Gubble

Gubble is a Microsoft Windows and PlayStation game developed by Actual Entertainment (Eric Ginner, Mark Robichek and Franz Lanzinger).[6] The non-violent gameplay was a key aspect mentioned in the games promotional material.[5] The game has a soundtrack of instrumental songs composed by Seppo Hurme (who also goes by Fleshbrain).[7]

Gubble
Developer(s)Actual Entertainment (Macintosh, Windows)[1] Mud Duck Productions (PlayStation)[2]
Publisher(s)Actual Entertainment (Macintosh, Windows, iOS)[1]
Mud Duck Productions[3]
Midas Interactive Entertainment[4] (PlayStation)
Platform(s)Windows, Macintosh, PlayStation, iOS
ReleaseWindows
Macintosh
PlayStation
  • EU: April 12, 2001
iOS
  • EU: December 20, 2010
  • NA: December 20, 2010
Genre(s)Puzzle

Most of the gameplay requires the player to solve a series of real-time puzzles in which he uses tools, such as a hammer or screwdriver, which the main character, Gubble (an alien), uses in a humorous way to remove the implements of these tools, such as nails and screws, from the playing area.

The opening storyline to Gubble (only found in the instruction booklet) is very vague and is only used to make the game seem slightly more rational. The majority of the game is spent on the fictional planet Renigar, and many of the puzzles repeat themes of a certain world (the game is split into multiple worlds).

Gubble was later rereleased for iOS.

Gameplay

Gubble is composed of 10 worlds; across these worlds are 104 sub-levels known as "Zymbots", which are usually maze-like in appearance. They are each filled with several enemies and tools. Other than being similar to a maze, their features are made to resemble certain features on other planets, such as lava, fields, deserts, snow fields, etc. In the PC version, each zymbot is named the same as that of the world plus an additional letter added to the end. For example, the very first zymbot, which is in a world named "Rennigar", is called Rennigara, while the seventh is called Rennigarp.

Tools

Tools are made to resemble those of a carpenter. A hammer, drill, screwdriver, a wrench, saw, mallet, and a sledgehammer are just a few of the tools used to deconstruct a level. Tools can be found within a zymbot and are used to remove the several nails, screws, bolts, etc. that hold a level together.


Members of this community prefer to be called "Gubbies"

Legacy

Gubble 2 was released in 1998 for Windows 95 and 98. With similar gameplay to the first Gubble, Gubble 2 has 124 levels (or zymbots), and features new tools and enemies.[8] One notable difference is that in Gubble 2, Gubble walks around the mazes, instead of hovering. From 2000 the game was also playable in full, online at PlayMachine.net, using pay-per-play tokens[9] (PlayMachine.net was an attempt to bring game arcades online). The game came with ZymEdit, a piece of software to edit, or make new, levels for the game.[10] The game has another soundtrack of instrumental songs composed again by Seppo Hurme.[7]

Gubble Buggy Racer came out in 2000. In the game the player competes in buggy races across 8 different worlds (or tracks). The player can choose from Championship, Single Race or Time Trial modes as well as two player Head to Head or Deathmatch options. Unlike the non-violent gameplay of Gubble and Gubble 2, Gubble Buggy Racer contains a variety of super weapons to defeat the opponents.[11][1] The game contains the same soundtrack as Gubble 2.

Gubble HD is an enhanced version of the original Gubble which was released in 2007 on PC (as a 10th anniversary edition) and 2010 on the iPad. It contains new scoring, HD graphics, and three difficulty levels. At the same time as the iPad release, the original Gubble was released on iOS.[12]

On 28 September 2011 the original Gubble was released on the PlayStation Store. [13]

In 2012 Actual Entertainment started a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a game titled Gubble 3D.[14][15] It raised $1,249 of the $80,000 aim.[16]

In 2014 Actual Entertainment announced the upcoming release of their new Android endless runner game Gubble Vacation Rush.[17]

In 2017 Lanzinger Studio (the new name of Actual Entertainment) started development on Gubble 20th Anniversary Edition.[12]

As of 2020, Lanzinger Studio was developing a remaster of Gubble 2 for modern computers, supporting Windows 10, widescreen monitors, and not requiring a disc drive to play. Their website also mentions work into a remake of the original Gubble in the Unity engine.[18]

See also
  • Crystal Castles (an arcade game with similar gameplay, also developed by Franz Lanzinger)
  • K.S.-n-Kickin (a game identical to Gubble 2, but with changed graphics and sound effects)

References
  1. LanzingerStudio.com: About page 2017
  2. psxdatacenter.com: Gubble Japan
  3. psxdatacenter.com: Gubble North America
  4. psxdatacenter.com: Gubble PAL
  5. Gubble.com: Product Fact Sheet 1997
  6. Gubble.com: Home page 2017
  7. mirsoft.info: Seppo Hurme
  8. Gubble.com: Press release 1999
  9. Gubble.com: Gubble 2 page 2000
  10. Gubble.com: ZymEdit 2002
  11. gamezone.com: Artworld UK Proudly Announce the Forthcoming Release of Gubble Buggy Racer
  12. Gubble.com: Gubble history 2017
  13. PlayStation Store: Gubble
  14. "Kickstarter: Gubble 3D". Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  15. prweb: Gubble 3D
  16. kicktraq: Gubble 3D
  17. AndroidCentral: Gubble Vacation Rush
  18. https://web.archive.org/web/20200626004517/https://www.gubble.com/gubblenews.html
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