Bubble Bobble Quarter Arcades
Image: Damien McFerran / Time Extension

Taito's Bubble Bobble is a genuine arcade classic, and one which continues to attract fans even today – hence the fact that we got a sequel on Switch not so long ago.

If you're one of the many people who considers themselves to be a keen follower of the original, then you'll no doubt find this miniature Bubble Bobble arcade cabinet as totes adorbs as we did. It's running the original arcade ROM via a bespoke emulator, and even includes internal dip switch settings (just like the original coin-op) so you can tinker with how it plays. It's powered by an internal rechargeable battery, so it's (kinda) portable, too.

It's the latest entry in the growing Quarter Arcades range, which we've covered previously on the site, and even features support for two players – although, given the diminutive size of the unit, you'll be bumping elbows with your co-op partner on a fairly regular basis. The small sticks look fragile, but they're surprisingly robust (we've got a Pac-Man Quarter Arcades unit at home and it shows no signs of flagging despite regular play).

The catch? It's a pretty expensive £149.99 / $179.99, which is hardly impulse-purchase territory. Still, that amount of cash buys you the satisfaction of having a Bubble Bobble arcade system you can fit on your desk, so perhaps it's not all bad.

If you're interested in picking one up, then head over to Numskull's site.

Thanks to Numskull for supplying the unit used in this piece.

This article was originally published by nintendolife.com on Mon 22nd March, 2021.