Bubble Bobble Part Deux
Bust-A-Move gets down again in sequel
Long ago, bubble popping took hold of my interest, right about the time I started getting hair on my chest and some sense acquired when it came to good quality video games. And wouldn’t you know it, my late great mama — the dearly departed GI Mama — also divined that she was a fan of the bubble-popping nonsense that I’d brought home for my Super Nintendo. Alas, my tastes had to grow so we looked for more bubble-popping nonsense and found there was a sequel or two to the madness. What apropos popped up was Bust-A-Move 2.
Now, let’s not get it twisted: This is the same old Bust-A-Move you’re used to playing if busting bubbles is your thing. Nothing is drastically different than the formula 
established in the original game: You pop clusters of like-colored bubbles in an effort to clear established puzzles. This basic premise was set up in the first game for the SNES and it hasn’t changed, no matter the iteration. But what has changed somewhat is the presentation. In this version, there is an illuminated map puzzle path that your character can choose, and decisions have to be made to get to the end puzzle. The decision to include a visible path structure is a nice step forward, but still needs some payoff to be a gamechanger.
Slightly different yet familiar are the graphics. Bust-A-Move 2 hasn’t really changed all that much in the looks department. There are some new graphics for the backgrounds during puzzles, the characters are more defined and the bubbles themselves are more crisp and deeper hued to pop but that’s about it. It looks OK for an N64 puzzle game, but there are others out there doing a lot more with the same console resources, such as Magical Tetris Challenge.
The soundtrack is a little more bubbly than the original but has a little less charm than the first game. The songs are slightly catchy, but not nearly as memorable as the first game’s 16-bit organ-inspired schtick. However, what you’ll really notice that’s different is the addition of voices. Now, your character and the opponents make a little noise when they achieve a combo. It’s cute, even with the shrill squawking that shows up in the menu.
But let’s be honest, what you came here for was to learn if the puzzle gameplay is up to the standard established by the first game. Yes, it is, and here’s why: Not much changed. No crazy weird mechanics shoehorned in, no missteps in how the bubbles bank or strange concepts cobbled together (aside from the sticky platforms that inexplicably start showing up halfway through the story mode) make appearances here. You can be rest assured that it’s the Bust-A-Move that we all know and love.
My beloved late GI Mama once declared Bust-A-Move a cheating game while I was molly whopping her in a versus mode run. She said she’d see me in the sequel. Well, the sequel here is just enough justification to wait for that rematch in heaven when my time comes. It’s nothing new but then again, sometimes sticking with the establishment is the best idea when it comes to bubbles part deux.
establishes itself on the island of Vie de Marli. Arius’ true goal is to find holy relics called Arcanas so that he can obtain the powers of the ancient demon Argosax. Now locked in a race against time, Dante and Lucia must battle against Argosax and put an end to Arius’ madness before the world is plunged into eternal darkness. 
in and out oddly in underground areas. And, it was too rigid when it needed to move with Dante. The controls were tank-like — Capcom’s normal standard operational procedure — but it was more annoying when I was shooting at enemies long distance and wasting ammo and mobility. The tanking of Dante is counter to him being agile, which was a major selling point that catapulted him to stardom. Another issue was that the in-game store sold various skill and weapon upgrades including health items but were ridiculously expensive despite me having the ability to gather more coins seamlessly here than in the original game. That’s a major turnoff because it’s a chore. More work for more expensive rewards is not fun.
Turbo, with the North American or Japanese versions available for play. In all cases, these are arcade rom versions gathered together in one spot and you can freely switch between them on free play. Collection-wise, this is a top-tier package for those who love fighting games made by Capcom. Mainstream money maker that’s still around today? That’s Hyper Street Fighter 
create. Rival Schools and Project Justice are especially egregious because while they’ve been ported to PlayStation Network, we haven’t gotten a full, unaltered port of either game. A modern translation of the board game and simulation mode in both games is not that hard, but I digress again because we know we are never getting it. It’s a shame because this collection as pulled together in 2022 could have used some better curation.
are not easy, but once you’ve got the nuance it’s a whole new world of profits. The controls are simple to pick up and once you’ve built yourself up stamina-wise, the fruits of your labor are obvious. There’s something super satisfying about working the land, planting crops and caring for your animals in a day’s work and then reaping the benefits. There is planning involved also, which adds an extra layer of depth. Knowing how to spend your day wisely — whether it be tending to the farm or socializing in town — is important, and adds to the overall experience. 
but it’s a little catchy so it doesn’t necessarily grate the way you’d think hearing the same tune would for more than 20 minutes of farm work and socializing.
the story other than you’re racing against other Beetle drivers on six varied tracks. There are several modes including a time trial, championship and two-player duel, but that’s about it. You’re also racing with only Beetles, though they vary in color with different stats. There are two unlockable Beetles, but that’s pretty much all there is in terms of rewards. The depth really lies in the tracks and their nooks and crannies. There are a ton of secrets and shortcuts that help in the point-gathering modes or to shave time in the time trials, and that sort of makes up for 
the lack of everything else. Sort of.
Each level or “act” (there are 20 in total) will have you bashing enemies and avoiding various hazards such as spikes and bottomless pits. While dashing through you must utilize some patience and timing to avoid these various obstacles. Sonic is still easy to control but he now also has a cool new trick called the Spin Dash. This lets him go even faster and take down more enemies. Tails has the same skills, but his two tails give him a little more flair. 
that gives temporary protection against hits. 
looks phenomenal. It’s the first game to use this technique, and it set the standard in 2000 in terms of presentation. The backgrounds are also well done and inspire runs through the game. It’s clearly an early 2000s game, but that only portends good things about the Dreamcast and what it was capable of.
games, I instantly took to the basic punch, kick and jump mechanics. As you go through each enemy, you’ll get a power-up orb that literally says “Power-up!”; this made me think that Zeus came down and gave commands. On the third power-up, you’ll go into your actual beast mode, which consists of forms such as a dragon, werewolf, werebear, weretiger, and a golden werewolf, each with their own unique powers. At this point, I’m thinking that this game is the origin for the popular phase “Beast Mode.” At the end of each level, you battle Neff in various forms. 
playing a game of catch with Pluto at the park. The ball gets thrown too far and Pluto runs off. Goofy and Donald chase Pluto and eventually disappear, leaving Mickey to search for them. Mickey tumbles down a cliff and finds himself in a strange magical land. After a bit of searching, a wizard appears to inform Mickey that Pete is a tyrant over the land and has captured Pluto. With that information, it’s now up to Mickey to save his canine companion and reunite with his friends.
While the story isn’t anything to really get excited about, the graphics are. They’re super lush and beautiful, with detailed sprites and abundant colors to brighten even the darkest of realms. The music is also appropriately bright, with a lot of similarities to the later excellent Aladdin soundtrack. It’s a Capcom music show so the soundtrack is at worst decent. The tracks do add a little something to the romp through locations, so the music is serviceable.