Bubble Bobble was one of those arcade games that you either loved or hated. I do not know anyone that was in the middle ground of this title. I do not know anyone that was not a fan of it either. Are there gamers out there that do not like Bubble Bobble? Well, there is a fan out there that is much more a fan than anyone I have ever met, who has created not only a remaster of Bubble Bobble but now a true spiritual sequel in Bubble Bobble Lost Cave, available now for your Commodore 64.
After Nearly Four Decades a Spiritual Sequel Is Released
Obviously this is not an official release and 100% the work of Dave’s Retro Forge on itch.io who also created the Bubble Bobble Remastered, also for the Commodore 64. Fans can expect about 100 new levels pulled from official Taito arcade and console releases. Gameplay adjustments exclusively on the Commodore 64, new bonus items based on the console ports, optional two-button controls and more.
I believe in sourcing whenever possible and must point out that this version of Bubble Bobble Lost Cave would not be where it is now without the invaluable collaborative effort with Andrea “Bisboch” Babich. Their story is available here. Please show them some respect and love for being simply amazing in this process.
Fans Doing What Companies Won’t
I do not mean that subheading as any kind of insult. Companies have a lot of parts they must keep in mind, one being profitability and invested time/money for projects. Reworking a title from 1987 with new graphics, sound, gameplay features, etc and then releasing it on a platform that entered the market in the early 80s is likely not something on their itinerary.
That is where fans step in so please, while over on itch.io grabbing your copy of Bubble Bobble Lost Cave, show Dave’s Retro Forge some appreciation. We never know when a like, a comment, a share, can be that boost someone living their dreams needed.
Special thanks to Time Extension for pointing this one out.