All fun and Games
User Rating: 7 | Simple 1500 Series Vol. 93: The Puzzle Bobble - Puzzle Bobble 4 PS
When video gaming made the initial transition from a programmer's distraction to a full-blown industry, simplicity was king. Plots were as direct as they needed to be, and a title's mechanics were often basic and easy to understand. As the technology evolved, though, so has the industry's inherent complexity, gradually moving away from the bare bones of yesteryear to the mature and oft-sophisticated offerings of today. There are some exceptions to this rule, however, as the puzzle genre relies upon straightforward concepts to distract and entertain its legions of fans, a fact that has not changed throughout the years. One need only look to the time-honored classic Puzzle Bobble series for an example: derived from the perennial Bubble Bobble, the original title -- which was later renamed Bust-a-Move -- featured the antics of Bub and Bob, two miniature dragons who used their ample supply of bubbles to solve increasingly difficult, Tetris-like conundrums. Seven years and a number of sequels later, the series has evolved into the most recent offering, Bust-a-Move 4, which preserves the long-running concept while injecting a few new twists of its own. 
