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Game Debate to the Death!<br>Paperboy VS Bubble Bobble photo

Last week I started a new vein for these debates to draw blood from as we discussed two highly appreciated, yet entirely different, retro games. The support for both NES games was tremendous, but the votes were often cast with apologies to one side of the fence. The comments show a heated debate that lasted many rounds, but the voting results show a clear TKO winner:

  • Punch-Out!! (44 votes) -- Winner!
  • Excitebike (18 votes)

This week, the retro debates continue with two more titles that are completely different from each other, yet deserve to be compared and contrasted just as much as any other NES couple of games. Both should be games you know well, so it shouldn't be hard to consider all the pros and cons of each game when making your decision.

The point of these odd debates is not to just vote with your gut -- it forces us to be more analytical and think like a game designer. It's my opinion that you should be able to compare any two games to each other no matter how drastically different they are in their nature.

Which game do you think is better, and why? Give it some serious thought, get some NES friends to share their opinions as well, and check back next week for the winner and an even odder retro debate matchup.

Bonus Question: What non-NES retro games would you like to see fight to the death in a debate?


Continue: More retro stories





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next 50 comments

90 comments | showing # 1 to 50

pedrovay2003's Avatar
pedrovay2003 at 08/26/2008 22:59
I'm gonna have to go with Bubble Bobble.
randombullseye's Avatar
randombullseye at 08/26/2008 23:02
Bubble Bobble.

I want to see Vectorman versus Earthworm Jim.
Namakubi's Avatar
Namakubi at 08/26/2008 23:03
Bubble Bobble wins, easily. No contest. Not only a better game, but a fun as hell multi-player game as well.
Familiar's Avatar
Familiar at 08/26/2008 23:04
Bubble bobble
pendelton21's Avatar
pendelton21 at 08/26/2008 23:07
Bubble Bobble, only because I've never really played either, and I'm a lemming.

Also, battle between Kid Chameleon and Zombies Ate My Neighbors.
Chocobo Knight's Avatar
Chocobo Knight at 08/26/2008 23:11
I vote Bubble Bobble.
Puppy Licks's Avatar
Puppy Licks at 08/26/2008 23:12
Bubble Bobble wins.

Also for the bonus: Atari, Dig Dug vs Bezerk
Krow's Avatar
Krow at 08/26/2008 23:12
Chrono Trigger and Earthbound would be a good debate.

Also BUBBLE BOBBLE.
casualweaponry's Avatar
casualweaponry at 08/26/2008 23:13
I'm gonna go with Paperboy. Too much random stuff: breakdancers, angry bees, drunks, knocking out burglars, breaking up fights, tornadoes, cats, and that damn street you have to cross.

Handlebar controls FTW. I'm old enough to have played it in the arcade, so I have fond memories of this game.
Crunshii's Avatar
Crunshii at 08/26/2008 23:13
BUBBLE BOBBLE... 99 stages of pure pandoras box
Shin Oni's Avatar
Shin Oni at 08/26/2008 23:16
Paperboy can have some funny moments in it...but Bubble Bobble is just too awesome to pass up.

plus I love the stage theme. It's all cutesy and adorable. Especially when it speeds up.
Shin Oni's Avatar
Shin Oni at 08/26/2008 23:18
oh crap...bonus question I forgot.

Contra Hard Corps Vs. Final Fight 2. talk about not matchin.
Jeff Gerstmann's Avatar
Jeff Gerstmann at 08/26/2008 23:22
Not to get all self-promotional, but did Bubble Bobble ever lead to an ill-conceived rap song about bathroom sex? I think not. Paperboy 4 eva!
Fronz's Avatar
Fronz at 08/26/2008 23:24
Paperboy was one of the my favorite NES games, but Bubble Bobble might just be my favorite. While Paperboy's gameplay was addictive and a clever adaption of a seemingly un-fun chore, it just wasn't as fluid as Bubble Bobble.

I love when games challenge you to stay alive for as long as you can, but one life in Paperboy was often a little too short lived, whereas Bubble Bobble's transitions from level to level were even more addicting and fulfilling and down right exciting.

Plus, there's only, what, 7 levels in Paperboy, plus one for that bonus level. So 8. Bubble Bobble had 100s, actual items that effected gameplay, and the art style and characters gave the game SO MUCH personality. It also has one of my favorite (possibly my favorite) boss battles of all time.

MY VOTE: Bubble Bobble.

What to expect next week: Prolly the winner of last week and this week, then a similar 3 week stint for SNES, Genesis, PS1, N64, Dreamcast, PS2, GC, Xbox, PS3, 360, Wii.
aborto thefetus's Avatar
aborto thefetus at 08/26/2008 23:25
What, are you kidding?

Bubble bobble

also bonus question:

Resident Evil vs. Silent Hill. It's not retro but I would still find it interesting.
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 08/26/2008 23:27
Bubble Bobble. RESPEK.
Fronz's Avatar
Fronz at 08/26/2008 23:28
@ Bwark-Kupo -- that matchup isn't exactly an "odd" matchup, but it's probably too tempting to pass up :)
CharleyTony's Avatar
CharleyTony at 08/26/2008 23:30
bubble bobble, no contest IMO


next up... altered beast vs Bonk !
ZekeThePlumber's Avatar
ZekeThePlumber at 08/26/2008 23:32
Bubble Bobble (unless you're using a game genie with infinite papers on while playing Paperboy, in which case you just destroy the shit out of everything)
Debeo Laurus's Avatar
Debeo Laurus at 08/26/2008 23:33
Bubble Bobble ftw
Lightthrower's Avatar
Lightthrower at 08/26/2008 23:35
Bubble Bobble

