Bust-A-Move Again (Arcade)
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| Bust-A-Move Again |
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Also known as: Puzzle Bobble 2 (JP/EU)
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Bust-A-Move Again is the sequel to Puzzle Bobble, now with a cuter redesign and new characters, music, and game modes (only in the Japanese version, though, 'cause it was all removed for the US version).
Five months later, it revived an upgraded holiday-themed version, named Puzzle Bobble 2X, which was unfortunately never released outside Japan. There's also a Neo-Geo arcade version, which was localized as Bust-A-Move Again EX, but thankfully, it retains all of the cute characters and modes from the Japanese version.
Contents
Character Select
It's possible to select the playable character in both Puzzle and VS CPU modes when holding specific button combinations at the map screen. You can even select the "Hands" and "CPU Player" from the US version of the game.
| Character Name | Code |
|---|---|
| Gaago | 1P + A + Down |
| Kajaku | 1P + A + Left + Down |
| Monsta | 1P + A + Right |
| Packy | 1P + A + Left |
| Woolen | 1P + Right |
| Picard | 1P + Right + Down |
| Garaniyo | 1P + Down |
| Chun-Chun | 1P + Left |
| Maita | 1P + Up + Left |
| Dorabo | 1P + A + Up |
| Chokkinta | 1P + A + Up + Right |
| Hands | 1P + A + Right + Down |
| Computer | 1P + A + Up + Left |
Error Handler
Much like the other Puzzle Bobble games on the Taito F3, this screen appears whenever the game crashes.
Regional Differences
 | To do: There's quite a lot left to add here. |
When Puzzle Bubble 2 was brought in the US, Taito America once again decided to "de-cutify" the game, just like they did with the cancelled Bubble Buster. But this time, they managed to actually release the game.
Intro
| Puzzle Bobble 2 (JP/EU) | Bust-A-Move Again (US) |
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The first big difference is the intro. Puzzle Bobble 2 features a cutesy introduction where a 3D Bubblun is shown walking into a mountain zone at night, followed by three short gameplay clips. Then, it shows Bub and Bob dancing to the intro music, accompanied by two backgrounds: the first displays Bub's face, and the second showcases some of the new characters featured in the game. Finally, it transitions to the title screen. None of this is present in Bust-A-Move Again, which simply displays the title screen along with its intro music.
Also, Bust-A-Move Again shows the obligatory Recycle It, Don't Trash It! before the title screen.
Title Screen
| Japan | US | World |
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Puzzle Bobble 2 shows the title screen on a tiled green background after the intro ends, whereas Bust-A-Move just uses a plain black background.
Game Select Screen
| Japan | US | World |
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Puzzle Bubble 2 shows in a teal background, cute sketches of Bubblun, a happy robot and Bobblun, that for strange reasons is green, rather than blue. Bust-A-Move Again shows in a emerald-green background the sprite of the disembodied hands (player) and the computer (computer/opponent). Also the font is less bubbly in the Japanese and US versions.
Puzzle Game Map
| Puzzle Bobble 2 (JP/EU) | Bust-A-Move Again (US) |
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Puzzle Bobble 2 shows Bubblun/Bobblun (in a look-a-like Darius braching paths) facing the directon where he'll go, depending on your choices. Bust-A-Move Again shows inside a wireframe the same look-a-like Darius braching paths, the disembodied hands guiding you on how select your path and a (much older) computer (than the one you face in player vs computer mode) which tells you to SELECT YOUR NEXT STAGE... and wishing you GOOD LUCK!! once you selected it.
Player VS Computer Map
Puzzle Bobble 2 shows Bubblun/Bobblun walking towards the opponent before the pre-match cutscene begins. This is completely absent in Bust-A-Move Again, where the level instantly starts, after you selected a difficulty.
Pre-Match Cutscenes
Puzzle Bobble 2 has cutscenes before a match starts, where it shows Bub/Bob interacting with their opponent. Some of them also try to scare (or hurt) them. These cutscenes were completely removed in Bust-A-Move Again, as it simply goes straight to the next level after you complete the previous one.
Game Over
| Puzzle Bobble 2 (JP/EU) | Bust-A-Move Again (US) |
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The game over screens are completely different. Puzzle Bobble 2 shows in a beige bricky background, a bubbly GAME OVER sign with a sad Bubblun/Bobblun inside a bubble, that mimicks an O, Bub/Bob paw next to it. Towards the end of the game over theme two bubbles will fall and hit the bubble where Bub/Bob is inside. Bust-A-Move Again shows in a plain black background, a normal white (and a bit smaller) GAME OVER sign, just to match the one of Bubble Buster.
Music
| Music Title | Puzzle Bobble 2 (JP/EU) | Bust-A-Move Again (US) | Note |
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| Title Screen | |||
| Game Mode Select | In Bust-A-Move Again, this track plays during the path selection rather than during the Game Select screen, | ||
| Step Skip Go Go! | |||
| Let's Go to Pao Pao Island! -Nakayama MIX- | Like Bubble Buster, this is the Bust-A-Move Again counterpart of Puzzle Bobble 2's "Let's Go to Pao Pao Island!" | ||
| Qi-Qi | |||
| Travelers Dream | |||
| April Forest -Nakayama MIX- | Like Bubble Buster, this is the Bust-A-Move Again counterpart of Puzzle Bobble 2's "April Forest". | ||
| Round Clear | While Puzzle Bobble 2 has a new round clear theme, Bust-A-Move (again) simply rearranges the one from Bubble Buster. | ||
| Continue? | Just like Bubble Buster, Bust-A-Move Again doesn't have a unique continue theme, so it uses the game select theme for the continue screen. | ||
| Bye Bye Gokkun (Name Entry) | None | Bust-A-Move Again doesn't a name entry theme, so it's silent. | |
| Game Over | Just like Bubble Buster, Bust-A-Move Again doesn't have a unique game over theme, so it uses the title screen theme for the game over screen. | ||
| Oppekepe no Pe~ (Player VS Computer Pre-Battle Cutscene) | None | Bust-A-Move Again doesn't have cutscenes during Player VS Computer mode. | |
| Trembling Nightmare (Drunk) | Bust-A-Move Again doesn't have a final boss, so it doesn't have a final boss theme either. It simply reuses its new theme. | ||
| Game Complete | While Puzzle Bobble 2 has its own theme when you complete all levels in Puzzle (or Player VS Computer mode), Bust-A-Move Again doesn't have one, so it simply reuses the regular "Round Clear" theme. | ||
| Ending | None | Bust-A-Move Again has an ending, but only in Player VS Computer mode, and it has no music. |
- Pages missing developer references
- Games developed by NJK Techno
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- Games published by Taito
- Arcade games
- Pages missing date references
- Games released in 1995
- Games released in July
- Games with unused characters
- Games with hidden development-related text
- Games with debugging functions
- Games with regional differences
- To do
- Bubble Bobble series
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Cleanup > Pages missing developer references
Cleanup > Pages missing publisher references
Cleanup > To do
Games > Games by content > Games with debugging functions
Games > Games by content > Games with hidden development-related text
Games > Games by content > Games with regional differences
Games > Games by content > Games with unused characters
Games > Games by developer > Games developed by NJK Corporation > Games developed by NJK Techno
Games > Games by platform > Arcade games
Games > Games by publisher
Games > Games by publisher > Games published by Square Enix > Games published by Taito
Games > Games by release date > Games released in 1995
Games > Games by release date > Games released in July
Games > Games by series > Bubble Bobble series
