| Bubble Bobble came out for the NES in North America in November 1988, with Taito Software as licensee. Computer Entertainer's December 1988 release list has it under Nintendo for November. | p. 13, release list, NINTENDO, NOVEMBER | Publisher |
| Computer Entertainer reviewed the NES version in December 1988 and recommended it, at a suggested retail price of $39.95. It called the game "a lighthearted bit of fun and nonsense from Taito", starring a cartoonish pair of brontosauruses, Bub and Bob, for one player or two cooperating, and found it "difficult to explain and impossible to resist", marvelous fun for one player and better for two. | p. 9, Nintendo Software, Bubble Bobblep. 9, Nintendo Software, Bubble Bobblep. 9, Nintendo Software, Bubble Bobblep. 9, Nintendo Software, Bubble Bobblep. 9, Nintendo Software, Bubble Bobblep. 9, Nintendo Software, Bubble Bobble | Magazine |
| Computer Entertainer gave the NES version three and a half of four stars for graphics and three and a half for game play. | p. 9 (image n8), Nintendo Software, Bubble Bobblep. 2, The Rating Systemp. 2, The Rating System | Magazine |
| Bubble Bobble had computer versions sold under Taito's name. Computer Entertainer reported in August 1988 that Taito had released it among its first five Commodore 64/128 titles at $34.95, with IBM/Tandy versions to come at $39.95, Apple II versions, which would also run on the IIGS, at $34.95, and Atari ST and Amiga versions planned. Its December 1988 review listed the game as also available for IBM/Tandy, Atari ST and Amiga, and for Commodore 64/128 and Apple II at $34.95. | p. 9, Nintendo Software, Bubble Bobble | Magazine |
| Computer Entertainer reported in June 1988 that Activision had planned Predator for the NES at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show and a fall release, but the chip shortage had pushed it to 1989; in December 1988 it reported that Predator should be Activision's first NES release of 1989. | p. 9, In the Works at Activision | Magazine |
| Vic Tokai, one of the Nintendo licensees just announced at the January 1988 Consumer Electronics Show, announced its NES version of the Nichibutsu arcade game there, not expected before mid-1988. Computer Entertainer's December 1988 schedule still listed it under January, which in that issue means January 1989, more than a year before the March 1990 release. | image 13, Availability Update, Nintendoimage 13, Availability Update, Nintendo, January | Magazine |