Bubble Bobble Advanced Information

Secret Levels

There are three secret levels, which you can access from levels 20, 30 and 40 if you make it there without having died. (Or regardless of having died if you use the "original game" cheat). A silver door will appear; enter it and you'll be taken to a room full of diamonds. Diamonds aren't the only point to these secret levels though...

Gareth Hall's FAQ says to look for hidden messages in the secret levels, using the first block of strange characters as the letters A to Z to translate the second block into a message. So I had a look and translated the messages. In order, the three messages translate as follows (in the original Japanese English ;-)):

"If you want to become the old figure,use the power of your friendship,and fight with me"
"I enclose these magical medicine here,because those are my worst fears...."
"If you want to get back your love of truth,you must help each other untill the last......."

The first refers to returning to your human form, "old figure" means "old form". The second refers to the lightning-bubble potions that will be available on level 100 to kill the bad guy. I guess that "worst fears" probably means "nastiest weapons" or something. The phrase "love of truth" in the final one should probably read "true love", refering to your girlfriends who've been captured.

And, last but not least, at the end of the game (after level 100), there is 1 last encrypted message telling you the cheat for "Super Bubble Bobble" mode. I have seen a "Bobble Bobble" arcade game once when I was on holiday which was permanently set to "Super Bobble Bobble" mode on the title, screen, and according to Oliver White (see thanks list), it is a DIP switch setting in some games which just cheats away the cheat and dumps all our hard work down the drain. :-(

The "TRUE and HAPPY Ending"

Well... there's been a lot of talk about this next section; it's not a rebel section. (PS Yes that's a U2 reference... was a big fan a long time ago...)

When you finish the game normally, you get an ending. Of course, this is not the real ending, just one put in to make the kids in the arcade happy.

The real ending happens when you play in "Super" mode; that is when you input the title screen cheat which makes the cloud read "Super Bubble Bobble", not just "Bubble Bobble". Then you play the second 50 levels' monsters on the first levels 50 and vice versa, and you get the "True and Happy ending".

Title Screen "Cheats"

I say "cheats" in quotes because the combinations are actually shown to you during the game in the secret rooms, so are part of the game rather than real cheats.

These "cheats" need to be entered while the title screen is displayed. This is the screen with "Bubble Bobble" displayed in a cloud. They refer to moving the joystick and pressing buttons in specific sequences. You can enter more than one cheat by entering one, waiting while the attract mode stuff happens, and then entering another one when the title screen returns, before putting the coin in.

L = Joystick Left, R = Joystick Right, U = Joystick Up, D = Joystick Down, B = Bubble Button, J = Jump Button, S = Start Button (1 player button)

LJLSLBLS It will say "power up!" at the bottom of the screen and you will have fast feet, and fast bubbles.

BJBJBJRS It will say "original game..." at the bottom of the screen and the secret level doors will appear regardless of whether you have died.

SJBLRJSR This enters the "super game", it will add "super" to the title screen. You play the game with the nasty monsters substituted for the nice monsters and vice versa. (This one isn't really a cheat as such because the game tells you to do it when you finish the game in normal mode so that you can get the true and happy ending.)

LJLSLBLS	It will say "power up!" at the bottom of the screen and you will have fast feet, and fast bubbles.
BJBJBJRS	It will say "original game..." at the bottom of the screen and the secret level doors will appear regardless of whether you have died.
SJBLRJSR	This enters the "super game", it will add "super" to the title screen. You play the game with the nasty monsters substituted for the nice monsters and vice versa. (This one isn't really a cheat as such because the game tells you to do it when you finish the game in normal mode so that you can get the true and happy ending.)

High Score Cheats

There are a number of letter combinations that you can enter if you get a high score that will have an effect on the next game. These cheats give you a special item to use on the frist screen of the next game. (Might be a later screen if the game gives you some other special item on the first screen e.g. the silver bell). I am pretty sure that these are all the high score cheats because I found them together in one of the ROM files. (And then Chris Moore said that there were no more too :-)) Pictures of the items are here.

code item item's effect

TAK octopus all remaining bubbles turn into wooden crosses worth 700

STR flamingo all remaining bubbles turn into pink dogs worth 700

KTT glass mug all remaining bubbles turn into pizzas worth 700

SEX fork fruit and vegetables fall from the sky and kill enemies (using this will actually put H.! into the high score leaderboard)

