Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Buster Bros. Collection offers a timeless action-puzzle experience that remains as engaging today as it was when the first arcade cabinets lit up the screens. At its core, each of the three titles—Buster Bros., Super Buster Bros., and Buster Buddies—relies on a simple but deeply satisfying hook: you control a character along the bottom of the screen, firing a rope gun at bouncing bubbles. When a bubble is hit, it splits into smaller ones until they are small enough to vanish entirely, much like the classic Asteroids mechanic but with a playful twist.

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While the gameplay across the three entries is fundamentally similar, each installment introduces subtle variations that keep the overall experience fresh. In the original Buster Bros., the challenge lies in mastering the timing and positioning needed to contain multiple bouncing bubbles in increasingly crowded arenas. Super Buster Bros. ups the ante by allowing diagonal shots, adding a new strategic layer to bubble-splitting and crowd control. Buster Buddies then flips the script by casting you as art thieves, complete with cooperative two-player modes and unique stage hazards that require split-second coordination with your partner.

Speed and precision are paramount: the responsiveness of the controls is razor-sharp, letting you dash, jump, and aim your rope with ease. Strategic use of power-ups—like extended rope length, speed boosts, or temporary shields—becomes essential on later levels, where the spawn rate of bubbles and the presence of stage hazards test even seasoned players. Whether you’re solo or teamed up in Buster Buddies, the tight interplay between risk and reward keeps you on the edge of your seat, making each level’s completion feel like a genuine accomplishment.

Graphics

Visually, the Buster Bros. Collection remains faithful to its late ’80s and early ’90s arcade roots. The sprites are bright and cartoonish, with enamel-shiny bubbles that gleam as they ricochet around each stage. While modern gamers may find the pixel art simplistic by today’s standards, there is a certain charm to the hand-drawn environments and character animations. The small touches—such as your character’s triumphant pose after clearing a stage or the expressive face of the Bubble King—lend a nostalgic warmth.

The transition from Buster Bros. to Super Buster Bros. brings a subtle polish: slightly higher-resolution backgrounds, smoother animation frames, and more elaborate bubble effects. In Buster Buddies, the visuals see their most substantial upgrade, with richer color palettes and decorative stage elements like museum carpets or rooftop billboards that underscore the game’s whimsical heist theme. These enhancements do not stray far from the original aesthetic, but they provide enough visual variety to keep each title in the collection from feeling stale.

Performance-wise, the Collection’s emulation is rock-solid. On modern platforms, you can expect consistent frame-rates and virtually zero input lag, preserving the lightning-fast reflex gameplay these titles demand. Screen layouts are scaled appropriately, and optional scan-line filters or pixel-perfect modes ensure that purists can enjoy the arcade look while newcomers can appreciate a clearer, more readable presentation.

Story

The narrative framework of the Buster Bros. games is delightfully tongue-in-cheek. In the original Buster Bros., the Bubble King randomly unleashes siege bubbles upon Earth’s cities—“for no particular reason,” as the manual quips—sending our heroic duo into action. There’s little depth here beyond the classic “save the world” setup, but the absurdity of battling giant floating spheres in urban landmarks establishes a playful tone that persists throughout the series.

Super Buster Bros. carries forward the Bubble King’s reign of terror, this time with upgraded bubble varieties—icy bubbles that freeze you, flame bubbles that leave trails of fire, and lightning bubbles that blink in and out of existence. Each new bubble type offers a twist on the core mechanic, making the Bubble King’s siege feel increasingly elaborate and cartoonishly sinister. The brief cut-scenes between levels, depicting panicked citizens and zany bubble mutations, add to the comedic charm.

Buster Buddies flips the formula, casting you as two art thieves breaking into heavily guarded galleries. There’s a surprisingly cheeky storyline here, complete with over-the-top security guards and priceless artifacts ensnared in bubble traps. While the plot remains light and cartoonish, the role reversal gives the series a fresh spin—suddenly you’re rooting for the bad guys, who navigate intricate museum layouts to abscond with renowned masterpieces.

Overall Experience

The Buster Bros. Collection brings three classic arcade gems together in one handy package, offering hours of bubble-popping mayhem for puzzle aficionados and retro enthusiasts alike. The core mechanic—shoot a rope, shatter a bubble, dodge the fragments—never grows old, largely thanks to tight controls, escalating difficulty, and inventive level design. Whether you’re a newcomer curious about arcade history or a veteran looking to relive childhood memories, this collection delivers on fun.

The added convenience of a modern release—complete with save states, rewind functionality, and optional display filters—ensures that these arcade challenges are approachable without sacrificing authenticity. Local co-op in Buster Buddies shines as a standout feature, turning bubble-splitting into a social affair and adding layers of cooperative strategy that the original solo titles could never achieve.

Ultimately, the Buster Bros. Collection stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of straightforward, skill-based action-puzzle gameplay. It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel or bloat the experience with unnecessary extras. Instead, it offers a well-polished, nostalgia-fueled package that reminds us why bouncing bubbles and trusty rope guns were once arcade staples—and why they’re still a blast to this day.

Retro Replay Score

7.4/10