Get Popping!
Anyways, the whole idea of the game is to aim your bubble shooter so that it launches colored bubbles from the bottom of the screen at like-colored bubbles suspended from the top to clear them all. However, with time, more bubbles are created at the top, forcing the existing bubbles down. If they reach a certain point, you lose. It’s that simple.
Thankfully, there are various special bubbles that you can use to help you correct mistakes or otherwise simply clear the playing field more rapidly. These bubbles include a star bubble that clears all bubbles of the same color as that which it comes into contact with, a bomb bubble that destroys immediately adjacent bubbles regardless of their color, and
a metal “bowling ball” bubble that simply carves a canyon through any mass of bubbles at which it is fired. Now, if the game simply forced you to use these bubbles when they happened to appear, there might be very little strategy to their application.
However, since you can store a bubble for later use in a holding area, it’s possible to plan for the use of a particular power-up, and it makes their inclusion a valuable element of the gameplay. Normal colored bubbles can be stored in the holding area, as well.
Special bubbles in the playing field also affect the gameplay. Namely, there are rainbow bubbles that become the color of whatever bubbles are popped adjacent to it, as well as obstacle bubbles that cannot be removed through conventional means – only via power-ups or by removing their foundational bubbles.
What makes Bust-A-Move DS unique is the way in which you launch the bubbles. On the DS, you can use the touch screen to launch bubbles with a small slingshot--just touch the bubble with the stylus, drag down, and let go. To help you out, a guideline is added that goes about a quarter of the way up onto the top screen, which makes aiming much easier. The touch screen controls can take some getting used to, but they prove to be a fun and surprisingly tactile way to play the game.
There is another way to play (say if you are playing in the car or on a bus) you can use the D-pad to aim and buttons to shoot, but I found that quite a bit less accurate during play!
There are three main play modes in all: Puzzle, Endless, and Versus. Puzzle mode sends you through a series of ten pre-engineered situations where you have to try and clear the playing field as quickly as possible. Upon completion, every second you score under the one-minute mark earns you big points.
Note: If you get a Game Over during ten puzzles in a world, you have to start over from the first one in that world. On several of the most challenging puzzles, it was such a pain to have to re-do certain puzzle sets over again, so I simply plugged in my ds, and put it in sleep mode overnight while I took a break! I beat that puzzle first thing the next morning!)
The levels in Puzzle mode are split into five numbered worlds. Each world contains five lettered sets of puzzles (A, B, C, D, E) that contain ten puzzles apiece. That makes for 250 puzzles total. However, factor in the five additional unlockable worlds and you’ve got a whopping 500 puzzles to work through!
Endless mode is your traditional Bust-A-Move action/puzzle design. You’ll play until you lose, and each time you score a certain number of bubbles you’ll advance to a new background and music (standard fare, but fun). Combos really come in handy here, as it’s quite possible to set off a waterfall of bubbles if you play your cards right. Though it takes some getting used to, Bust-A-Move veterans will be pleased with the simplicity and speed of the touch-screen interface, as they’ll be able to rack up higher scores more quickly rather than wait for the aiming reticule to move each and every time.
Finally, versus mode is exactly like multiplayer mode. You’ll choose up to four opponents and then duke it out with them all at once. The way this works is essentially last man standing; however, you’ll be able to take advantage of power-up jewels to make life harder on your rivals. It’s easy to use a power-up jewel: just drag it from its resting place at the bottom of your screen and release it overtop of a picture of one of your enemies to the right. You can even counter power-ups used against you if you’re quick. In terms of wireless multiplayer, up to five people can play in a slick simultaneous tournament – with just one cartridge (multiple-cartridge play is also supported).
That’s pretty much all there is to it. Bust-A-Move DS might not be complicated, but it will keep you busy for quite some time, and it’s pretty challenging to boot. Also, the music is really peppy and fun to listen to, as well! (Though in one stage, played over and over, it can get quite repetitive)
I, personally, haven't put down the game since I got it..It's got a permanent place in my DS. Surprisingly, it's not the Endless mode I keep coming back to, but the Puzzle Mode! And make no mistake, there are LOTS of those!
I haven't got to try out multiplayer or Vs CPU, yet (too busy with the Puzzle Mode!) but I have no doubt that it will be a blast! I'm almost sorry I didn't get to try this one out before, but the special stylus-driven "aim/shoot" reticule gives this game it's charm..although bank-shots are sometimes hard to pull off! And, at $20 a pop, you really have no reason not to try this game out, unless you really, really hate puzzle games!