A Review: Bust-A-Move 2: Arcade Edition, N64 1995

Bust-A-Move 2: Arcade Edition is a match-3 tile puzzle game developed by Probe Entertainment and published by Acclaim for the Nintendo 64. The first sequel to the game Puzzle Bobble, this game was also known in North America as Bust-A-Move Again. In 1998, this game was ported onto the Playstation One, Sega Saturn, and Windows versions of home PCs. In 2023, this game was re-released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Play is mostly unchanged from the other games and allows the player to take control of one of a lineup of characters and complete a series of matching tile puzzles. However, this time around, there are some new features, such as the tournament mode and a competitive multiplayer.
 

I liked this game and enjoyed playing it for the most part. Spending my hours trying to ace the tournament mode was a lot of fun. I found gameplay to be addictive, engaging, and challenging, but not so much that it spoilt my experiences. The tournament mode was well implemented, and it was nice to have a sort of structure and end goal for the game in place. It helped to raise this title from a simple, endless puzzler to a more rounded and whole game. I loved the little expressions and animations for Bub, and I thought that his little avatar as a companion was nice to see retained. The difficulty curve was a little unforgiving at times, but it didn't extend this game into a long slog or grind, which I appreciated. For such a simple little game as this one, it was so much fun, to a degree that I didn't think was possible.

The graphics for this game were certainly improved from the first. There was a marked increase in pixel count and resolution. The photo-like backgrounds were pretty, and I liked the various settings that were depicted. Bub was adorable, and I loved his little expressions and animations. The bubble gun was nicely drawn, and I liked the appearance of the various bubbles and items that could be collected.
 

Overall, a very simple little game, but one that is well worth a play if you like puzzlers or match-3 games. However, for me, I felt that this game wasn't quite as good or as 'charming' as the first game. That, and there were some minor issues that bothered me.

6/10 – Good Fun!

Signed Off – Leonardo – PSJ

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