If you read my review for "Bust-A-Move 2", I gave the
Saturn version of the popular Taito puzzle game a score of
'A', and said that the 'A+' was for "Bust-A-Move 3" if the
series improves dramatically on what was already a strong
entry in the franchise. Well, I guess I screwed up by not
giving "BAM2" the 'A+', because "BAM3" not only doesn't
advance the series forward but, by failing to make dramatic
or necessary improvements to installment #3, Taito fails to
make the sequel a MUST for this fan of Bub and Bob. This
game is for those who are clueless and new to the gameplay
of the "BAM" series (known as "Puzzle Bubble" in Japan), or
are addicted to busting bubbles and can't help themselves.
Those of us who are fans but can put our thinking caps on
and analyze the game with impartiality can't help but be
extremely saddened by "BAM3", considering it was one of the
last few third-party games released in the States for the
comatose Sega Saturn.
Released by Natsume (better known for releasing the obscure
SNES RPG/simulation game "Harvest Moon") and Tommo Inc.
(better known for their mail-order videogame service),
"BAM3" got released in mid-December for Saturn, and a PSX
version will follow sometime in 1998, making this game the
second console "holiday exclusive" for Sega's system in
1997 (Lobotomy's port of "Quake" was the other). It is an
extremely entertaining puzzle game on its own legs, with
entertaining characters, solid graphics, addictive gameplay
and that trademark Japanese cuteness soaking the whole
package wet. But "BAM3" is the third chapter of a very
successful franchise, and the baggage behind the game is
what ultimately makes me recommend you wait for the PSX
version so you can rent it and see for yourself what I mean
when I say this time Bub and Bob aren't welcomed in my
Saturn... they're not even in the game at all! (there is in
their place a dinosaur character that changes colors,
called 'Bubblen'... whatever!).
GRAPHICS / VISUALS: B+
In an obvious homage to Capcom's "Puzzle Fighter", "BAM3"
has added selectable characters; you no longer are forced
to play as either Bub and Bob. They are all done in
anime-style, so those who are into that will have a field
day selecting among the new cast (all based on old Taito
coin-ops). They are: Bubblen (ahem!), Purichio, Chinkle,
Musachi, Marina, Luna Luna, Super Sonic Blastman and Jack.
Most of them are female, and have specific characteristics
like Tarot card abilities (Luna Luna), all-around Ryu clone
(Musachi), card game dealer and 'Pat' wannabe (Jack, who
looks like a guy but behaves like a woman), etc.
I personally don't like any of the new characters at all,
and although I'm a big fan of "Sailor Moon" and are used to
overly cute stuff in Japanese games and TV shows, "BAM3" is
just too much! None of the characters in part 3 have the
charm or personality of the weird cast of the first two
games, which included the wacky "Decapitated Kittie", the
scary "Vampire Boy", the weird "Fluffy Pink Lady", etc.
(those are made-up nicknames, for lack once again of an
instruction manual which can indoctrinate all of us into
the "BAM" universe). It's a personal prejudice, but I know
that when the entire cast of "BAM2" appeared as a still
background in this game, I felt rather insulted when I was
forced instead to play like the sorry bunch of characters
in "BAM3". Their animation is smooth, their reactions to
winning/losing are hilarious, and their cuteness
overbearing; not as good as Capcom's "Puzzle Fighter", but
considering the game is using an enhanced "BAM2" engine
instead of a new one, the game looks good.
And that is my main beef with the game's graphics: almost
all the attention and detail went into the animation of the
characters, which are NOT AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE GAME WHEN
HEATED COMPETITION IS HAPPENING. The bubbles, backgrounds
and overall look of the game has been slightly polished
from "BAM2", but "BAM3" retains almost the exact same look.
That isn't a big deal, since the gameplay in a puzzle game
is king and the graphic look is secondary (up to a point of
course; "Tetrisphere" anyone?). But "BAM3" has so much
emphasis placed on the animated characters that gameplay
gets a make-up touch-up. That's OK though, since the "ain't
broke, why fix it?" rule still applies here, and watching
Super Sonic Blastman get raped by a huge Star bubble when
he loses still makes me chuckle (you've got to see it!).
MUSIC / SOUND EFFECTS: C+
The sound effects, like those of any Sonic or Mario game,
are outstanding and haven't changed or innovated a bit:
bubbles bust, characters scream weird Japanese one-liners,
and really weird but hummable music plays on the backgr...
wait, I'm still stuck thinking about "BAM2". My mistake,
sorry (you're going to hear a lot about "BAM2" today, AS IF
YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED ALREADY :-). The one-liners and bubbles
getting busted are OK and hold the Taito tradition of being
scary, freaky and cute with equal degree. The music, on the
other hand, has taken a turn for the worse: the exact
(almost) same tunes that were on "BAM2" are remixed for
part three, and the remixes are God-awful and can't be
selected before playing (a feature sadly lacking in "Sonic
R" but present in "Steep Slope Sliders"). There is a preset
tune for the Two-player mode, which was very likable in
"BAM2" but is remixed with what sounds like a High-School
marching band in "BAM3", that almost ruined the multiplayer
mode for me and a pal. If you know the series, then you
know that for a musical tune to almost ruin the best part
of a "BAM" game is criminal! Don't be ashamed to mute the
music; Paul Simon got it right when he talked about "...the
sound, of silence" (that would be the cash register for
people attending "The Capeman"...Bang!).
