Bubble Frog DX Review – From ROM to Reality: Why I Love This Indie Puzzle Game
Discover why Bubble Frog DX brings Game Boy nostalgia to life with challenging puzzles and colorful retro charm. My review explores what makes Bubble Frog DX a must-play for classic game enthusiasts.
Hello, everyone! Thank you for joining me for this latest review of Bubble Frog DX. This is an updated PC version of a Game Boy Color game I backed on Kickstarter last year.
This one holds a special place in my heart. Timbo Johnson, the developer, was behind one of the first Kickstarters I backed when I started Good Game Lobby. During the campaign, I played the game on stream, and he was there, watching me struggle through a few levels while I cracked up. Despite the game being outright adorable, it can be hilariously difficult! It was a joy to watch the campaign grow and hit its goal and here we are a year later with the full release.
A Frogs Tale
Let me touch briefly on the story of Bubble Frog DX. You are Bubble Frog, a frog in a bubble (if that wasn’t obvious enough). Onigary reaches out to you because they've lost their Onigiri friends and need your help getting them back. Only you can save them! With 50 levels of puzzles and over 100 Onigiri to collect, you’re in for a great time navigating through spike-filled, brightly colored, and fantastic levels.
How To Hop
You can use your keyboard or controller to play, but I prefer the controller. You use the thumbstick to move around and press "A" to make Bubble Frog jump and float. If you hold up while jumping, you get a boosted jump. Those are the simple mechanics.
You need precise timing to navigate different levels with Onigiri hidden in tough-to-reach places, while spike enemies move around or spiked walls surround you. Each level begins by displaying how many Onigiri you can collect. Once you’ve gathered them, you head to a dark, orb-like portal that takes you to the next level.
Some levels require you to collect keys to unlock the portal, while others feature wind machines that throw Bubble Frog around quickly. My favorite levels involve portals that move you around, creating their own puzzle as you figure out how to reach the Onigiri that are just out of reach and offscreen. Bubble Frog is separated into 4 chapters, each with different, brightly colored backgrounds and new music to accompany them.
Colorful Pixel Perfection
I’m a bit biased here because I love Timbo’s game design and the colorful worlds he creates. His previous game, Chumbles Bumbles, another Game Boy title, is also a ton of fun—you should definitely check it out. Bubble Frog DX even has an Easter egg referencing Sir Chumbles.
The pixel art style and colorful world make exploring the game a joy. Between levels, you’re introduced to characters from Bubble Frog’s world, like a cyclops named Francis, a bodybuilder Kimma, twins Pim and Pom, and my personal favorite—Mr. Squeeks, a clown. The character designs are so funny and colorful that I’m hoping for a sequel so I can dive even deeper into this world (and maybe be a character I hope you read this post Timbo lol).
Beats With Hops
Each chapter has its own song, along with a main intro theme that plays in the menu and museum section. All the music features the bleeps and bloops typical of a Game Boy game, but the intensity of the Blue World levels sets the mood perfectly. Take a listen of my favorite below:
A Hopping Good Time
One of the major upgrades in Bubble Frog DX from Game Boy ROM to PC is Timbo’s chance to put his unique spin on the main menu. You enter a museum where you can see a “Frog Boy Color” that you use to start the game. You can also check out the game credits, fan art, and portraits—a shoutout to the backers who helped bring this release to life. I jumped on one of the tiers immediately to become an executive producer. I didn’t do much aside from backing the Kickstarter, but it came with a credit and portrait. Look at that pristine portrait—it’s stunning! There’s also a nice shoutout in the credits, where Timbo accidentally spelled my name wrong and then corrected it in the most hilarious way possible. He truly is the best.
Timbo also added a whole new area called Ink Zone, which has its own song and a darker vibe. The challenge here is that you only have 20 lives to complete the whole thing. I don’t claim to be good at video games, and I proved that by dying 10 times in the second level of Ink Zone. I still haven’t completed it. I suck. haha
Bubble Frog DX is a breath of fresh air in the Game Boy ROM scene. It has all the makings of a classic game I would have loved growing up. I even loaded the ROM on my Analogue Pocket, where it looks fantastic and plays seamlessly. I love supporting crowdfunding campaigns, and this one was a win for sure.
Bubble Frog DX is one of my favorite games released this year and a must-play for Game Boy aficionados. I can’t wait to see what Timbo comes up with next—whether it’s Bubble Frog 2, another Chumbles Bumbles, or a completely new adventure, you can bet it’ll have great visuals and be adorable.
Quest Loot
A little bonus: the regular version of the game (not DX) is available for purchase on cartridge at RetroGameShop!
It comes with original styled box, cartridge of Bubble Frog and a gaming manual (dont we all miss these so much!) It goes for roughly 40 Euro which may seem steep, but remember these are small companies/developers making a physical media in 2024 for a retro handheld and shipping around the world. Also, an added bonus of Cherry Time another indie game being sold on the site comes with it for free. An amazing thing to see nowadays!
🎮Bubble Frog DX| Steam
🏪Retro Games Shop | Website
🗓️Release Date | Out Now!
This game looks awesome, thanks for sharing!
Omg that music you share for the blue level. So nostalgic and perfect. 💚 this looks super fun. It’s reminded me a bit of Kirby on the original gameboy. But that might just be the bubble analogy because gameplay wise it looks very different. Thanks for sharing.