Bubble Ghost Remake review: Busting makes me feel kind of sad, actually

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Initially, I was unfamiliar with Bubble Ghost when the remake appeared on my table. Upon researching it, I discovered an intriguing, miniature puzzle game from as far back as the Atari ST era. The remake bears no resemblance to its predecessor, featuring a vibrant, detailed environment that seems influenced by children’s literature or classic cartoons. While the enhancements are engaging, Bubble Ghost Remake appears to leverage the original more as a springboard for its unique elements, which may not fully capture what made it a cherished classic for those who are familiar with it.

What is Bubble Ghost anyway?

Originally designed for Atari ST by French developer Christophe Andréani, who later adapted it to other compatible systems, the O.G. Bubble Ghost is a delightful game featuring a friendly, white, floaty ghost that ventures into a spooky castle. Inside this haunted fortress, our bubbly specter encounters a bubble trapped within its walls and must navigate it through numerous treacherous corridors filled with hazards such as booby traps and potentially dangerous appliances for a bubble. Since ghosts can’t physically interact with objects, the hero guides the bubble by blowing on it. By using the mouse to move around and left/right clicks to rotate, you essentially retrace your steps through a sequence of “don’t touch anything” challenges. Eventually, our ghostly companion manages to escape the castle, and the freed bubble soars away towards liberty. Isn’t that just adorable?

Discussing the charming transformation, our spectral companion received a delightful facelift in Bubble Ghost for the Game Boy. After this review piqued my interest, it has become one of my top Game Boy picks. Developed/ported by Pony Canyon, they’ve cleverly tweaked and adjusted an Atari classic to make it more enticing for a handheld device. The ghost now sticks to the bubble when you approach, rotating around it naturally as you maneuver.

In a way you’d expect, reducing manual control might seem problematic, but the rotation is perfectly paced and precise, making it surprisingly enjoyable compared to other options. Plus, there’s music, one of the first compositions by Hitoshi Sakimoto, renowned for his work on Final Fantasy Tactics. It starts off with a Ghostbusters-inspired vibe before transforming into a catchy tune that suits this compact Game Boy game perfectly.

Ok. The new one, though?

I shared this detail because it’s quite uncommon nowadays to stumble upon vintage games for the first time, and I wanted to highlight the unique handling of controls in the Remake. It combines two methods, but not simultaneously or through a menu. In normal difficulty, you steer the ghost using shoulder buttons and perform a 180-degree spin with a separate button press. On the easier setting, however, you get an auto-rotating option (in addition to manual control), which might inadvertently imply that the Game Boy version could use some improvement. The easy mode also includes checkpoints, a feature we’ll discuss further later on. Frankly, I found this cute puzzle game implying my gaming abilities were lacking, so I mostly opted for normal play. However, I did give easy mode a whirl out of curiosity, and unfortunately, the auto-rotation isn’t as refined as the Game Boy controls, with the ghost moving to angles that weren’t always advantageous.

Essentially, Remake offers a fresh take on its original concept, characterized by vibrant colors and a distinct aesthetic. The narrative unfolds through the action of guiding bubbles, with our ghost character now possessing a name and face. Previously, Heinrich was an English scholar residing in a fascinating castle, surrounded by peculiar animal companions and a female acquaintance. However, he’s conscripted to fight in World War I and fails to keep his vow to return home. Upon his mysterious return, he encounters a dilapidated castle devoid of his loved ones. The story is narrated in rhyming verse, giving it a whimsical, fairy-tale feel, albeit with the occasional repetition to force the rhymes.

In another turn of events, Heinrich discovers a pink orb humming a familiar tune, but as it scampers away deeper into the castle, the melody is left behind. Eager to follow and capture the orb, Heinrich ventures through his once familiar home now filled with damage, overgrowth, and obstacles reminiscent of video games. Unfortunately, his animal companions are distraught by the loss and are poised to create chaos and burst the orb. This adds a whole new layer of complexity to what was initially a straightforward puzzle game with a simple concept, certainly not something you’d expect!

Bigger adventure, same bubble

In essence, Remake is all about “the bigger, the better.” The narrative, artwork, and levels are all expanded significantly compared to the original. However, if you strip away the core mechanics of a spirit moving around a bubble, we’re talking about something entirely different. Although the new aesthetic and story didn’t resonate with me, there’s still an element of appeal that I can’t deny, especially with its vibrant colors. But during gameplay, my experience was far from enjoyable. On numerous occasions, I found myself longing for a switch to the classic Bubble Ghost on Game Boy, just to catch a tune of those catchy chiptunes and lift my spirits.

In essence, the levels in this game are enormous and intricate, resembling stages designed for platform games. They include branching paths, secrets, enemies, door puzzles, and other complexities. To make matters more challenging, there’s a time limit that alarms you as it approaches expiration, regardless of its location within the level. The main issue isn’t the hazards, but rather the length of these levels. Some can be quite prolonged, necessitating the easy mode checkpoints due to their sheer scale. However, remember we’re not dealing with a typical game character; we’re navigating as a delicate bubble. This bubble is stunningly beautiful yet extremely fragile. It bursts upon contact with anything, even the slightest brush against an environment edge or a corner of stairs, or even grazing the ear of a large mouse. So, if the bubble pops, you’re sent back to the start.

Boiling to the surface

What sets the classic Bubble Ghost game apart is that it’s not an adventure, but rather a stage-clearing, score-building puzzle game. In this game, when you start a new level, you get a bird’s eye view of the entire level, allowing you to assess the challenges and strategize on how to guide your bubble to the exit. The control scheme is unique, and it shines as you tackle each challenge one at a time, with a clean playfield and a clear objective in mind. Each time the bubble bursts, you lose a life, but you’re immediately given another chance to try again. This loop of failure and perseverance is a key aspect of the game’s charm.

Introducing these particular game mechanics into an enlarged Donkey Kong Country level seems counterproductive, given the intricate landscapes and colossal, mobile adversaries that necessitate pinpoint precision almost constantly. The lack of forward planning, combined with disheartening backtracking after a disappointing failure so close to the end, disrupts the overall atmosphere. While I admire the ambition, the execution falls short. It’s not that the Remake is overly difficult, but it’s simply too challenging.

In a nutshell, the Bubble Ghost Remake endeavored to revamp an under-the-radar game, giving it a grand and stunning makeover while offering innovative challenges for puzzle enthusiasts. However, the decision to “go big” seems to have been detrimental. While some may not recognize the original, those who do will quickly appreciate how a more compact, stage-based format can transform a somewhat flawed experience into a hidden treasure. All things considered, I wholeheartedly recommend that everyone give the Game Boy Bubble Ghost a try, as it’s now part of my gaming rotation and brings me immense joy.

On March 27, 2025, the revamped Bubble Ghost game can be played on both PCs and Nintendo Switches. For this review, we were given a Nintendo Switch code by the publisher.

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2025-03-26 16:28