... knife valuable food items fall from the sky and kill enemies

I.F
MTJ
NSO
KIM
YSH can of cola orange potion items fall from the sky and kill enemies

code	item	item's effect
TAK	octopus	all remaining bubbles turn into wooden crosses worth 700
STR	flamingo	all remaining bubbles turn into pink dogs worth 700
KTT	glass mug	all remaining bubbles turn into pizzas worth 700
SEX	fork	fruit and vegetables fall from the sky and kill enemies (using this will actually put H.! into the high score leaderboard)
...	knife	valuable food items fall from the sky and kill enemies
I.F MTJ NSO KIM YSH	can of cola	orange potion items fall from the sky and kill enemies

Number of Potion Items Given

The number of items that appear when you pick up a potion seems to be constant for each level. This number if not stored anywhere; it gets worked out at run-time. If you get a potion on a screen that's not here please let us know how many items you get. :-)

level num level num level num level num level num level num level num level num level num level num

0 - 10 40 20 42 30 53 40 66 50 42 60 1 70 ? 80 11 90 47

1 69 11 78 21 28 31 26 41 43 51 59 61 43 71 50 81 20 91 33

2 76 12 47 22 21 32 74 42 13 52 52 62 1 72 44 82 7 92 33

3 54 13 59² 23 74 33 27 43 30 53 19 63 90 73 17 83 15 93 26

4 42 14 61 24 53 34 52 44 39 54 45 64 65 74 48 84 26 94 16

5 57¹ 15 43 25 56 35 19 45 53 55 67 65 12 75 78 85 15 95 1

6 57 16 23 26 70 36 93 46 72 56 59 66 34 76 66 86 37 96 28

7 74 17 28 27 27 37 19 47 44 57 35 67 92 77 118 87 100 97 10

8 76 18 1 28 16 38 ? 48 110 58 71 68 69 78 23 88 18 98 1

9 80 19 8 29 40 39 50 49 12 59 27 69 39 79 36 89 68 99 12

¹or 56?
²or 62?

DIP Switches

Most of the DIP switches in the arcade game are self-explanatory, eg. lives (2,3,etc). The one that confused me was "bonus", which can be set to 30/100, 20/80,40/200 or 50/250. What this turns out to be, is the score (in 1000's) that you get lives on:

setting get a life on

30/100 30 000, 100 000, 400 000

20/80 20 000, 80 000, 300 000

40/200 40 000, 200 000, 500 000

50/250 50 000, 250 000, 500 000

Other DIP switches are lives (1/2/3/5), Difficulty (medium/easy/hard/hardest), coin slots (1credit 1player/2 credit 3player/etc), attract sound (title screen music), test screen (makes the screen white and crashes) and screen (upright/invert).

setting	get a life on
30/100	30 000, 100 000, 400 000
20/80	20 000, 80 000, 300 000
40/200	40 000, 200 000, 500 000
50/250	50 000, 250 000, 500 000

Interesting feature about level 97

This is pointed out in Oliver White's FAQ. On level 97, it is possible to get the game stuck in a state where you have no way to die and no way out of the level. This is the only level in the game where you always have infinite time to complete it, and Baron von Blubba never comes to get you. This makes it a great place to take a breather as it can take an hour or more to get this far. However, with some fairly tricky Moves it is possible to pop a water bubble inside an area with no outlet and a monster inside. (There is a screenshot of this on his page).

The water sloshes back and forth for eternity, and the level never ends because there is infinite time and the last monster never leaves it. Once the other monsters are killed, there is no way to die, so the only way out is to switch the machine off! This Move could be used by unscrupulous players to gain a free credit in an arcade by claiming the machine had crashed. :-)

Also, if a monster throws his paddle/spade thing at you in a certain position on this level it will bounce between two walls for ever, with the same result as before.)

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This page last changed 2024/11/17

level	num	level	num	level	num	level	num	level	num	level	num	level	num	level	num	level	num	level	num
0	-	10	40	20	42	30	53	40	66	50	42	60	1	70	?	80	11	90	47
1	69	11	78	21	28	31	26	41	43	51	59	61	43	71	50	81	20	91	33
2	76	12	47	22	21	32	74	42	13	52	52	62	1	72	44	82	7	92	33
3	54	13	59²	23	74	33	27	43	30	53	19	63	90	73	17	83	15	93	26
4	42	14	61	24	53	34	52	44	39	54	45	64	65	74	48	84	26	94	16
5	57¹	15	43	25	56	35	19	45	53	55	67	65	12	75	78	85	15	95	1
6	57	16	23	26	70	36	93	46	72	56	59	66	34	76	66	86	37	96	28
7	74	17	28	27	27	37	19	47	44	57	35	67	92	77	118	87	100	97	10
8	76	18	1	28	16	38	?	48	110	58	71	68	69	78	23	88	18	98	1
9	80	19	8	29	40	39	50	49	12	59	27	69	39	79	36	89	68	99	12