by David Dubrava

Created on: January 20, 2008

Without knowing the age targeted for BubbleWorld, I can see this game loaded into every elementary school's home room computer for those fifteen-minute "good behavior" rewards children sometimes receive. The following review is based on just that in mind:

(Grades K-5)
Game Play 4 / 5
Graphics 5 / 5
Sound 3 / 5
Creativity 4 / 5
Innovation 3 / 5

Overall 3.8 / 5

Although simple in concept, BubbleWorld has a very busy game play style with colorful cartoon animal graphics trapped in bubbles. The object is to match two identical animals that are trapped in the bubbles by clicking on them with your mouse. As the timer is ticking, you have to successfully save all the animals by matching them in pairs before you run out of time. Your other obstacles are flashing bubbles, indicating that they are about to pop. Once you reach level 10 however, the bubbles will no longer make a sound when they are flashing, so you can only rely on your eyes to spot these endangered animals.

The graphics are absolutely stunning. With a comic-book type style, the animals are as unique as they are creatively drawn. As you complete a few levels, a new round begins adding more and more different cartoon animals which increase the visual fantasy land effect, as well as the difficulty. The background art leaves you feeling like you are actually in a cartoon and is just as articulate as the rest of the game.

The music and the sound effects seem to fit the game well. Upon reaching level 10 just as you become used to hearing the audio effect of when a bubble is flashing, it's gone. Whether this was done on purpose or by mistake, it does a good job of increasing the difficulty levels from there on.

Although there may be plenty of matching type games available, the creativity behind the cartoons and the easy-to-see (and use) graphical interface makes BubbleWorld simple to play and stand out above the rest. Because of the repetition, however, I feel that the replay value will decrease with age.

Without having to worry about losing lives (there is simply none to lose) and with the undertone of teaching shapes and colors (through the different cartoon animals), BubbleWorld would be a great addition to any parents' software library of games for their kids (and themselves) to enjoy during family computer time.

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