Bubble Bobble
BUBBLE BOBBLE by Taito
THANK YOU for buying Bubble Bobble from Taito. This arcade hit is now
yours to enjoy at home. For the most fun, read this instruction manual
thoroughly before you begin your journey!
THE STORY [A Comic Strip]
NARRATOR: In a strange and magical forest full of danger and delight,
where everything is good to eat and jolly round dinosaurs bounce and play
in peace, lived two such creatures named Bub and Bob. One day Bub and Bob
got word that two of their Brontosaurus buddies had been abducted by Baron
von Blubba who lived in the evil forest just beyond the horizon. So Bub
and Bob set off to find their friends and bring them to safety but the
Baron had sent many ill-tempered and hungry beasties to the forest to stop
Bub and Bob from finding their friends. Only Bub and Bob's magical bubble
blowing powers could save them from spontaneous ingestion.
BOB: Hey, Bub, looks like we've got some troubles and truly they're in the
shape of bubbles!
BUB: No kiddin', Bob we're in a crunch! These bubble bound beasties are
hopin' to have us for their lunch!
BOB: Let's not stew. There's only one way out of this jam.
BUB: Rightie-O! Bob-a-low. The count of three it's time to blow!
GRUMPLE GROMMIT: *!!#@@!!
BUB: ONE!
BUB AND BOB: TWO!
STONER: C'mon, boys, let's get those bubble heads!
BUB AND BOB: THREE! Let's get blowin'!
GRUMPLE GROMMIT: ACK!
BUBBLE BUSTER: GRRR!
[It works better as a comic, believe me.]
HOW TO OPERATE
Controller- Bub/Bob
Controller 1 - Bub
Controller 2 - Bob
"A" Button: Jump Up
"B" Button: Blow Bubbles
Select Button (to choose one of these options:)
- 1 or 2 player(s) game.
- 1 or 2 player(s) CONTINUE lets you choose a starting level (by pressing
the A or B button) from any of the ones you reached in the last game as
long as the NES has not been turned off.
Start Button - Push START to begin play after player selection. - Press
START and then SELECT to have Bob join the game during play
Pause Function
- Push the START button once during game play to pause
- Push the START button again to resume play.
Password Function
Each level has a special password which is five letters long and uses the
first ten letters of the alphabet (ABCDEFGHIJ). It appears each time the
game ends. When you turn on your NES, enter the password and you can start
from the last level you played.
Typing the Password
Press the SELECT button to choose the password option and press START. Use
the controller arrow keys (up/down) to select a letter. Use the left/right
keys to move the bubble cursor across the password. Press the START
button. If the bell rings the password is correct. If you're wrong, the
bubble cursor moves back to the first letter of the password. After
choosing the correct password, select 1P or 2P CONTINUE and press START.
HOW TO PLAY
Each player starts with three lives. A life is lost each time Bub or Bob
is touched by a beastie or one of its weapons (fireballs, bottles, stones,
or lasers). The game ends when the number of lives reaches zero. Move Bub
and Bob around each level. Capture the beasties by pressing the "B" button
and blowing bubbles at them. Trap the beasties in the bubble and smash
them with a mighty jump or a high speed charge. Try to eat the food items
that are left after the bubbles burst. Get rid of all the beasties and go
to the next level.
Bubble Bobble has two worlds. Each one has 113 levels. You must
successfully complete the first world to advance into the second one. The
secret to completing each world lies in level 99.
Beastie Bursting Techniques
*Jump onto a bubble with a trapped beastie and crush him.
*Crash a trapped beastie into the wall.
*Charge into a trapped beastie.
*Groups of bubbles can be broken by bursting the one at the end.
*Stop a bubble by lightly touching it. You can group them this way and
then burst them all at once.
*Press the "A" button to jump. By keeping this button down, you can ride
up on bubbles that come from below. This technique is very useful for
getting to higher sections of some levels.
*One of the best ways to burst a beastie is to run right into him while
blowing a barrage of bubbles.
SCORING
Burst Bunches of Bubbles for the Following Points:
Burst a bubble 10
Burst a beastie 1,000
Burst 2 beasties 2,000
Burst 3 " 4,000
Burst 4 " 8,000
Burst 5 " 16,000
Burst 6 " 32,000
Burst 7 " 64,000
Capture special magic items to help you burst the beasties!
