Reviews / previews
While playing Bust-A-Move 4 over the last few days, I was often interrupted by my coworkers, who would drop by to snicker and point. "Look at Brian," they would laugh, "playing the kiddie game." Then they would ask if they could give it a try, and after a few rounds they would be singing a different tune: "Wait! One more game."
Granted, not everyone will appreciate the anime-style characters and the music may cause images of Smurfs to dance through your head, but if you're not put off by the cuteness, you'll discover that Bust-A-Move 4 is a fun game that's easy to learn and maddeningly addictive.
Here's how it works: An assortment of multicolored bubbles drop slowly from the top of the playing field. Your goal is to make them disappear by launching a series of randomly colored bubbles from below that stick to the falling bubbles. When three or more bubbles of the same color connect, they pop. The gameplay's actually quite simple, and anyone can get the hang of it rather quickly.
What makes Bust-A-Move 4 so addictive is the variety of puzzles. Scattered throughout the levels are special bubbles that react differently and add to the game's complexity. Star bubbles cause all the bubbles of a particular color to burst, while rainbow bubbles change color when a bubble attached to them bursts. By using the different combinations, players can develop strategies and cause chain reactions for maximum points.
New to Bust-A-Move 4 is the pulley mechanism, which adds a different level of complexity. In this mode, two bubble clusters hang side by side, connected by means of a rope and pulley. When a set of bubbles is popped, the side with more bubbles drops, while the side with less rises. Trying to burst the bubbles while keeping the pulley balanced becomes a complicated task.
The graphics, although dated, are certainly appealing, and what they lack in resolution they make up for in personality. The anime-style characters are particularly adorable, and the bubbles are bright and colorful with some neat swirly effects. The music can become a little tedious in its cheeriness, but there's enough variety to prevent it from becoming too annoying. From the sticking and popping of the bubbles to the cheers of the characters after a particularly good combination, the sounds are great.
With over 600 levels, this game has more than enough variety to keep any puzzle fanatic playing for months on end. And when you tack on the Edit mode and the exciting head-to-head multiplay, Bust-A-Move 4 adds up to a complete package that's a welcome addition to any gamer's library.-- Brian Wright / GamePro
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