GAMEPLAY / FUN FACTOR: B+
Two new additions to the series: bubbles can bounce off the
roof for tough-to-make shots, which is an OK addition but
has been overrated in reviews I've read elsewhere
(particularly Next Generation's), and doesn't substantially
affect the game. The other new addition is a major one, and
it comes handy when playing against another player, or the
CPU: each character has a unique pattern of bubbles that is
sent the opponent's way when you connect three bubbles AND
there are bubbles underneath those three unattached. In
previous games a random pattern would be sent to your
opponent, but in "BAM3" the selection of a character takes
on a strategic importance that was missing in the first two
installments. Chinkle, for example, has an "all rainbow"
bubbles pattern; Jack has a wicked pattern mixing blocks,
rainbows and stars, and so forth. Most characters have
average combinations of various colors, like Bubblen's.
Although the strategy and patterns of "BAM3" won't give
"Puzzle Fighter", "Baku Baku" or "Tetris Attack" a run for
their money (the series still relies more on precision and
luck than strategy), the challenge has been brought up a
notch by the above additions, as well as new "Special"
bubbles that have unique attributes.
The options remain almost identical to "BAM2", but have a
couple of nice additions to make the sequel a more
appealing proposition to those who have the first two:
-ONE PLAYER: through an alphabet universe, solving
different groups of puzzles in order to reach the top of
the screen; fun time for all ages.
-TWO PLAYER: self-explanatory and, as veterans of the
series will tell you, addictive to an extreme: you against
another player trying to burst bubbles and clear your
screen, sending your bubbles to him and viceversa.
-VS. COMPUTER: select a character, and start a trip through
old Taito arcade machines, confronting the characters from
those games. Since there are eight characters, there are
eight different patterns toward the main Boss (or Bosses?).
The lonely gamer's alternative to the Two-player mode.
-COLLECTION MODE: a good idea on paper that doesn't quite
live up to the expectation: hundreds of "BAM" puzzles
(signed by their creators) from previous games, as well as
some sent to Taito by Japanese fans that edited them
(probably using the "Edit Mode" from the Saturn version of
"Puzzle Bubble 2"). After clearing a screen, you may
continue on to the next, retry the same puzzle or quit.
This gets boring quite fast, since Bubblen gets
automatically selected as the character (cute touch) and a
repetitive tune begins playing over and over.
-CHALLENGE MODE: are you a master of "BAM"? Prove it by
going through five stages (with five levels each), which
will rate your speed, strategy and technique and compile it
into grades ranging from A to F. For bragging rights only,
kinda like the scores in "Sega Touring Car Championship".
OVERALL: B-
After playing this game with a friend for a couple of days,
we sadly came to the same conclusion: the magic is gone!
Maybe we played too much "Bust-A-Move 2", maybe we
overdosed on too much of a good thing and are jaded by the
lack of innovation in "Bust-A-Move 3", maybe we're getting
old and have been jaded by "GoldenEye" and "Mario Kart 64".
All I know is that the characters are not as appealing as
the one's in previous "BAM" games, the graphics look the
same and the animation of the new characters, although
hilarious and well-done, can't be appreciated or even
looked-at by players engaged in the heat of bursting
bubbles. Take it from a couple of guys who have been
busting each other's balls for years: this game's
shortcomings kept us playing "BAM3" for hours, hoping the
other guy's bubble would burst and break up in tears saying
"no mas, no mas!" (two bad puns in one sentence? I must be
trying to get a gig as a reviewer at GameFan magazine!!!).
Since it only takes 3 meager units from the system's memory
and is probably being sold at discount prices across the US
(along with what's left of the fading Saturn legacy),
"BAM3" is an acquired taste that will be heaven-sent by
those who are virgins to Taito's puzzle series. Those of us
in the know will stick with "BAM2" ($10 at Toys'R'Us), and
hope that part four, which will be shown at the Tokyo game
show in March '98, will give us the dramatic improvement
part 3 sorely lacked. Now, more than ever, I feel like an
ass for selling my SNES and 3DO copies of "Bust-A-Move" for
cash; when the classic's gone, the memories remain more
poignant than ever.
And no, I haven't forgotten my promise at the end of my
"BAM2" review. When I get a chance, I will review the Probe
port of "Bubble Bobble + Rainbow Island" for the Saturn;
talk about Acclaim not respecting their elders!
