Review by: J.M. Vargas

"TETRIS-FEAR" (Part One)

For the past few days I've been playing "Tetrisphere", N64's first puzzle game which happens to be a 3D update to the mother of all puzzle games, Alexi Pajitnov's "Tetris". It is a great game and an interesting twist on an old game, but it left a sour taste in my mouth that I had to wash away with some heavy-duty bubble busting with my friends Bob and Bub. H2O Entertainment (the makers of "Tetrisphere") made a crucial mistake when they removed all human and/or emotional connection to the game by setting it in a futuristic and mechanical world. Everything from the music (heavy-duty techno that is surprisingly good for a cart) to the shapes of the puzzle pieces (same as in "Tetris" but in 3D...a mathematician's wet dream) to the characters you control (wannabe-cute robots) sets "Tetrisphere" in a sci-fi atmosphere more proper to the worlds of "Blade Runner" and "2001". I'm not blasting the game for being futuristic (the market reaction will determine if I'm the odd one out), but I strongly believe that the coldness and empty mechanical feel of the whole enterprise brings "Tetrisphere" a couple of notches down in the all-important gameplay/fun factor scale.

Which is why some bubble-busting fun with Taito's multi-colored dinos is all I needed to get back into the cheerful and silly mood puzzlers featuring memorable characters are known for. A good selection of memorable characters can enhance the repetitive and mechanical task a puzzle game requires (rearrange this, combo that, etc.), and elevate it into something special: "Tetris Attack" (SNES) and "Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo" (Saturn/PSX) do it better than "Baku Baku" (Saturn), which features terrific gameplay but not memorable characters. Taito's "Bust-A-Move 2: Arcade Edition" (released in the States by Acclaim) has two refugees from the 8-bit era that, to this date, know how to put multi-colored bubbles to good use.

A sequel to the successful "Bust-A-Move" arcade game Taito made for the Neo-Geo (and released for the SNES and 3DO consoles), "BAM2" brings back the exact same game mechanics and improves them with a handful of graphical and musical upgrades. The Saturn version was released over half-a-year after the PSX version of the game (Sept.'96 versus March '96), which may explain why there are copies being cleared out from Toys'R'Us stores at bargain prices ($15 or less). A darn shame, considering the Saturn version of "BAM2" features a host of improvements over the PSX version that make it a more complete package (more on that later). For those who aren't with it (as today's kids would say), this puzzle game puts you in control of Bub or Bob (from "Bubble Bobble" fame) who move a multi-colored bubble-shooting device at the bottom of the screen. On top there is a constantly-dropping ceiling packed to the gill with (what else?) multi-colored bubbles arranged in different shapes and combinations. Connect three bubbles of the same color and they will burst; connect three in a row and burst bubbles attached UNDER those three bubbles, and you'll unleash monster combos against your opponent (CPU or friend) or be on your way to clearing the stage (for solo players). There are puzzle modes, time trial modes, multi-player modes and hundreds of set-ups (if you know the codes) for your dinos to screw with, not to mention a Saturn-exclusive level editor that'll let you design patterns to your heart's content (one player mode only?).

Deceivingly simple in concept and look, "BAM2" is the best example of how memorable characters and nostalgia can increase the enjoyment of a game over another graphically-superior but mechanical games. I'll take Bub and Bob's wacky "TakkaaAAAA!" screams and 2D bubbles over "Tetrisphere" and its techno music and 3D bells and whistles anyday of the week (except Friday, because they belong to "Dennis Miller Live", baby!).

GRAPHICS/VISUALS: A-

Good and solid all-around, with plenty of colors and not a hint of slowdown even when there are two players slugging it out and there are exploding bubbles everywhere. The resolution is OK but it could have been brought up to arcade quality (I wouldn't know since "BAM2" wasn't as widely released in arcades as the original); there is no difference whatsoever in the Saturn and PSX versions of the games. Both are multi-colored nirvana, even in the wacky and pointless FMV segments (just where the heck is that green dinosaur walking to?). "BAM2" Saturn gets a slight visual edge because there are a couple of FMV segments not available in the PSX (look for them by letting the title screen come without pressing Start), and because there is only a two-second wait for the game to load (contrast that to the PSX's six-second wait). Minor bitch: there are no names given to the characters that you will encounter in the Player versus Computer mode, and the game manual doesn't do a good job of indoctrinating newbies into the "Bubble Bobble" universe (Acclaim's done it again!).

