Maita (まいた Maita?), also known as Stoner or Boris, is a recurring enemy in the Bubble Bobble series. They are a race of magicians clad in white robes who primarily attack by magically conjuring boulders. Maitas appear as an enemy in most Bubble Bobble games, and the species has a recurring role as a playable character in the Puzzle Bobble series.
Biography[]
Appearance[]
Maitas are small ghost-like creatures clad in white robes. They have prominent red eyes and blue feet, as well as faces covered in shadow from their hoods. It is stated that no one has ever seen what they look like beneath their robes.
In Bust-A-Move Islands, the playable Maita is shown wearing a yellow cape, a feature that is retained in the enemy's appearance in Bubblun Attack.
Abilities[]
Maitas' main form of attack is conjuring and throwing boulders at their opponent via magical abilities. They have also been shown to be able to levitate briefly, as shown in some of their appearances in the Puzzle Bobble series. Additionally, in Super Puzzle Bobble, the playable Maita is seen transforming to and from an owl.
History[]
Chack'n Pop[]
Maitas make their first appearance in Chack'n Pop as an enemy that enforces the game's time limit. During each round, a Maita appears at the top of the stage, pushing a boulder towards the exit to the stage. If the player runs out of time, five more Maitas will appear, pushing the boulder into the exit and causing the player to lose a life. At the end of the game, seven Maitas are seen dancing during the wedding.
Bubble Bobble[]
Maitas reappear as a common enemy in Bubble Bobble. They walk back and forth, pushing boulders at the player if they approach them. Two giant Maitas appear on Round 96, carrying Betty and Patty to the bottom of the Cave of Monsters.
Final Bubble Bobble[]
Maitas reprise their role from the original Bubble Bobble in Final Bubble Bobble, an expanded port of the game released for the SEGA Master System. Additionally, a giant Maita known as Super Maita appears as a boss on Round 48.
Rainbow Islands[]
Maitas reappear in Rainbow Islands as enemies in the game's final world, Bubble Island. They behave similarly to their appearance in Bubble Bobble, conjuring boulders to roll at the player.
Bubble Bobble (Game Boy)[]
Maitas make another appearance as a common enemy in the Game Boy version of Bubble Bobble, behaving identically to their appearance in the original game once again. The second boss of the game is a giant Maita known as Jam, who is encountered on Round 50.
Parasol Stars[]
Maitas return in Parasol Stars, appearing in only in the final world, the Underworld. They behave similarly to their appearances in Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands. In this appearance, they have green eyes and red shoes, as opposed to their usual red eyes and blue shoes.
Bubble Bobble Junior[]
Maitas appear again in Bubble Bobble Junior, shooting projectiles resembling the planet Saturn instead of the boulders utilized in their previous appearances. This is likely due to the limitations of the Game Boy, since the system's black-and-white display may have made it difficult to properly render a boulder using sprites.
Bubble Symphony[]
Maitas appear once again in Bubble Symphony, behaving similarly to their previous appearances. A redesigned Super Maita appears as the boss of the Sky Palace, Treasure Desert, and Forest Land levels.
Puzzle Bobble[]
A Maita appears as the second opponent in Player vs. Computer mode in the console version of Puzzle Bobble. They also appear inside of the white bubbles in all versions of the game.
Puzzle Bobble 2[]
A Maita is the eighth opponent in Puzzle Bobble 2's story mode, fought in Rastan's Forest. Before the match, it startles Bub by conjuring a boulder directly in front of him, and proceeds to push him away using the boulder.
Bubble Memories[]
Maitas appear in Bubble Memories, acting as they have in previous Bubble Bobble games. The sixth boss, Maita P, is a giant Maita dressed like a jester.
Puzzle Bobble 4[]
Maita appears as an unlockable character in the console version Puzzle Bobble 4. He is unlocked by reaching Round 16 in Win Contest mode.
Super Puzzle Bobble[]
A Maita is a playable character in Super Puzzle Bobble. It can be chosen to join Bub and Chack'n to stop the Time Eaters. Super Puzzle Bobble's promotional flyer states that the Maita appearing in the game is an old friend of Bub's who used to be his enemy. He apparently enjoys being entertained, and came to Pao Pao Island for that reason.
