https://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/189309968241/bubble-bobble-c64-essential-continue-play
Bubble Bobble was a platform game that was released in arcades by Taito in 1986. You play the role of one of two brothers. It seems that Baron Von Blubba has kidnapped both brothers’ girlfriends and turned the brothers into Dragons. In order to get back to normal and rescue your girlfriend, you must complete 100 levels. Each level has various enemies. You defeat them by trapping them in a bubble and then running into the bubble. Contact with an enemy or with whatever they happen to be shooting at you results in the loss of a life. If an enemy remains in a bubble too long without being collected, he will escape, become angry and move faster. This game could be played with one or two players simultaneously.
Bubble Bobble received numerous home ports over the next few years including ports for the Commodore 64, Amiga, Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Master System. A little later it would also make its way to the Game Boy and Game Boy Color.
Most versions are quite good and the Commodore 64 version is no exception. However, the C64 version (along with other home computer versions I think) did have one annoying bug. Normally the game has 9 continues. However, because of a bug in the computer version you had to press the fire button at precisely the right moment in order to use one. Inevitably, you would make it to some high level only to be treated to a Game Over screen because you didn’t get that button press just right. Fortunately, systems like the Commodore 64 still see a lot of active development and someone has managed to fix this particular bug recently.
There have also been more recent rereleases including versions for the Xbox and PlayStation 2 as part of the Taito Legends compilation in 2005, a rerelease of the NES version on Nintendo’s Virtual Console in 2007 for the Wii, 2013 for the Nintendo 3DS and 2014 for the Wii-U. The most recent rerelease I am aware of was with the NES Classic Edition in 2016. Any port you choose will be great. However, if you do chose the C64 version, grab the updated version unless you just want the extra challenge.