MUSIC/SOUND EFFECTS: A-

These screams are mad (mad I tell you!), and the music is crazier than Green Bay Packers fans during a Wisconsin Cheese Fair (??!!). The original "BAM" had one musical track repeating over and over during the game's 100 levels (not a problem at the arcade, but in the privacy of your own home? Arrgghh!); "BAM2" has about six or seven, and some are catchy and fitting to the universe Taito has created around these two dinosaurs (a couple of them suck royally though). An option to select which music you want to hear while you play would have been nice (you have a music menu at the option screen, accessible only before the game begins). The soud effects were carried over from the prequel and from the original "Bubble Bobble", and given a 32-bit sound chip tweak: the loudness of the bubbles bursting will increase/decrease depending on how many you nailed simultaneously. The canon being moved back-and-forth and the sound the bubble makes as its being fired are the other noteworthy sounds, and they come across O.K. There are only a handful of sound effects that have created an identity that gamers associate exclusively with that game or character (Sonic's rings, Mario's coins, Yoshi's butt-stump, NiGHTS' paraloop, etc.); the sounds of "BAM2" will become a trademark once you're exposed to them, since no other game has the identity this game has.

Part of that has to do with the insane yelling and taunts the game's characters will let go during the heat of battle (Player versus Computer mode). One of them (I refer to him as "Vampire Boy", for lack of a better name) constantly yells something that sounds like "ISRAEL!" with a Spanish accent (seriously!). All the characters have their own distinctive yells, and they're a hoot: the "Puffy Pink Girl" and the "Decapitated 'Hello Kitty'" (again, my words for lack of Acclaim translating any for me) are among my favs. And of course, "TakkaaAAAA!". Maybe if I were schooled in Japanese I would understand that the characters are motivating me to explore my inner fears and use that insecurity to cement my belief in myself and my skills; maybe they're cursing like drunken marines on leave! I'm just glad Acclaim decided to leave it unchanged and didn't dub or alter them (how do you translate this madness anyway?).

GAMEPLAY/FUN FACTOR: A+

It can be quite easy and unchallenging when played solo, although if you play it in the Hard setting there will be computer opponents that'll wipe the floor with Bub (that darn "Caped Lightbulb") due to the computer never missing an opening or making unbelievable close-calls count. But in the two-player mode this game becomes an intense contest between reflexes, timing, and luck; they're all required if you hope to compete with a veteran "BAM2" player like myself (you can handicap yourself or your opponent, which guarantees that even young inexperienced gamers can clean daddy's clock...perfect family fun for holidays when there's nothing better to do than stare at each other). Part of the appeal comes from how childish and inoffensive the atmosphere of the game masquerades a stressful and deep puzzle game that can cause adult people to degrade themselves into cursing babies whining because they missed the shot that could have turned the whole game around. It is this contrast between the wholesome fun atmosphere the game creates and the anger/stress/frustration the player experiences that will yield the most fun dividends for two players (a technique Hudson Soft and Nintendo have elevated to a science with their "Bomberman" and "Mario Kart" franchises). This Saturn title is all two players will need to become dependent on one another ("come on, Rich...one more game, please?") or become trash-talking enemies ("NOOO WAAY...I'll win twenty in a row, you sack of s%&*!"). From a gameplay standpoint, this game is the solid gaming franchise Taito hasn't screwed up yet.

OVERALL: A

The only reason this game doesn't score the coveted A+ status is the possibility that "Bust-A-Move 3" (which Acclaim will release in the States later this year on both Saturn and PSX) could improve the gameplay/fun factor with either new twists or concepts not possible in "BAM2". There is the possibility (slim) that the game will be NetLink compatible, which could bring "BAM3" to the status of a "Bomberman" (Bub and Bob have more of a cult following than a mainstream acceptance). But that is for the future: right now, when it comes to value for money, "Bust-A-Move 2: Arcade Edition" won't be beat by any other Saturn game when it comes to two-player fun (only "Death Tank!" and "Slam & Jam" come close, but that's only in my book). This ranks as one of only three titles that will keep you (and a friend if he's available) cursing at your screen with uncontrollable bursts of obscene language; "Mario Kart 64" and "Fighters Megamix" are the other two.

Why is this review sub-titled "Part One"? Because you can't talk about Bub and Bob without remembering the 8-bit glory days of "Bubble Bobble", which I'll get around when I find the receipt that will let me return "Tetrisphere" to EB before the ten-day waiting period expires ("Sonic Jam" anyone?).