Bubble Ghost

Bubble Ghost is an action video game originally created by Christophe Andréani for the Atari ST and published by ERE Informatique in 1987. The player controls a ghost who by blowing guides a floating bubble throughout a number of halls in a haunted house, while avoiding obstacles that can make the bubble pop.

Bubble Ghost
North American cover art
Developer(s)ERE Informatique
Opera House (Game Boy)
Publisher(s)
Game Boy
Designer(s)Christophe Andréani
Platform(s)Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple IIGS, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, Game Boy, SAM Coupé, Windows
Release
1987
  • Atari ST
    Amiga, C64
    DOS, Apple IIGS
    Amstrad CPC
    Game Boy
    • NA: November 1990
    • JP: December 21, 1990
    • EU: 1992
    Windows
    • WW: February 8, 2018
Genre(s)Action
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

The objective is to guide a bubble throughout a number of halls in a haunted house. If the bubble hits any walls or obstacles, then it will pop and the player loses a life. Obstacles include lit candles, electricity and fans. These can be all controlled by the ghost, who can wander around the level freely and blow at things - such as the bubble to add speed, the candle to put out the flame, or switches to turn them on or off.

The ghost is controlled using the mouse. A press on the left button of the mouse makes the ghost rotate to the left. A press on the right button of the mouse makes the ghost rotate to the right. A press on a keyboard key (Shift) makes the ghost blow.

The game is made of 35 halls (levels). Each time the player makes the bubble exit a hall, he wins 1000 points + left bonus. Action on animation may add 5000 points to the player. The bonus is re-initialized at every new hall. A new bubble is added to the player account each time the bubble exits towards the top of the hall.

Ports

The original Bubble Ghost was created by Christophe Andréani (design, programming) on an Atari ST computer. The game has been adapted for other computers throughout the world.

Some years later, ERE Informatique was bought by Infogrames. Infogrames published a new version of Bubble Ghost with updated graphics, Bubble + (Bubble Plus).

A Game Boy version was published in 1990. It was the first French game adapted for the Game Boy.

  • Bubble Ghost, Atari ST version, Hall#4
    Bubble Ghost, Atari ST version, Hall#4
  • Bubble Ghost, Atari ST version, Hall#5
    Bubble Ghost, Atari ST version, Hall#5
  • Bubble Ghost, Atari ST version, Hall#9
    Bubble Ghost, Atari ST version, Hall#9
  • Bubble Ghost, Game Boy version, Hall#3
    Bubble Ghost, Game Boy version, Hall#3

Development

The game was programmed in C (editor and compiler: Megamax C) and 68000 assembly language on an Atari 1040 ST computer. The graphics were made with the Degas Elite drawing software. The digital sound of the introductory page of the game ("Welcome to Bubble Ghost") was built using ST Replay. This is the author's voice. The other sound effects use the synthesizer inside the Atari ST.

Here are some notes from the author when creating the game:

  • Bubble Ghost, levels order
    Bubble Ghost, levels order
  • Bubble Ghost, hall#9 design
    Bubble Ghost, hall#9 design
  • Bubble Ghost, ghost and bubble animation
    Bubble Ghost, ghost and bubble animation
  • Bubble Ghost, game technical notes
    Bubble Ghost, game technical notes

Reception

The following French magazines have published Bubble Ghost reviews:

The following US magazines has published Bubble Ghost reviews:

  • VideoGames and Computer Entertainment, USA, April 1991 (Game Boy version)
  • Antic Vol.7 #7, November 1988 (Atari ST version) See review
  • ST-Log Issue 24, October 1988 (Atari ST version) See review
  • ST-Log Issue 26, December 1988 (Atari ST version) See review

The following French magazines have published Bubble + (Bubble Plus) reviews:

References
  1. Andromeda (December 1990). "Game Boy ProView: Bubble Ghost" (PDF). GamePro. p. 144.
  2. "Jeux & stratégie 48". December 1987.
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