Game

Bubblegum Crash

1991 · TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine · Point-and-click · Adventure · Visual Novel

About this game

Bubblegum Crash is a PC Engine graphic adventure game based on the anime OVA series of the same name. The anime/game is set in the near future of 2032, which has seen Tokyo split into two by a massive earthquake. Corporations rule the country, production-line humanoid robots named "boomers" are being used by villains to commit crimes, and the beleaguered police are too under-budgeted and incompetent to handle it all. The all-female mercenary team the Knight Sabers, who use powerful exosuits called "Hard Suits", are the city's best defense. The game operates similarly to other adventure games of the era. The player is given a selection of commands that they can use to interact with the world, including talking to NPCs, picking up and using objects in their inventory and moving to other areas. At any time the player can look and listen for extra context clues. The commands are in English, but the game's story and dialogue text is entirely Japanese. The game will occasionally switch protagonists, starting with Nene Romanova and moving to Priss, Linna and Sylia at various points.

Straight from the series comes the digital comic adventure for PC Engine. Upon investigating a recent bank robbery incident, you soon learn that things aren’t quite what they appear to be. The game is played through a pick and click “digital comic” interface, requiring gathering clues and items and pestering… I mean interrogating anyone who might be suspicious or otherwise!