WP writes: "It's hard to believe that the Bust-A-Move series (also known as Puzzle Bobble in Japan) is 15 years old. The arcade game, which was a puzzle-themed version of Bubble Bobble and included characters from that series, was an instant hit with fans thanks to the easy-to-understand rules and constant pressure to finish the level before the ceiling drops on you. That success has helped bring the series out of the arcades and onto several consoles, both home and portable, over the past few years. While fans have loved the game, they've also been particular about any drastic changes to the series, dismissing any version that messes with the classic formula. After the last Nintendo DS version bombed with fans, Taito and Square Enix have gone back to the drawing board with Space Bust-A-Move, a game that purists will love because the changes aren't very drastic."
Space Bust-a-Move is not just a great game in a classic series of puzzle games, it might just be the best one yet. It's portable, features a ton of modes and several unlockables, Space Bust-a-Move is pretty much a must own game for the DS if you are interested in this style of game at all.
Kotaku writes: "Taito has dragged Bub and Bob out to solve another Puzzle Bobble conundrum, one that can only be unraveled by launching bubbles from a cannon in the hopes of more match three puzzle gameplay. Space Puzzle Bobble doesn't bring too much to the Puzzle Bobble (aka Bust-A-Move) series, it just slaps it on the Nintendo DS, tossing in some outer space themes for good measure. We're okay with that.
Using the DS touch screen isn't exactly the best interface for angling your shots, but it's good enough. Just make sure you have a steady surface on which to play."
IGN writes: "We were pretty excited when we heard Taito was making a new version of its long-running Puzzle Bobble game that would support the paddle controller. The peripheral was released earlier this year and really enhances the games that use it (which, until now, are just Space Invaders Extreme and Arkanoid DS). So we headed over to Taito's booth here at the Tokyo Game Show, excited to play some Paddle Bobble. While the game was on display, it was sadly lacking the paddle controller. What we found was a totally generic and sluggish version of Puzzle Bobble. Sad face.
Puzzle Bobble (Bust-a-Move in the U.S.) is a match-three game starring the cute dinosaur brothers from Bubble Bobble. Players shoot bubbles from a canon at the bottom of the screen and match colors with the gaggle of balloons at the top in order to clear the area. It requires very precise control of your launcher, which is why we were so disappointed with this version's slow and clunky controls. Hopefully the spinner will improve the experience when we get our hands on it."