BONUS SCORING
Bonus Rounds Magic jars appear on some levels. Capture one and a special
bonus screen appears. Gather all the targets in less than 30 seconds and
score up to 100,000 points!
Bonus Screen Targets appear on bonus screens.
[Drawings of a musical note, a daisy, a shamrock, and a moneybag.]
Enemy Bonus- Appears when you burst a beastie.
Timer Bonus- Appears for a short while at the beginning of a new level.
Round Clear Bonus- Appears when you burst all the beasties.
The value of the bonus depends on the color.
[Drawings on these two pages include: orange, martini, radish, some weird
thing, gem, hamburger, fries, carrot, tomato, 3 different crowns, grapes,
amulet, diamond, popsicle, ice cream cone, mushroom, sundae, pepper (veg),
apple, slice of cake, doughnut, cherries, pickle, birthday cake, and a hot
dog. A veritable cornucopia.]
MAGIC BONUS ITEMS
Capture these special items to help you win the game.
CANDY- These goodies give Bub and Bob the power to blow bubbles farther
and faster.
PARASOLS- Capture these items and you can warp up to five levels.
CROSS OF POWER- This magical bonus can give Bub and Bob the power to
summon fire, lightning or water to stop the beasties.
TREASURE BOXES- Grab a treasure box. When you burst the last beastie, a
big reward falls from the sky.
THE WIZARD'S STAFF- Pick up the mysterious staff. When all the beasties
are gone, the reward is yours.
SHOES- The shoes will speed up Bub and Bob.
BOMB- A great explosion can wipe out all the beasties on the screen.
HEART OF POWER- Makes you invincible for a limited time.
BOOK OF THUNDER- Lets Bub and Bob blow thunder bubbles.
BOOK OF DEATH- Wipes out beasties with a mighty earthquake.
CRYSTAL BALL- Only appears in round 99.
BLUE RING- Falling stars will wipe out the beasties.
GREEN RING- Falling rocks will descend.
RED NECKLACE- An energy ball appears to bounce around and stop the beasties.
GREEN NECKLACE- A bubble changes to either a Bub or Bob at the end of the level.
BLUE NECKLACE- A special EXTEND bubble appears.
DRUG OF THUNDER- Appears in the last round of each world. Lets you blow
thunder bubbles.
MAGIC JAR- This item gives you the special bonus round.
HINTS AND TIPS
*Air currents move the bubbles around so plan your shots well.
*Grab magic bonuses as often as you can; they'll help you to overcome the
beasties.
*Sometimes the best strategy is to let the beasties come to you.
*Baron von Blubba disappears as soon as you burst the last beastie on the
screen.
*Bursting a water bubble can help you knock out many beasties. It's also a
great way to escape.
*When you burst a thunder bubble, point Bub or Bob in the opposite
direction you want the lightning to travel.
*Beasties can escape from bubbles. Watch out! They're going to be very,
very angry. EXTEND- Collect the letters to spell EXTEND. After you have
completely spelled Extend, a special screen appears and you move on to the
next level.
*Beluga is very clever; don't try and outguess him.
*Incendo, Stoner, Super Socket, and Willy Whistle are particularly nasty.
*Sometimes two players are better than one.
*Learn how to be a bubble rider. You won't get far if you don't.
CHARACTERS
Meet the Stars of Bubble Bobble
Take the time to get to know the personalities of each player. Your game
will improve as you do.
[Descriptions are from the drawings in the manual.]
BOB [A dinosaur, of course]
SUPER SOCKET [An electrical socket with arms and legs]
BELUGA [A floating whale head]
STONER [Looks like the guys in Star Wars who sold C3PO and R2D2]
GRUMPLE GROMMIT [A large version of Stoner with a visible face and a cane]
BUB [Another dinosaur, duh]
BUBBLE BUSTER [A square Pac Man with feet and a wind-up on the side]
INCENDO [Kind of looks like the doctor from "Cannonball Run"]
WILLY WHISTLE [Small Grumple Grommit]
COILEY [A scrubbing bubble with arms and a spring on the bottom]
BARON VON BLUBBA [Er, looks just like Beluga. Maybe more evil]
HULLABALLOON [Kirby with four short appendages and a propeller]
IF YOU TAKE TOO MUCH TIME, YOU ARE NO MATCH FOR BARON VON BLUBBA!