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Image: Taito

Taito's colourful 2019 platformer Bubble Bobble 4 Friends will be receiving a physical release on Nintendo Switch 2, as announced by publisher Clear River Games. Pre-orders are open right now, with shipping expected to commence in Spring 2027.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends stays true to the gameplay of the legendary 1986 arcade game but adds a new twist to its classic bubble-busting action in the form of four-player co-op support. Now, two more cutesy dragons, Peb and Pab, join Bub and Bob on their magical journey to the Cave of Monsters, popping baddies, bagging treasures, and staying one step ahead of the sinister Baron von Blubba.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends sports a 2.5D visual style, with 3D models running rampant on a 2D plane. The Nintendo Switch 2 edition contains all the stages, characters, and content from the original 2019 release, along with the extras from the 2020 update, The Baron is Back!

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Image: Clear River Games

The Switch 2 port boasts exclusive features, including camera support, increased 1080p resolution, and the platform-exclusive Stardrop Mountain - a new mode that takes the traditional Bubble Bobble gameplay to new levels of verticality. The original 1986 game is also included for those who fancy taking a trip back to Taito's rock-hard coin-guzzling original.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back is now available to pre-order on Nintendo Switch 2 from the Clear River Games Store. The store listing denotes that this is a "Game on Card" release. A digital release is expected on Nintendo Switch 2 in future

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is also available now on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.