Bubble Bobble

Trap your foes in bubbles and pop your way through one hundred levels. Bubble Bobble is Taito's classic 1986 platformer — a joyful, addictive co-op favorite starring the bubble dragons Bub and Bob — and Taito's NES conversion runs right here for free, with no cartridge and nothing to install. Blow bubbles, burst enemies, and rescue your friends from the Cave of Monsters. Press Play to begin at level 1; below you'll find how bubbles behave, the button layout, and the co-op secret worth knowing before you start.

What Is Bubble Bobble?

Bubble Bobble is an action-platform arcade game by Taito, first released in 1986 and ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and many other systems. You play as the twin bubble dragons Bub and Bob (Bubblun and Bobblun), working through 100 single-screen levels, blowing bubbles, bursting enemies, and collecting a huge variety of items.

The story: Baron Von Blubba has kidnapped the brothers' girlfriends and turned them into bubble dragons, so Bub and Bob must clear all 100 levels of the Cave of Monsters to rescue them. The game became wildly popular and spawned a long line of sequels and spin-offs — and it's an early, famous example of a game with multiple endings.

How the Gameplay Works

Every level is a single screen you must clear of enemies:

• Blow bubbles — trap enemies inside bubbles, then pop them with your spiny back to defeat them.
• Chain your pops — bursting several bubble-trapped enemies at once spawns different foods worth escalating points (1000, 2000, 4000…), which build toward extra lives.
• Bounce on bubbles — bubbles float for a while before bursting, and you can jump on them to reach higher platforms.
• Angry enemies — leave a foe too long, take too long on a level, or grab the negative skull item, and enemies turn pink and speed up.
• The invincible chaser — wait too long and an unkillable enemy appears to hunt you, so keep up the pace.
• Boss fight — on level 100 you face Super Drunk; catch the Lightning Potion to fire lightning bubbles and defeat it.

Secrets & Multiple Endings

Bubble Bobble was ahead of its time with branching endings:

• Single-player finishes give the "Bad" ending, nudging you to try again with a friend.
• Two-player co-op completion unlocks the "Good" ending — and reveals a code for Super Mode, a faster, harder version of the game.
• Clearing Super Mode in two players earns the "True" ending and the full story behind Super Drunk.

How to Play

Getting started is instant. Press the Play button on this page and the title screen lets you set one or two players before level 1 begins. Then:

1. Move and jump around each single-screen level.
2. Blow bubbles at enemies to trap them.
3. Jump into the bubbles to pop them and defeat the trapped foes.
4. Pop several at once for big food bonuses and extra lives.
5. Clear every enemy to advance — and reach Super Drunk on level 100.

Bub asks for very little: walk, hop, and exhale. At a keyboard Z jumps and X blows a bubble; a controller attached by cable or Bluetooth is picked up automatically and takes the console's own mapping. Phones and tablets get a pad drawn in the shape of the original hardware.

Controls

You can jump onto bubbles without popping them by holding the jump button. A connected gamepad follows the same mapping, with the A button jumping and B blowing bubbles.

Tips for New Players

• Group your pops. Bursting multiple bubbled enemies at once spawns higher-value foods — chaining them is the fastest route to extra lives.
• Don't dawdle. Take too long and enemies turn angry, then an invincible chaser appears. Keep clearing each level briskly.
• Use bubbles as platforms. Jump on floating bubbles to reach items and high corners you can't jump to directly.
• Avoid the skull. It's the only negative item — grabbing it can enrage enemies. Steer clear unless you know what you're doing.
• Play co-op for the real ending. The "Good" and "True" endings require two players, so grab a friend to see how the story really resolves.

Why Play It in Your Browser?

Bubble Bobble is one of the most charming and replayable co-op games ever made, with secrets that reward mastery. There's no hardware standing between you and the Cave of Monsters; one click puts Bub on the first screen. Because it's the genuine NES build, you get all 100 levels, the multiple endings, Super Mode, and the Super Drunk finale exactly as Taito designed them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bubble Bobble free to play here? Yes. All 100 levels, two-player co-op, Super Mode, and the multiple endings are here at no cost, with no account to create.

When did Bubble Bobble come out? It released in arcades in 1986, developed by Taito, and was ported to the NES and many other systems. The version here is the NES release.

How many levels are there? One hundred single-screen levels, ending with the Super Drunk boss fight on level 100.

How do I get the good ending? Complete the game in two-player co-op for the "Good" ending — and clear Super Mode in co-op for the "True" ending.

Can I play it on my phone? Absolutely. The on-screen NES pad covers everything Bub needs — two directions, jump, and bubble — while a keyboard or a connected gamepad gives you steadier footing for the bubble-hopping in the later levels.

Ready to clear the Cave of Monsters? Press Play and start blowing bubbles.