Bubble Bobble II, the Video Game by Taito Corp. [Japan]

Type of the machine : Video Game
Bubble Bobble II © 1994 Taito.

Bubble Bobble II is the first direct sequel to Taito's 1986 platform classic, "Bubble Bobble" ('Rainbow Islands' was the first official sequel, but played very differently) in which one or two players take on the role of the infamous bubble-blowing dinosaurs who must once again fight their way through a large number of single-screen platform-based levels, trapping monsters with their bubbles before bursting them to destroy the trapped enemies.

While Bubble Bobble II plays identically to its predecessor, several new changes and additions have been made to breathe new life into the classic gameplay. As well as new bonuses, weapons, enemies and characters, players can now create 'Multiple Bubbles'; if the player holds the button down for a few seconds before releasing, up to three bubbles are produced at once.

Other gameplay changes include Boss encounters that occur every five to ten levels. These boss screens are part of a new 'branching level' structure; once a boss is defeated, players chose to enter one of two doors to determine what level set they tackle next.

In addition to Bubble Bobble's original heroes, Bub and Bob, two new selectable female characters have been added, called Kululun and Cororon. Each of the four dinosaurs possess different gameplay attributes, which are as follows :
* Bubblun - Average
* Bobblun - Faster speed
* Kululun - Bubbles float the furthest
* Cororon - Bubbles float the fastest

Bubble Bobble II's graphics are, inevitably, a vast improvement over the original game; with lush, colourfully rendered backgrounds and detailed, smoothly animated sprites doing full justice to Bubble Bobble's legendary characters. The game also features cameo appearances by a number of characters from many other Taito classics.

Bubble Bobble II features multiple endings.

Taito F3 System hardware
Game ID : D90

Main CPU : 68EC020 (@ 16 Mhz)
Sound CPU : 68000 (@ 16 Mhz)
Sound Chips : ES5505 (@ 15.23805 Mhz)

Screen orientation : Horizontal
Video resolution : 320 x 224 pixels
Screen refresh : 58.97 Hz
Palette colors : 8192

Players : 2
Control : 8-way joystick
Buttons : 2
= > [1] Bubble, [2] Jump

Released in October 1994.

This game is also known as "Bubble Symphony". Though the game was sold for home systems as "Bubble Bobble II", Bubble Symphony is unofficially Bubble Bobble 4, since three earlier arcade games featuring the same characters exist (more if the 'Puzzle Bobble' series is included). It could even be called 'Bubble Bobble V', since a cartridge for the NES/Famicom exists called 'Bubble Bobble 2'.

In the attract mode title sequence, Bubblun appears in front of a closed red curtain (which will turn blue if the 'Game Mode Select' code is entered) announcing, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, this is... Bubble Bobble II!' The curtain then opens on the cast of enemies as follows :
* Bottom row (left to right) : Flhoop, Uni Bo, Drunk, Banebou, Invader, Zen-Chan, Mighta, Rappappa, Catch Maru, Roboj, Hattonton
* 2nd row from bottom (left to right) : Monsta, Komso, Kabukky, Mya-Ta, Heita-Kun, Warurin, Hidegonsu, No-No, Upper, Ame Da-Ma, PulPul
* 2nd row from top (left to right) : Robol, Rocketl, Yuki-Bombo, Mummy, Chu-Chu Man, Jiji Poppo, Kiri Kabu Kun, Bolt Man, Strong Shell
* Top row (left to right) : Dorabo, Ouji Sama, Knightron, Dranko, Magician, Denkyu-Kun, Ankororin
* Not pictured : Puka Puka, Bake Couchin, Killer Hijia, Ti Ta Ma, Kasabe, Kon-Chan, Mimic, Skel-Monsta, Nyororin, Rascal, Yu Bo, Unicoron, Cerberorin, Kabu-Chan, YZK-Takami, Golem

In the closing credits, PulPul's name is listed as 'Puru Puru'.

The enemy known as 'Catch Maru' can be seen in two different color schemes : one with a blue robe and purple shoes (as seen in the attract mode title sequence), and one with a green robe and blue shoes.

The game forbids the initials 'SEX' on the high score table. If you try, it gets changed to 'H !'.

There are a grand total of 164 rooms in the game, including 18 boss rooms.

