A 1999 Nintendo Game Boy Classic Has Been Revived For Modern Consoles

Published Aug 28, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT Sharmila is an engineer-turned-gaming hardware journalist and freelance contributor at ScreenRant who has been covering the gaming and tech industry since 2021. While she first built her expertise writing about video games, she has since pivoted towards gaming hardware, with a focus on PC components, peripherals, handhelds, and performance-driven tech. When she’s not testing gear or writing about the latest hardware trends, she can usually be found diving into competitive shooters or keeping up with the evolving esports scene. An adorable Nintendo classic from the Game Boy Color era is now playable on Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5. The relaunch arrived quietly, without much fanfare, but for longtime fans of retro arcade games, it’s still a pretty big deal. The title in question is Bubble Bobble, the beloved Taito platformer that first hit arcades way back in 1986. It eventually made its way onto just about every system imaginable, from the NES to the Sega Saturn, the original Game Boy, and even the Amiga. The Game Boy Color received its own version, Classic Bubble Bobble, in 1999. Now, as the series approaches its 40th anniversary, Bubble Bobble is back on current-gen hardware once again. The re-release comes courtesy of Hamster, a Japanese company that has built its reputation on digging up and re-releasing older games that might otherwise be forgotten. This isn’t Hamster’s first rodeo: The company has a long track record of bringing classic titles back into circulation, and Bubble Bobble is the newest addition to that ongoing effort. Anyone interested in picking up the new release will need to pay $7.99, and it is available through the PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop for PlayStation 5 and Switch 2. It’s also available for the Nintendo Switch and the PlayStation 4 via Hamster’s Arcade Archives series. Hamster has also added a handful of extra features that make the experience a little more comfortable for players on current hardware. You can customize the button layout, save your progress, and adjust the display to suit your preferences. There are also visual options, including a CRT-style filter that can recreate the look of an old television. For players who would rather experience Bubble Bobble closer to how it originally looked and felt, these display options should come in handy. The game can be presented in different screen layouts, while the CRT filter adds an extra bit of old-school atmosphere. As for the game itself, Bubble Bobble follows Bub and Bob, two friends who have been transformed into bubble-blowing dragons, on a mission to rescue their girlfriends, Betty and Patty, after they are kidnapped by the wizard Baron von Blubba. The quest takes players through 100 levels of platforming action. The setup is simple by today’s standards, and the gameplay is straightforward, but the basic formula remains instantly recognizable decades later. Players are supposed to trap enemies inside bubbles before popping them, collect the resulting items, and work their way through increasingly difficult stages. It is the kind of arcade design that is easy to understand but can become surprisingly demanding as the game progresses. Whether a new player without any attachment to the genre will get as much out of it is another question, but for anyone who grew up with Bubble Bobble, the appeal is obvious. The colorful characters, bubble-based gameplay, and arcade-style challenge have helped the game remain one of Taito’s most recognizable classics. The timing also lines up nicely with Bubble Bobble’s 40th anniversary. And while this isn’t the first time the classic has returned to modern platforms, the new Console Archives release gives PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 players a chance to witness the magic too. For fans of this genre, that makes this a welcome excuse to revisit an enduring Nintendo arcade classic, whether that means chasing the nostalgia of Bubble Bobble or discovering its simple, addictive gameplay for the first time. Date Founded September 23, 1889 CEO Satoru Iwata Parent Company Nintendo Subsidiaries Nintendo EPD, Nintendo SPD, Nintendo EAD Consoles Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo 64, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo Game Boy, Nintendo Game Boy Color, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Switch Lite Services Nintendo Switch Online