Puzzle Bobble 3D: Vacation Odyssey is the latest adventure in the Puzzle Bobble saga – and while you may recognize some familiar faces and color-matching, bubble bursting gameplay, this all-new adventure is unlike any other game in the series. Tomorrow, get ready to experience the first-ever 3D Puzzle Bobble game, which delivers a new challenge as you aim to solve three-dimensional bubble clusters with depth and reactive physics.
With 100 levels worth of escalating difficulty, Puzzle Bobble 3D can present quite a challenge. But you’re in luck! All of us here at Survios want to make sure you get the most out of your vacation, and we’re here to share our top 10 tips and tricks that’ll have you bursting bubbles with the best of them.
1. Watch Your Win Condition
In Story Mode, pay attention to what the win condition is for each level. Sometimes you don’t have to pop all the bubbles to complete the puzzle. For example, if your goal is to Free the Chack’n, you only have to pop the bubbles with Chack’n inside them to win.
Free the Chack’n!
2. Consider Clearing One Color at a Time
If you have a chance to eliminate all the bubbles of one color from the board, do it! When there’s fewer remaining colors to match, there’s a greater chance that the next bubble Bob gives you will be the one you need to clear a big cluster.
3. Avoid Sticking Extra Bubbles to the Core
Every bubble puzzle is made up of dozens of bubbles that branch off of a central core. On many occasions, your goal is to burst all the bubbles surrounding the core so that it activates. But if you shoot bubbles directly at the exposed core before all the other bubbles around it have been burst, they’ll just attach to it, and you’ll have to waste shots bursting them in addition to the other bubbles.
4. Cancel Your Shot at Anytime
If you’re playing with a DualShock or DualSense wireless controller and you don’t like the shot you’ve got lined up, you can always press L2 to cancel your shot. You can also cancel your shot when playing in VR with Playstation Move controllers. After you’ve pulled back the plunger on your bubble cannon, simply return your hand to the neutral position and release the trigger button to cancel your shot. Cancelling your shot gives you the opportunity to try again for the perfect match or equip a powerup.
R/G, B/Y and UNI Color Blindness Accessibility Options
5. Explore the Color Blindness Accessibility Modes
If you’re one of the millions of gamers who are colorblind, you can still enjoy Puzzle Bobble 3D. Just check out the colorblind options in the settings menu to find a color scheme that works for you. We have color modes to accommodate Red/Green and Blue/Yellow color sight deficiencies as well as a Universal mode for those with Monochromacy.
6. Boomerang Your Bubble Shots
If you miss a shot, your bubble will always be drawn toward the core. If you’re trying to reach a bubble cluster in a tricky position, take advantage of this by shooting over or around the puzzle and letting it home in on the far side of the core.
Hmm, I wonder what this powerup does?
7. The Bomb is a BLAST!
Of all the power-ups in the game, the bomb is one of the most useful thanks to its ability to burst multiple bubbles of different colors at once. If you’ve got a bomb on deck, try to save it until the puzzle’s core is partially exposed, then launch the bomb directly at it. If it makes contact with the core, it can burst a huge number of bubbles and make the rest of the level a lot easier.
In fact, all of the powerups have their own set of strengths against certain types of puzzle clusters and situations. We recommend trying them all out.
8. Unlocking the Hardest Trophy on your Way to Platinum
Matching up bubbles to pop is super satisfying, but longtime Puzzle Bobble fans will know that disconnecting large groups of bubbles from the gameboard is one of the keys to success. The same is true in Puzzle Bobble 3D. In fact, there’s even a trophy for making a match that disconnects a whopping 100 bubbles in a single shot. Whoa! If you’re skilled enough to unlock this trophy, you’ll be well on your way to beating all 100 levels in our Story Mode and earning yourself a fresh Platinum Trophy.
9. Burden Your Opponent with Bubbles in Duel Mode
Did you know that Puzzle Bobble 3D features a competitive online Duel Mode? That’s right. In this mode, an endless swarm of bubbles will appear steadily rising towards a vortex hovering ominously overhead. The goal is to outlast your opponent by popping all the bubbles before they get sucked up by the vortex.
Of course, clearing out bubbles faster than your opponent is the key to winning. But, in traditional Puzzle Bobble fashion, you can make your opponent’s job a lot harder. In Duel Mode, every time you make a match of 20 bubbles or more, you’ll send jammer bubbles directly to your opponent’s gameboard. So be on the lookout for those big groups of bubbles to pop.
10. Mastering Every Level with 3 Stars
Only the most ardent bubble popping fans will attempt to complete each Story Mode level with a full 3 star rating. Here are a handful of tips for those willing to brave that challenge.
Most levels in Story Mode come with a hard bubble limit. When you complete these levels, you’re actually awarded bonus points for each leftover bubble. The lesson here is simple: beat levels in as few shots as possible to score the most points. A similar principle applies to levels with a time limit: beat the level as quickly as possible to rack up the bonus points.
Puzzle Bobble 3D: Vacation Odyssey is easy to learn but tough to master, so our most valuable tip is to keep practicing until you’re a bubble-blasting pro! With more than 100 colorful puzzles in exotic vacation destinations, honing your skills has never been more relaxing – or more fun.
Puzzle Bobble 3D: Vacation Odyssey bursts onto PS4, PS5, and PS VR tomorrow.