Classic Bubble Bobble[]
Maitas appear once again in Classic Bubble Bobble, acting identically to their appearance in Bubble Bobble Junior. They have bluish-grey robes in this game. Jam appears once again, acting as the boss of the Grave Area.
Bust-A-Move Millennium[]
A Maita is a playable character and opponent in Bust-A-Move Millennium. In Story Mode, it is fought in the Ghost Tower.
Puzzle Bobble Pocket[]
A Maita is a playable character in Puzzle Bobble Pocket. It appears alongside several other enemies from Bubble Bobble.
Puzzle Bobble DS[]
A Maita is a playable character in Puzzle Bobble DS, along with other enemies from Bubble Bobble.
Bubble Bobble Revolution[]
Maitas appear once again in Bubble Bobble Revolution. The seventh boss is the Maita Mech, a boulder-throwing mecha controlled by three Maitas. In this game, they lack feet and have a small flame in front of them.
Rainbow Islands Revolution[]
Maitas appear on Bubble Island once again in Rainbow Islands Revolution. They act identically to their appearance in Rainbow Islands.
Bust-A-Move Deluxe[]
Maita is the only playable character from Puzzle Bobble Pocket who does not return in Bust-A-Move Deluxe, appearing only in a cameo.
Bubble Bobble Double Shot[]
Maitas in a cave in Bubble Bobble Double Shot
Maitas appear in Bubble Bobble Double Shot, acting identically to their other appearances in the series. The fourth boss is a Giant Maita, who creates colored boulders that only one of the three dragons can break.
Bubble Bobble Plus![]
Maitas appear yet again in Bubble Bobble Plus!, acting identically to their appearance in Bubble Bobble. A new variant known as Wraith appears in Arrange Mode.
Bust-A-Move Plus![]
A Maita is the second opponent encountered in the Player vs. Computer mode of Bust-A-Move Plus!.
Bubble Bobble Double[]
Maitas appear as enemies in Bubble Bobble Double, using their sprites from the original Bubble Bobble. They once again attack by pushing boulders at Bub, which the player must block by touching the screen of their mobile device.
Bust-A-Move Universe[]
A Maita is the third boss of Bust-A-Move Universe, appearing in the Desert Zone level. It is guarding a grey Bubble Dragon.
Bust-A-Move Islands[]
A Maita appears in Bust-A-Move Islands as a playable character than can be obtained from the game's summon feature. The Maita appearing in this game is shown wearing yellow capes, a feature that has not been seen in other appearances.
Puzzle Bobble Everybubble![]
A Maita appears in Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! as a playable character. The Maita featured in this game is a disciple of Hootwit, and is encountered at Rainbow Castle, where Bub, Bob, Peb, and Pab confront him, believing him to be responsible for the Miniroons' sudden uncontrollable production of bubbles. However, Maita eventually clears up that he is not responsible, directing the four to the Rainbow Forest in order to talk to his master, Hootwit. He is later shown alongside the other characters when confronting Katze, and is seen in the game's ending helping manage the Miniroons in Rainbow Town alongside Woolen.
Maita is referred to as Boris in the English release of Puzzle Bobble Everybubble!.
Other appearances[]
Pop'n Pop[]
A Maita appears as Chack'n and Miss Chack'n's helper in the console version Pop'n Pop, referencing their appearance from Chack'n Pop. Miss Chack'n's helper has pink robes instead of the usual white coloration seen on most Maitas.
Bubblun Attack[]
Maitas appear as targets in the Bubble Bobble-themed Whac-A-Mole-styled arcade game, Bubblun Attack. They use their design from Bust-A-Move Islands in this appearance, and pop out of the back three holes of the machine.
Etymology[]
Maita's name is the Japanese spelling of the English word "timer" (タイマー Taimā?) rendered backwards, due to their role as the timer in Chack'n Pop.
Trivia[]
- In numerous profiles for Maita in the Puzzle Bobble series, the enemy has been described as being a stickler for schedules and disliking lateness, referencing its role as the timer in Chack'n Pop.
- The Maita featured in Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! is stated to have his birthday on June 10th.
