| The NES manual is Taito Software Inc.'s, and gives Bubble Bobble as a trademark of Taito America, Inc., © 1988. Chris Scullion's NES encyclopedia credits the NES game's development and publishing to Taito, in 1988. | PDF p. 2, inside coverPDF p. 2, inside cover | Manual |
| The NES manual's story is set in a magical forest where jolly round dinosaurs bounce and play in peace. Two of them, Bub and Bob, get word that two of their brontosaurus buddies have been abducted by Baron von Blubba, who lives in the evil forest beyond the horizon, and set off to find them and bring them to safety. The Baron has sent ill-tempered and hungry beasties to stop them, and only Bub and Bob's bubble-blowing powers can save them. | printed p. 2 (PDF p. 4), The Storyprinted p. 2 (PDF p. 4), The Storyprinted p. 2 (PDF p. 4), The Storyprinted p. 2 (PDF p. 4), The Storyprinted p. 2 (PDF p. 4), The Storyprinted p. 2 (PDF p. 4), The Storyprinted p. 2 (PDF p. 4), The Storyprinted p. 2 (PDF p. 4), The Storyprinted p. 2 (PDF p. 4), The Story | Manual |
| On the NES, controller 1 plays Bub and controller 2 Bob. B blows bubbles and A jumps; holding A rides a player up on bubbles rising from below. Pressing Start and then Select during play brings Bob into the game. | printed p. 3 (PDF p. 5), How to Operateprinted p. 6 (PDF p. 8), How to Playprinted p. 7 (PDF p. 9), Beastie Bursting Techniquesprinted p. 4 (PDF p. 6), Start Button | Manual |
| The NES manual gives each player three lives, one lost each time a beastie or its fireballs, bottles, stones or lasers touch Bub or Bob. Beasties are trapped in bubbles and smashed by a jump or a charge, leaving food to eat; clearing a level's beasties moves on to the next. The game has two worlds of 113 levels each; the first must be completed to reach the second, and the secret to completing each lies in level 99. | printed p. 6 (PDF p. 8), How to Playprinted p. 6 (PDF p. 8), How to Playprinted p. 6 (PDF p. 8), How to Playprinted p. 6 (PDF p. 8), How to Playprinted p. 6 (PDF p. 8), How to Play | Manual |
| The NES game shows a five-letter password, drawn from the letters A to J, each time a game ends; entered after the console is switched on, it starts play from the last level reached. A 1- or 2-player Continue picks a starting level from those reached in the last game, as long as the console stays on. | printed p. 5 (PDF p. 7), Password Functionprinted p. 5 (PDF p. 7), Password Functionprinted p. 4 (PDF p. 6), Select Button | Manual |
| In the NES manual a burst bubble scores 10 and a burst beastie 1,000; bursting beasties together doubles the score with each one, to 64,000 for seven. A magic jar, found on some levels, opens a bonus screen whose targets, all gathered in under 30 seconds, score up to 100,000. Spelling EXTEND from letters brings a special screen and moves the players to the next level. | printed p. 8 (PDF p. 10), Scoringprinted p. 9 (PDF p. 11), Bonus Roundsprinted p. 17 (PDF p. 19), Hints and Tips | Manual |
| The NES manual lists magic bonus items, among them candy to blow bubbles farther and faster, parasols that warp up to five levels, a cross of power that summons fire, lightning or water, shoes for speed, a bomb that wipes out every beastie on screen, a heart of power for a spell of invincibility, and a crystal ball that appears only in round 99. | printed p. 12 (PDF p. 14), Magic Bonus Itemsprinted p. 12 (PDF p. 14), Magic Bonus Itemsprinted p. 12 (PDF p. 14), Magic Bonus Itemsprinted p. 13 (PDF p. 15), Magic Bonus Itemsprinted p. 13 (PDF p. 15), Magic Bonus Itemsprinted p. 13 (PDF p. 15), Magic Bonus Itemsprinted p. 14 (PDF p. 16), Magic Bonus Items | Manual |