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Puzzle Bobble 2 (パズルボブルツー Pazuru Boburu Tsū?) also known as Bust-A-Move 2, is a puzzle game released by Taito, and hit the arcades in 1995. It is the second installment in the Puzzle Bobble series. This game adds several features not included in the first Puzzle Bobble, including a Story Mode and Time Trials. The original multiplayer and Puzzle Modes also return, and Bub and Bob are given voices for the first time.

Gameplay[]

Puzzle Bobble 2 features similar gameplay to the first installment in the series, with a few additions. The Puzzle Mode returns from the original, but with branching paths and multiple endings. A Story Mode has been added as well, expanding on the VS. Mode from the SNES port of the previous game.

Characters[]

Locations[]

  • Chack'n Island
  • Oysmi Town
  • Bub Ruins
  • Rastan's Forest
  • Darius Ocean
  • Enemy Mountain
  • Icewall
  • Castle Drunk

Releases[]

Bust-A-Move Again[]

When Puzzle Bobble 2 comes in the US, Taito America decided to revert, the changes made in the unreleased prequel, Bubble Buster. Like Bubble Buster, every Bubble Bobble reference (such Bub and Bob) and the other characters from Puzzle Bubble 2 were removed and many graphical changes were made. This time the player(s) control a pair of disemboided hands, while the CPU from the Player VS Computer mode, controls a generic computer. The backgrounds from the Puzzle Bobble 2 were replaced with 15 new backgrounds, which they get looped in Puzzle mode. Music from Bubble Buster were restored and redone with new instruments. Voices were removed, except for the computer that has digitalized sounds. And there isn't any credits sequence. Obiously, (like Bubble Buster) these changes were only made for the version that runs with the original motherboard (the Taito F3 System).

Puzzle Bobble 2X[]

In December 1995, Taito released (only in Japan) an upgraded and Christmas-themed version, named Puzzle Bobble 2X. This version features, new additional content, such:

  • A short animated sequence, showing Bub and Bob along with Packy in a thin platform where he makes a 360 degree jump causing an earthquake where numerous bubbles starts falling with Bub and Bob starts panicking and finally the Taito logo falls causing Bub and Bob screaming in terror along with the platform, falling off-screen.
  • Different backgrounds during the title screen sequence.
  • Different background and title game colours.
  • A Christmas-themed sequence showing rendered scenes of Bub along with Drunk, disguised as Santa Claus and Maita who trains the sled. The animation ends with a cameo of Bubby (the human form of Bub) and wishing at the players: "MERRY XMAS".
  • Players are now able to choose the difficulty in Puzzle Mode.
  • Hard Difficulty was replaced with the X Difficulty.
  • A new harder set of level were added for the X difficulty.
  • A new theme named "Paradise Cha Cha Cha!" was added "exclusively" for the Puzzle Mode and it serves as the first in-game theme instead of "Step Skip Go Go!" which become the second.
  • Sound effects during Player VS Computer cutscenes were added.
  • Elements from Bust-A-Move Again were restored such:
    • Bust-A-Move Again backgrounds were restored and used "exclusively" in the Puzzle Mode. Player VS Computer mode uses the normal ones.
    • Bust-A-Move Again bubbles were restored and used "exclusively" in the Player VS Computer mode. Puzzle Mode uses the normal ones (this feature is the only one that being shared with the regular Puzzle Bobble 2).
    • The disembodied hands and the computer fron Bust-A-Move Again return as playable characters and they got an upgrade. Instead of an arrow, they use a cannon.

Controversy[]

Bust-a-move-2 cover art PSX North America

The North American cover art of the PSX and Saturn versions.

The North American box arts of the Saturn and PlayStation versions featured a picture of several large blue balls with human faces trapped inside, moaning in apparent agony, with white sticks forcing their eyes open. This cover art was considered wildly inappropriate and very disturbing for a cheerful game (expecially if the ones playing are young children).

This cover (along the cover art of Super Bust-A-Move) was included on a list published on GameSpy of the "Top Ten Worst Covers".

Luckily, the PAL box arts of the Saturn and PlayStation versions features a different, non-disturbing and NORMAL picture for the box art. Which the later MS-DOS and Nintendo 64 releases from Acclaim would use the PAL cover art.

Trivia[]

  • The game forbids the initials 'SEX' on the high score table. If you try, it gets changed to 'AAA'.
  • According to the magazine GamePro, the shots of the game packaging in the lower right corner of the ad, shows that even the North American release of the game had to use the same cover art as the PAL release. But, possibly due to an error/mix-up by Acclaim's marketing department, the North American release of both Saturn and PlayStation editions uses the horror-esque and disturbing art from the advertisement as their cover art.
  • Despite Puzzle Bobble 2X being only released in Japan, modifying the motherboard, it's possible to play Puzzle Bobble 2X on World/European Puzzle Bobble 2 motherboards. When it's played on european motherboards, the game runs normally and all text are translated in english.
  • It's quite odd that Bub and Bob appears in the American flyer, despite in the US game, every Bubble Bobble reference and characters are removed.

Gallery[]

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