184:. The object is to clean a kitchen sink by maneuvering over ants, crumbs, and grease spots to absorb them before they slide into the drain. As the bubble absorbs more objects, it grows in size, eventually acquiring first eyes and then a smiling mouth. At the same time, sponges and scrub brushes slowly move around the sink, cleaning it on their own in competition with the player. Touching either of these enemies costs the player one life unless the bubble is large enough to have a complete face. In this case, the enemy will be knocked away and the bubble will shrink. Sponges and brushes can be knocked into the drain for bonus points, eliminating them from play. Two other enemies in the sink are stationary razor blades and roaches that crawl out of the drain. Contact with a blade is always fatal, while the bubble can safely touch the roach only while carrying a broom, which will kill the roach in one hit. The broom can be acquired by moving over a cleaning lady who appears in the sink from time to time.
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furthered the concept by creating artwork and a scenario. Kotlarik designed the protagonist to have fluid movement like it was traveling on a slick surface. The control scheme allows the digital input to operate similar to an analogue one. He programmed the bubble to accelerate in the direction the
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A level ends when all of the point-scoring objects are gone - either lost down the drain, cleaned by sponges/brushes, eaten by roaches, or absorbed by the bubble. At this point, if the bubble is large enough to have a complete face, the player moves on to the next level; otherwise, one life is lost
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Anghelo designed the artwork for the wooden cabinets as well as a new cylindrical, plastic cabinet. This plastic model was dubbed the "Duramold" unit. Gary Berge, a mechanical engineer, created the new cabinets with a rotational molding process. Though the plastic cabinets were durable, they would
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and the level must be replayed. In addition, whenever the bubble has a face, the drain flashes green, giving the player a chance to enter it and skip the next level. Entering the drain while the bubble is too small costs one life.
157:. Anghelo designed the game's artwork and scenario as well as a special plastic cabinet that saw limited use. The game was later released as a web-based version and on home consoles as part of arcade compilations.
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The light blue bubble (center right) avoids brushes and razors to clean up ants, crumbs, and grease within the sink. The score and level number is tracked in the top left corner of the screen.
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arcade cabinets have varying degrees of rarity. The cocktail and cabaret are the rarest, followed by the plastic and upright versions; the plastic models are more valuable among collectors.
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in 1982. The player uses a joystick to control a bubble in a kitchen sink. The object is to progress through levels by cleaning the sink while avoiding enemies.
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echoed similar statements. She criticized the game, stating that the constant blue background was dull and the game lacked longevity.
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shrink over time, sometimes causing the device to become inoperable. Williams
Electronics used this cabinet for only two other games,
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joystick is held. Once the joystick returns to its neutral position, the bubble will coast as the velocity slowly decreases.
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s Darran Jones described the game as engrossing and obscure. He also expressed disappointment that few people remember it.
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208:. The initial concept was conceived by John Kotlarik, who aimed to create a non-violent game. Inspired by
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Author John
Sellers listed it among the weirder arcade games released. Clare Edgeley of
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Williams
Electronics purchased Midway in 1988 and later transferred its games to the
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Promotional flyer showing the wooden upright and cocktail cabinets
274:, along with nine other classic arcade games, was published on
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739:"Squeezing 30 fridge-sized games onto a disc proves difficult"
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Arcade Fever: The Fan's Guide to The Golden Age of Video Games
764:"3 New Arcade1Up Cabinets Are Available For Preorder"
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Jones, Darran (March 2009). "Retrorevival: Bubbles".
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684:"Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits: Vol. 1 - Overview"
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382:Edgeley, Clare (November 1985). "Arcade Action".
290:in several of its arcade compilations: the 1996
180:where the player controls a soap bubble from a
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655:"Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits - Overview"
630:"Midway Arcade Treasures Web site goes live"
515:"Ken Graham (Williams Programmer) Interview"
572:Official Price Guide to Classic Video Games
831:Video games developed in the United States
762:Petite, Steven; Bitner, Jon (2022-05-19).
475:. Level/area: The Inside Story On Bubbles.
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836:Multiplayer and single-player video games
432:"Bubbles - Videogame by Williams (1982)"
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286:versions. Williams Electronics included
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143:It was developed by John Kotlarik and
318:, and the 2022 Midway Legacy Edition
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282:launched a website featuring the
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270:In 2000, a web-based version of
737:Claiborn, Samuel (2012-11-13).
293:Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits
147:. Kotlarik wanted to create a
1:
535:Sellers, John (August 2001).
503:. Level/area: Blaster Trivia.
299:Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits
712:Harris, Craig (2003-08-11).
628:Kohler, Chris (2004-09-24).
605:"Midway Coming Back At You"
117:Up to 2 players alternating
857:
603:Parker, Sam (2000-05-05).
390:Emap International Limited
714:"Midway Arcade Treasures"
436:Killer List of Videogames
29:
385:Computer and Video Games
306:version only), the 2003
246:Computer and Video Games
492:Midway Arcade Treasures
464:Midway Arcade Treasures
309:Midway Arcade Treasures
841:Video games about ants
170:
564:Ellis, David (2004).
315:Midway Arcade Origins
168:
826:Williams video games
278:. Four years later,
182:top-down perspective
134:Williams Electronics
59:Williams Electronics
48:Williams Electronics
653:Weiss, Brett Alan.
517:. Nantucket E-Books
816:Arcade video games
543:. pp. 88–89.
418:Imagine Publishing
340:Video games portal
204:on a 19 inch
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795:at Arcade History
567:"Arcade Classics"
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811:1982 video games
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821:Action games
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771:. Retrieved
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721:. Retrieved
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696:. Retrieved
692:the original
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667:. Retrieved
663:the original
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637:. Retrieved
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576:Random House
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519:. Retrieved
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501:Midway Games
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473:Midway Games
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439:. Retrieved
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355:Midway Games
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151:inspired by
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55:Publisher(s)
43:Developer(s)
413:Retro Gamer
357:subsidiary.
312:, the 2012
296:, the 2000
252:Retro Gamer
206:CRT monitor
192:Development
178:action game
130:action game
81:Platform(s)
71:Tim Murphy
65:Designer(s)
805:Categories
773:2023-05-02
748:2014-07-20
723:2009-06-25
698:2009-06-25
669:2009-06-25
639:2009-06-25
614:2009-06-25
578:. p.
521:2022-01-26
441:2009-06-25
364:References
200:sound and
322:cabinet.
320:Arcade1Up
304:Dreamcast
284:Shockwave
239:Reception
768:GameSpot
634:GameSpot
609:GameSpot
232:Sinistar
198:monaural
161:Gameplay
128:is a 2D
103:Genre(s)
792:Bubbles
688:Allgame
659:Allgame
288:Bubbles
272:Bubbles
260:Bubbles
226:Blaster
211:Pac-Man
174:Bubbles
154:Pac-Man
138:arcades
125:Bubbles
114:Mode(s)
92:Release
25:Bubbles
586:
547:
388:(49).
266:Legacy
176:is an
108:Action
86:Arcade
392:: 80.
326:Notes
256:'
584:ISBN
545:ISBN
229:and
96:1982
743:IGN
718:IGN
580:405
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