I even bought it recently for the VC!
Lord_Satorious's Avatar
Lord_Satorious at 08/26/2008 23:36
Bubble Bobble. You know it and I know it.
Fronz's Avatar
Fronz at 08/26/2008 23:36
@aborto the fetus -- we've done that debate a few times before. I kind of like saving it for the Halloween-ish time of year, to get a new perspective on it annually in case new titles has changed opinions or not.
teach4food's Avatar
teach4food at 08/26/2008 23:36
Paperboy FTW! Anyone who ever rode a bike on a newspaper route knows the sublime experience of the virtual delivery

and WTF is Bubble Bobble anyways
pedrovay2003's Avatar
pedrovay2003 at 08/26/2008 23:39
@Crunshii

There were a hell of a lot more than 99 levels. That's why it's awesome.
metalandganja's Avatar
metalandganja at 08/26/2008 23:39
first vote in any of these debates to the death.

bubble bobble. please don't insult it with such weak competition.
Riegel88's Avatar
Riegel88 at 08/26/2008 23:42
Paper Boy, because it was one of the first games I remember playing on my Dads Commodore 64, along with Jump Man, those 2 games started my gaming obsession.

Street Fighter Vs Final Fight!
WutDaHeckMan's Avatar
WutDaHeckMan at 08/26/2008 23:45
bubble bobble.

street fighter vs. mortal kombat

shining force vs. phantasy star

streets of rage vs final fight
Guagloves's Avatar
Guagloves at 08/26/2008 23:46
Bubble Bobble. That is all
TWODOGSz's Avatar
TWODOGSz at 08/26/2008 23:46
Hands down Bubble Bobble!

How the hell did Excitebike lose. :(
NegFactor's Avatar
NegFactor at 08/26/2008 23:47
Bubble Bobble.

I've got an interesting fight set:

Actraiser vs. Soul Blazer.

Hell, they even rhyme.
tsunamikitsune's Avatar
tsunamikitsune at 08/27/2008 00:23
Bubble Bobble. Hands down. It was my first game EVER. I own a shirt with one of the dinosaurs that says "Get out of my bubble." I have Bub and Bob on both of my cellphone's screens.

BUBBLE BOBBLE FTW
whormongr's Avatar
whormongr at 08/27/2008 00:23
I wasn't a big fan of either, so I vote for obama
as for a fight to the death in the debate-
I would say:
KOTOR vs. Fable
monkey island vs. sam and max
psychonauts vs. beyond good and evil
wolfenstien vs. serious sam
age of empires vs. starcraft
- I can think of more but that was off the top of my head
BahamutZero's Avatar
BahamutZero at 08/27/2008 00:26
bubble bobble, because seriously, FUCK paperboy. talk about broken controllers...
Prince Ghidorah's Avatar
Prince Ghidorah at 08/27/2008 00:35
Bubble Bobble. Some of the best music of any arcade game ever. That crazy calliope song...ta ta ta da da da, da da da da, da dee dee dee dee deeeee....
try to get that out of your head once it starts going.
Qalamari's Avatar
Qalamari at 08/27/2008 00:42
I liked `em both but Bubble Bobble was far more polished. I also didn't like how you could only move in about a quarter of the screen in Paperboy.
Colette Bennett's Avatar
Colette Bennett at 08/27/2008 00:45
I love all Paperboy's weird details, but I still play Bubble Bobble to this day, so it gets the vote.
faultymoose's Avatar
faultymoose at 08/27/2008 01:01
Bubble Bobble all the way! I still play that game.
Vongore's Avatar
Vongore at 08/27/2008 01:23
Bubble Bobble, just check everything BubBob related i've got

That game is the best game ever created!
Stonethigh's Avatar
Stonethigh at 08/27/2008 01:56
Some of my finest memories are of Paperboy in the arcade, but Bubble Bobble still gets played in my house to this day.

Bubble Bobble gets my final vote.
Fronz's Avatar
Fronz at 08/27/2008 02:09
It feels good inside knowing I wasn't the only person in love with this game in the NES days.
Funktastic's Avatar
Funktastic at 08/27/2008 02:34
Bub and Bob = iconic . . . Paperboy . . . pifflesticks! BUBBLE BOBBLE FTW!

Bonus Question: The NES Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle games vs. the NES Contra games, or jut TMNT vs. Contra!
Artimecion's Avatar
Artimecion at 08/27/2008 02:48
Definately Bubble Bobble!
xDARKx Slayer's Avatar
xDARKx Slayer at 08/27/2008 03:55
Bubble Bobble all the way. NES Challenges should be

1. Dragon Warrior vs Final Fantasy
2. 10 Yard Fight vs John Elway's QB (tecmo bowl would be too obvious of a winner here)
3. RBI Baseball vs Bases Loaded
Endstiem's Avatar
Endstiem at 08/27/2008 04:05
Bubble Bobble fools!
jakebattey's Avatar
jakebattey at 08/27/2008 04:14
Bubble Bobble. Otherwise my wife holds out.
bleep's Avatar
bleep at 08/27/2008 04:58
WTF these games aren't even alike so how can you compare them??

Bubble Bobble was what I played more often so thats how I vote
Batthink's Avatar
Batthink at 08/27/2008 05:09
Bubble Bobble FTW. You can show Paperboy the door.
zod000's Avatar
zod000 at 08/27/2008 05:35
How is this even a question, of course Bubble Bobble. I will probably have that damned Bubble Bobble music stuck in my head all day now. Thanks.
pumpkinhed's Avatar
pumpkinhed at 08/27/2008 05:48
Bub and Bob 4 Life!
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