Just being able to play Puzzle Bobble 3 / Bust-A-Move 3 on Steam is something I’m grateful for. Even today, the game still features a cast of charming and memorable characters.
As for home console ports, Puzzle Bobble 3 / Bust-A-Move 3 was released on the Sega Saturn, PlayStation, and Nintendo 64—in that order. The original Sega Saturn version has fewer modes and options compared to later releases. However, since this version is part of City Connection’s “Saturn Tribute” line, that limitation is understandable. If anything, it would have been nice to have the network multiplayer that was available in the SegaNet-compatible version, but given the challenges of server management, that’s probably something to hope for only if the game’s popularity grows significantly. One highlight of the Sega Saturn version is Marina’s ending, where Musashi appears—showcasing his fun personality—so I recommend checking it out if you’re interested.
The rules are simple: fire bubbles and connect three of the same color to clear them. In Puzzle Mode and Collection Mode, you clear the stage by removing all bubbles from the field. In Rank Certification Mode, you demonstrate your skill by completing specific challenges (such as clearing with as few shots as possible). In Versus Mode, you select characters with different abilities (affecting the type and number of bubbles sent to the opponent), and you win by pushing your opponent’s bubbles off the screen.
As an early entry in the series, the mechanics are relatively straightforward. The Rainbow Bubble might feel a bit tricky at first, but once you understand it, there’s little else that beginners will find overly difficult.
That said, there are many newer games available today, including excellent modern entries in the Puzzle Bobble series. So, is there still value in playing this older title?
For me, what sets this game apart is how easy it is to pick up and play, along with the beauty of its presentation and the cuteness of its characters.
Puzzle Mode and Versus Mode can both be cleared relatively quickly, reflecting the game’s arcade origins. However, for those who want more, there are additional options like the “Another World” (the hidden second loop) and Collection Mode.
The beauty of the presentation is especially noticeable in Versus Mode. The concept is that characters are brought together from various different game worlds, and each has a unique introduction scene that reflects their own style or genre. For example, Tinkle appears in a quiz-game-style screen, while Prichio makes an entrance suspended from a crane.
Notably, there is no text.
There’s also no text in the ending—just several sepia-toned scenes showing what happens to the characters afterward. Personally, I think the absence of “unrefined elements like dialogue or explanations” contributes greatly to the elegance of the presentation. When I first played it as a child, I felt something was missing without character interactions or dialogue, but now I believe it’s better this way. Even without words, there are endings where characters appear together, and you can get a sense of who gets along with whom.
The character designs, while limited by the hardware of the time, use a restricted color palette, resulting in simple yet adorable outfits. This simplicity also makes them well-suited for fan art (I’ve drawn several myself). As for gameplay balance, each character has carefully designed strengths and weaknesses, and the differences don’t become too extreme depending on the field situation. That said, at higher levels of play, characters like Bubblun (who can send a wide variety of colors) or Jack and SSB (who have high attack constants) may have an advantage—but this hasn’t been definitively settled yet. With more tournaments and players, this may become clearer.
In any case, every character has a distinct personality, so there’s no confusion like “I can’t tell these two apart.” If you enjoy 2D character art, you’ll likely find a favorite, and their names are easy to remember. Despite their differences—and even when conflicts arise—they ultimately gather peacefully around a round table. It’s a wonderfully respectful and harmonious world.
From here on, I’ll focus more on the port itself rather than the original game.
The Playing Guide is thorough and well done. It’s interesting that you can read an English translation of the Japanese “Monogatari” (story). The overseas version, Bust-A-Move ’99, had a different story, so for international players, this may be their first exposure to the original Japanese narrative.
However, one downside is that the guide does not mention that in Versus Mode, characters differ not only in the types of bubbles they send but also in the quantity. This detail wasn’t in the original manual either, but it was documented in the Sega Saturn strategy guide—so it’s a bit disappointing that it’s omitted here as well. Still, as a faithful port, this isn’t technically incorrect.
For reference, I’ll include the values here. Each character has an attack constant, and the number of bubbles sent is calculated as:
(Number of bubbles cleared simultaneously + number of bubbles dropped simultaneously − 3) × attack constant
According to the guidebook, the constants are:
Bubblun 1.5, Tinkle 1.0, Prichio 1.25, Marina 1.75, Musashi 1.75, Luna-Luna 2.0, Jack 2.25, SSB 2.0, Debrun 1.5, Doranku 1.5.
Features like Rewind and Quick Save/Load are very useful for repeated runs such as RTA, and they allow for practice on a stage-by-stage basis. If anything, having multiple save slots would make things even more convenient.
You can change wallpapers in Screen Settings, and all of them are well-designed and appealing. Enlarging the game screen does hide Jack’s beautiful face, which is a bit unfortunate—but the character placement and proportions themselves feel perfect. Personally, when I use a wallpaper featuring Jack, I play with a smaller game screen, which works fine in the Steam version.
In the original game, the “Another World” mode was unlocked via a command after clearing the game, but in this version, it can be toggled on/off in Extra Options. This is a welcome improvement over manual input.
I’ve heard some RTA players mention that the “LOADING…” times during screen transitions are a bit long—perhaps that’s something that’s technically difficult to improve.
Overall, while there are some minor areas that could be improved, this is a comfortable and enjoyable port to play. The wallpapers are cute, which is a nice bonus. I’ve also noticed that artwork from Puzzle Bobble 3 appears quite often on City Connection’s official website and social media, which makes me wonder if the staff have a particular fondness for this game—and if so, that’s nice to see.
The price is quite reasonable, and since it frequently goes on sale, it’s worth keeping an eye out if you want to pick it up at an even lower cost.
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字数制限のため、日本語版は簡略化して書きます。
移植元のセガサターン版の良い点は、マリナエンディングでムサシが登場することだと思っており、彼の愉快な個性を示しているので、興味のある人はぜひ確認してほしい。
パズルボブルシリーズの初期の作品ということもあり、比較的シンプルなルールとなっている。しいて言うと、レインボーバブルが少々とっつきにくいかもしれないが、逆にこれを押さえれば、ほかに初心者が難しく感じるようなことは少ないと思われる。
パズルモードと対戦モードは、もともとアーケードゲームということもあって、比較的短時間でクリアできる。ただし、いっぱいパズルボブルを満喫したいという人には、裏面（アナザーワールド）や段位認定モード、コレクションモードも選択肢となる。
演出の美しさについて、これは特に対戦モードで感じることができる。
キャラクターの設定が「ほかの様々なゲームの世界から連れてこられた」という設定であり、一人一人自分らしさを出した登場シーンは必見である。
エンディングには文字が存在せず、彼らのその後を示すシーンが、セピア色でいくつかあらわされる。
個性の違ったキャラクターたちが、ときには利害関係が絡んで争っても、結局仲良く円卓を囲んでいるというのは、なんてお互いを尊重した、素晴らしい世界観なんだろう。
あと、細かい内容に興味ある人は、上の英文を翻訳して読んでください！
