of any it hasn't been on. SNES, Saturn, Playstation, PC, even PS2... everything. And here we have it on the Dreamcast, in it's fourth incarnation (although technically it's probably something like the fiftieth given the multitude of different versions!). For the uninitiated, of which there must be few, Bust A Move is a deceptively simple puzzle game which sees you directing a bubble shooting harpoon into an area filled with bubbles. If three identically coloured balloons are joined together, they pop and disasppear. And essentially that's it really. Simple, but like its predecessors Tetris and Columns, extremely effective. Let's face it, those without a strong mind may disappear for days on end with this game!

Anyway, so we've already come to the conclusion that it plays fantastically. Now the question is, does it add anything new to the series which may tempt owners of previous titles to invest their cash? After all, the second and particularly the third, really offered nothing new. At all. Most will be relieved to hear that the answer is in fact, yes. Firstly is the pulley system which comes into use on some stages. Here there are two sets of bubbles on a pulley across the stage. By bursting one set on one side, the load will become lighter meaning the other end dips precariously close to the fatal drop off point. This new gameplay device adds strategy to the largely frantic existing system and actually succeeds in making the game surprisingly varied.

There are more modes on offer than ever too. There's the story mode, where players choose one of 8 characters and follow there way through the rather bizarre story (it's probably not actually worth trying to work out what's going on...). There's the standard puzzle modes, the ever addictive and overly competitive 2 player mode and most intriguingly, a Challenge mode. Here, players must go through a series of different levels where you are scored on various aspects of the gameplay (ie - strategy, speed, technique) and after completing the 5 rounds, you are given an overall grade. It's kind of like Bust A Move University! I actually found this to be the most interesting and novel of the new gameplay ideas.

Overall there's not a lot of bad things you can say about Bust A Move 4. Sure, the graphics aren't 3D or anything and the cutesy sound is a tad trite, but in the end if you buy a Bust A Move game, it's for the gameplay, not the aesthetics. Whilst it's not truly radically different from its predecessors, this is the biggest step forward in the usually identical series so far and they've lost none of the playability along the way. All in all, this is pretty much puzzle game nirvana!

GRAPHICS - 6/10 - Whilst the bubbles and backgrounds seem to be sharper than ever before, it's not anything to write home about. Still, what did you expect? One million on-screen polygons a millisecond?!

SOUND - 7/10 - Sublime sound effects and character voices (provided you don't mind things being ''wacky'') and irritatingly cute music. Alas, the classic theme from the original Puzzle Bobble seems to be missing. Shame on you Taito!

GAMEPLAY - 9/10 - As I've already said, puzzle game nirvana.

LASTABILITY - 8/10 - Several new game modes and features and a potentially limitless multi-player option.

OVERALL - 8/10 - Probably the best puzzle game yet. Not as limited as Tetris, not as dull as Columns and not as epilepsy inducing as Chu Chu Rocket. It's never gonna win prizes for showing of a consoles technology, but in the end who cares when it's this fun to play?

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/07/02, Updated 12/07/02