Software:Puzzle Bobble 4

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Puzzle Bobble 4
Arcade flyer
Developer(s)Taito
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Kazuhiro Ohara
Designer(s)Seiichi Nakakuki
Programmer(s)
  • Nobutake Nakamura
  • Sayo Kihara
  • Takanori Emoto
  • Hiroshi Maruyama
  • Yuichi Onogi
Composer(s)Rimiko Horiuchi
Platform(s)Arcade, PlayStation, Game Boy Color, Microsoft Windows, Dreamcast
ReleaseArcade
  • WW: December 1997
PlayStation
  • JP: August 6, 1998[2]
  • NA: December 9, 1998[1]
  • EU: April 15, 1999
Game Boy Color
Microsoft Windows
Dreamcast
Genre(s)Puzzle game
Arcade systemTaito F3 System

Puzzle Bobble 4 (also known as Bust-A-Move 4 for the North American and European console versions) is the third sequel to the video game Puzzle Bobble and is the final appearance of the series on the PlayStation and the only appearance of the series on the Dreamcast.

Plot

On the planet Bubbleluna lives the twins Bub and Bob. One day, the sun fails to rise because the Fairy of the Night, Cleon, has stolen the light source known as the Rainbow for Full-Moon Madame Luna. She splits this rainbow into 7 light bubbles. Bub and Bob then set off to retrieve these bubbles and restore the light and peace to their planet.

Gameplay

The game features a total of 640 levels. This installment of the series introduces two new features: the pulley system and chain reactions. The pulley system consists of two groups of bubbles attached to either side of a pulley. Popping some on one side will cause that side to be "lighter" and therefore rise. The other side lowers in response. If a pulley is shaking and a bubble is attached, the resulting heavier side will lower. This requires added strategy to prevent one side from moving too far and therefore losing the game. One possible strategy is to form a bubble cluster between two pulleys to prevent them from lowering or rising at all. Then the player can triangulate until acquiring the necessary bubbles to clear both anchor bubbles, while still keeping both ends of the pulley clustered together.

Chain reactions occur only on the two player (or player and CPU) modes. When a bubble is dropped, it can move to another place on the board if this causes more bubbles to pop. If this, in turn, causes more bubbles to drop, then the chain reaction can continue.

Play Modes

  • Puzzle Mode consists of a field of stages labelled A-Z, in a triangle. To proceed to either the stages B or C, the player must complete A. This continues, meaning there are many possible routes to completing the puzzle mode.
  • Story Puzzle consists of a backdrop with 22 tarot cards superimposed on it. The aim is to complete each of the tarot card stages, gaining that tarot card once its group of rounds is completed. New tarot cards are revealed when each of the stages currently shown is completed.
  • Story Versus follows the player's chosen character in their adventure to regain the seven light bubbles and do whatever it was that character planned with them. They must face each character of the main characters and defeat them to move on (in the case of the character not being Bub or Bob, they also must face a clone of themselves), in a linear fashion. Eventually, they will reach Madame Luna and upon her defeat, she will be revealed to be Dreg, the main antagonist in the series. Any character can be chosen for this mode except the unlockable characters.
  • Win Contest is a simple tournament where the player must fight and defeat as many opponents as possible. The more are defeated before losing, the more of a picture of the character is revealed. In this mode, is it possible to meet new characters who do not appear in the other modes; once encountered, they can be used in other modes. After defeating each character once, frequent matches will strengthen each one, making it harder and harder to win.
  • Player Vs Player is a multiplayer mode.
  • Challenge Mode ranks skill. The ranks are "10th Class", "1st Class", "1st Honor" and "Expert".
  • Edit Mode allows to create maps. Up to 25 can be made and played. Once all the maps created have been completed, an ending is displayed.[8]

Reception

Critical reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
DreamcastGBCPCPS
GameSpot7.2/10[13]7/10[14]6.8/10[15]7.9/10[16]
IGN8.8/10[17]7/10[18]6.4/10[19]7.5/10[20]
Aggregate scores
GameRankings78.25%[9]N/A68.60%[10]79.78%[11]
Metacritic79%[12]N/AN/AN/A

In Japan, Game Machine listed Puzzle Bobble 4 on their April 1, 1998 issue as being the eighth most-successful arcade game of the month.[21] Like the second Puzzle Bobble game, PC Zone shunned the Windows version for its bad performance on low resolution and older PCs, scoring it 30%.[22]

