Bubble Trouble (1996 video game)
A maze game with bubbles, fish, and deadly enemies.
Bubble Trouble is a 1996 maze game from Ambrosia Software, originally built for Mac OS 7. It adapts Sega's 1982 game Pengo, swapping the penguin for a goldfish and moving the action underwater. The player navigates a field filled with bubbles, which can be launched at enemies to crush them—but these same bubbles are also hazardous if they hit the player. Only certain tougher foes can launch bubbles themselves. Pushing bubbles together scores points, and some bubbles contain useful items. Blue, purple, yellow, or green bubbles bounce off surfaces after launch, with the number of bounces depending on their color (blue bounces once, purple twice, and so on). Dynamite bubbles come in two types: red and purple, the latter having a larger blast radius. A bonus bubble occasionally floats across the screen, granting invisibility or temporarily trapping all enemies in static bubbles. Bubbles with the letters "extra" appear as well; collecting all five gives a score bonus and the effect of a capture bubble.
The game features four enemy types. Chombert the Piranha is slow and easy to avoid, and cannot push bubbles. Remington Eel moves faster and can push bubbles. Normal the Shark can launch a special bubble to trap the player. Haarrfish, the most dangerous, is extremely fast and pushes bubbles in quick succession; she appears on any level if the player pushes two gem-containing bubbles together with only a few enemies remaining.
"About This Particular Macintosh" praised the game, noting its simple controls, rich graphics and sound, and a difficulty level that appeals to both adults and children, calling it well worth its $15 price.
A sequel, Bubble Trouble X, was released for Mac OS X in 2002. It includes a level editor, which requires a license for the OS X version to use; however, owning a prior "Classic" license provides a discount on a new one.
- developer
- Ambrosia Software
- original release
- 1996
- platform
- Mac OS 7
- genre
- Maze game
- inspired by
- Sega's Pengo (1982)
- price at release
- $15
Quick Facts
- Title
- Bubble Trouble
- Developer
- Ambrosia Software
- Released
- November 23, 1996
- Genre
- Maze
- Modes
- Single-player
- Platforms
- Mac OS 7, Mac OS X
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In Bubble Trouble, bubbles appear across the playing field and can be used to defeat enemies by launching them in their direction, crushing them. However, bubbles are equally deadly to the player if launched toward them. Only certain tougher enemies can launch bubbles. Bubbles come in colors—blue, purple, yellow, or green—and bounce off surfaces a number of times depending on their color; for example, blue bubbles bounce once, purple twice. Some bubbles contain dynamite, which detonates by igniting or being pushed toward a target. There are two kinds of dynamite: red and purple, the latter having a much larger blast radius. Occasionally, a bonus bubble floats across the screen, granting powers of invisibility or temporarily capturing all enemies in static bubbles. Bubbles containing the letters of the word 'extra' provide a score bonus and the equivalent of a capture bubble when all five are collected.
Reader's Guide
Bubble Trouble features four enemy types. Chombert the Piranha is slow and easy to avoid, and cannot push bubbles. Remington Eel moves faster and can push bubbles. Normal the Shark can launch a special bubble to trap the player. Haarrfish is the most dangerous enemy, extremely fast and able to push bubbles in quick succession; she appears on any level if the player pushes two gem-containing bubbles together with only a few enemies remaining. The game received a positive review from 'About This Particular Macintosh,' which noted its simple interface, rich graphics and sound, and difficulty suitable for both adults and children. A new version, Bubble Trouble X, was released for Mac OS X in 2002, including a level editor that requires a license for the OS X version; owning a prior Classic license provides a discount on the new one.
Did You Know?
- Bubble Trouble is an interpretation of Sega's 1982 game Pengo, with the penguin recast as a goldfish.
- Haarrfish, the most dangerous enemy, appears only if the player pushes two gem-containing bubbles together with few enemies remaining.
- Bubbles of different colors bounce a specific number of times: blue once, purple twice, and so on.
- Collecting all five bubbles containing the letters of 'extra' provides a score bonus and a capture bubble effect.
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