In 'Super' mode, accessible after entering the 'Game mode select' code (see 'Tips and Tricks' below), enemies are switched around, as follows (Legend : 'Normal' mode monster --> 'Super' mode monster) :
Zen-Chan --> Warurin (and vice-versa)
Mighta --> Dranko (and vice-versa)
Monsta --> Yu Bo
PulPul --> Strong Shell (and vice-versa)
Banebou --> Kasabe (and vice-versa)
Hidegonsu --> Hattonton
Drunk --> Chu-Chu Man
Invader --> Flhoop
Flhoop --> Bolt Man
Yuki-Bombo --> Drunk
Mya-Ta --> Yuki Bombo
Chu-Chu Man --> Hidegonsu
Magician --> Knightron (and vice-versa)
Komso --> Cerberorin (and vice-versa)
Catch Maru (in blue robe and purple shoes) --> No-No
Catch Maru (in green robe and blue shoes) --> Kabu-Chan
Mummy --> Unicoron
Puka Puka --> Bake Couchin
Ame Da-Ma --> Nyororin
Upper --> Kiri Kabu Kun (and vice-versa)
Bake Couchin --> Ame Da-Ma
Hattonton --> Roboj
Ti Ta Ma --> Robol (and vice-versa)
Heita-Kun --> Jiji Poppo
Kabukky --> Uni Bo (and vice-versa)
Nyororin --> Puka Puka
Ouji Sama --> Mummy
Yu Bo --> Golem
Rappappa --> Ouji Sama
Golem --> Monsta
Roboj --> Mya-Ta
Unicoron --> Rappappa
Kabu-Chan --> Heita-Kun
Bolt Man --> Invader
Jiji Poppo --> Catch Maru (in blue robe and purple shoes)
No-No --> Catch Maru (in green robe and blue shoes)
Monsters not listed remain the same.

* Always Access Secret Rooms : Before inserting your coin, at the intro screen with the curtain, press Jump, Bubble, Jump, Bubble, Jump, Bubble, Left, Start. A tone will sound.

* Black Background And Classic Music : Before inserting your coin, at the intro screen with the curtain, press Bubble, Jump, Bubble, Jump, Bubble, Jump, Right, Start. A tone will sound. The background of each room will be black and the original Bubble Bobble theme will play instead of the usual music.
Alternative Codes :
1. Left, Jump, Left, Start, Left, Bubble, Left, Start.
2. Start, Jump, Bubble, Left, Right, Jump, Start, Right.

* Game mode select : before inserting your coin, at the intro screen with the curtain, press Up, Start, Right, Jump, Bubble, Left, Start, Down. The curtain will turn blue. You can now choose between 'normal game' and 'super game'. In 'Super' mode, platforms appear in different colors, and most of the monsters are switched around (see 'Updates' above).

* Unlock Human Characters : Before inserting your coin, at the intro screen with the curtain, press Left, Down, Up, Jump, Right, Start, Bubble, Right. A tone will sound. You can now choose from 4 human characters.

* Fastest and Max Bubble : Down, Bubble, Jump, Start, Left, Right, Left, Start.

1. Bubble Bobble (1986)
2. Rainbow Islands - The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 (1987)
3. Final Bubble Bobble (1988, Sega Master System)
4. Parasol Stars - The Story of Bubble Bobble III (1991, NEC PC-Engine)
5. Bubble Bobble Part 2 (1993, Nintendo Famicom)
6. Bubble Bobble II (1994)
7. Bubble Memories - The Story of Bubble Bobble III (1995)
8. Rainbow Islands - Putty's Party (2000, Bandai Wonderswan)
9. Bubble Bobble Revolution (2005, Nintendo DS)
10. New Rainbow Islands (2005, Nintendo DS)
11. Bubble Bobble Evolution (2006, Sony PSP)
12. Bubble Bobble Double Shot (2007, Nintendo DS)
13. Bubble Bobble Plus! (2009, Nintendo WiiWare)

Project leader : Keppel Maekawa
Game planners : Yoshitake Shirei, Keppel Maekawa
Software designers : Harumi. K, Meltycat!, Kunio Kuzukawa, Takahiro Natani (Helper Natani)
Map creators : Taka. Furukawa, Yoshitake Shirei
Character designers : Turtle Mizukami, T. Ozaki, Koji?!, Yourychan
Dot design works : Akiyoshi Takada, Mari Fukusaki, Mochi Mochi Natsuko, Shigeki Yamamoto, Ken, Yourychan, Lin Chinkai (Indy Chinkai)
All music & sound composed by : Yasuko Yamada (Zuntata)
Sound effects : Ishikawa Babio (BABI) (Zuntata)
Music adviser : Tamayo Kawamoto (Zuntata)
Instruction designers : Mihoko Sudoh, Rintaroh Doi
Hardware Works : Katsumi Kaneoka, Hironobu Suzuki, Jun Sawaki

Consoles :

Sega Saturn (1997)
There was also a Sony PlayStation port by Virgin, but was not marketed.
Microsoft XBOX (2006, "Taito Legends 2") : as "Bubble Symphony".
Sony PlayStation 2 (2006, "Taito Legends 2") : as "Bubble Symphony".

Computers :

PC [CD-ROM] (2006, "Taito Legends 2") : as "Bubble Symphony".

Game's rom.