Promotion

The game was showcased at the February 1998 AOU Amusement Expo in Japan.[23]

References

  1. ↑ "psx.ign.com: Bust-A-Move 4". 2000-08-17. http://psx.ign.com/games/10168.html. 
  2. ↑ 家庭用ゲーム一覧1998年
  3. ↑ "pocket.ign.com: Bust-A-Move 4". 2000-08-16. http://pocket.ign.com/games/11916.html. 
  4. ↑ "Bust-A-Move 4 - IGN". IGN. February 15, 2000. http://pc.ign.com/objects/014/014125.html. 
  5. ↑ "Bust-A-Move 4 sur PC" (in fr). https://www.jeuxvideo.com/jeux/pc/00003157-bust-a-move-4.htm. 
  6. ↑ "Press release: 2000-04-13: Acclaim Entertainment Spreads Puzzle-Fever To Sega Dreamcast With Bust-A-Move 4" (in en). 2017-02-24. https://segaretro.org/Press_release:_2000-04-13:_Acclaim_Entertainment_Spreads_Puzzle-Fever_To_Sega_Dreamcast_With_Bust-A-Move_4. 
  7. ↑ "Retro Diary". Retro Gamer (Imagine Publishing) (116): 13. September 2013. https://archive.org/stream/RetroGamerIssue114-116/Retro_Gamer_Issue_116#page/n11. 
  8. ↑ Taito (1999). Bust-a-Move 4 Instruction Manual. pp. 4–16. 
  9. ↑ "Bust-A-Move 4 (Dreamcast) - GameRankings". GameRankings. https://www.gamerankings.com/dreamcast/257545-bust-a-move-4/index.html. Retrieved November 27, 2019. 
  10. ↑ "Bust-A-Move 4 (PC) - GameRankings". GameRankings. https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/196856-bust-a-move-4/index.html. Retrieved November 27, 2019. 
  11. ↑ "Bust-A-Move 4 (PlayStation) - GameRankings". GameRankings. https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/196857-bust-a-move-4/index.html. Retrieved November 27, 2019. 
  12. ↑ "Bust-a-Move 4 (DC) reviews at Metacritic.com". https://www.metacritic.com/game/bust-a-move-4/critic-reviews/?platform=dreamcast. Retrieved November 27, 2019. 
  13. ↑ Fielder, Lauren (May 17, 2006). "Super Bust-A-Move 4 (DC) Review". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/bust-a-move-4-review/1900-2588215/. Retrieved November 27, 2019. 
  14. ↑ Davis, Cameron (March 12, 2014). "Super Bust-A-Move 4 (GBC) Review". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/bust-a-move-4-review/1900-2536151/. Retrieved November 27, 2019. 
  15. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (June 26, 2000). "Super Bust-A-Move 4 (PC) Review". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/bust-a-move-4-review/1900-2538258/. Retrieved November 27, 2019. 
  16. ↑ Gamespot Staff (April 28, 2000). "Super Bust-A-Move 4 (PS) Review". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/bust-a-move-4-review/1900-2545922/. Retrieved November 27, 2019. 
  17. ↑ IGN Staff (June 6, 2000). "Bust-a-Move 4 - Dreamcast". https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/06/06/bust-a-move-4. Retrieved November 27, 2019. 
  18. ↑ Schneider, Peer (July 10, 1999). "Bust-a-Move 4 - Game Boy Color". https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/07/09/bust-a-move-4-4. Retrieved November 27, 2019. 
  19. ↑ IGN Staff (February 16, 2000). "Bust-a-Move 4 - PC". https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/02/16/bust-a-move-4-2. Retrieved November 27, 2019. 
  20. ↑ Harris, Craig (December 18, 1998). "Bust-a-Move 4 - PC". https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/12/18/bust-a-move-4-3. Retrieved November 27, 2019. 
  21. ↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - TVゲーム機ーソフトウェア (Video Game Software)". Game Machine (Amusement Press, Inc.) (561): 21. 1 April 1998. 
  22. ↑ Woods, Dave (January 2000). "PCZ Reviews Shorts". PC Zone (Future plc) (85): 99. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_Issue_085_2000-01_Dennis_Publishing_GB/page/n97. 
  23. ↑ "AOU '98 Showcase". Edge (Future plc) (57): 9. April 1998. https://archive.org/details/edgeuk057/page/n7. 
  1. ↑ Released under the Club Acclaim label

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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