PlayStation's Hidden Gems: Bust-A-Move 4

In this series we take a look at underrated games on PlayStation consoles, starting with the original PlayStation.

Bust-A-Move 4

Bust-A-Move 4, a puzzle game, was released in 1997. Unfortunately, the game did not sell well and was skipped by many gamers. However, despite those facts, the game was actually pretty fun.

The game features cute and colorful characters with their own personalities. Each character has their own way of cheering when he or she is doing well busting bubbles on the screen, and they also have their own actions and faces when the situation looks grim. Most of the modes do not have a story to them, but the mode in which the player battles opponents does have some story. Each character has their own story and words for each other before the battles commence.

Gameplay is very fun and addictive, even though all the player does is bust bubbles. To bust bubbles, one must shoot bubbles of the same color to two other similar bubbles. Once three or more of the same bubbles touch, POP! Puzzle mode sees the player busting ALL of the bubbles on the screen in a time limit while battle modes entail the player bursting bubbles against an opponent as the bubbles fall toward the screen's bottom. Once the bubbles fall to the bottom of the screen, GAME OVER! In battle modes, whoever can last the longest without the bubbles touching the bottom wins.

The game is very colorful and pretty, especially the bubbles. There are different areas to bubble fight in, and although these places are in the background, they are very detailed. The music is not award winning, but adequate with upbeat tunes and melodies that match certain characters.

Bust-A-Move 4 is hardly mentioned these days when gamers talk about PSOne classics. It is a shame such a fun game has been forgotten.

Article by Shawnee Lee.