Controls

The Arrow Keys are used to move Gibbo left and right and select options in certain menus.

The X key is for accepting, inflating and blowing a bubble.

CTRL + R to reset.

Rules

Come one, come all, to the greatest spectacle of the season: Gibbo, the Bubble Dragon, in - Bubble Dreams!

This game is an arcade platformer, in which you control the great Gibbo the Dragon!

Gibbo can move around, float across the stage, and blow out bubbles.

Objective

Each stage features Gibbo, coins, key bits and enemies. Your objective is to grab all the bits that will open the exit door, clearing the level and exiting the stage. 

As the curtain rises, the timer starts, and you have to complete your performance, collecting all the bits that will open the exit door.

There's a timer counting down - make sure you clear the current stage before then, or you'll have to repeat it.

There are 13 stages in total!

Gibbo the Dragon

Gibbo is the protagonist! He can float, blow bubbles, and is the star on stage!

FLOATING

Gibbo the Dragon will normally simply walk on the ground, left and right. If you press X, he will suck in air and, like a balloon, start floating upward!

BUBBLE-BLOWING

While Gibbo the Dragon is floating, you can press the X key again to make him shoot out a bubble! Bubbles are used to both collect extra coins, bits, and to trap enemies. Bubbles will travel forward and then upward, and pop on impact with walls.

Remember: You can also touch the coins and keys yourself, but only touch an enemy when they are bubbled up, otherwise Gibbo will be hurt!

FALLING

After blowing out a bubble, Gibbo will fall and walk again - you can simply press X again and float some more!

Collectables

COINS

Coins are scattered all over the stages - they aren't needed to complete the level, but getting 100 coins will grant you one extra life. 

Collect them by either touching them or blowing a bubble at them!

BITS

Bits are colorful squares you'll find around the stages. There are always four in total. The circle at the bottom center of the screen will fill up as you collect them, showing you when the exit door is open!

Just like coins, you can grab them either by touching them or blowing a bubble.

EXIT DOOR

The exit door has a white flag over it, but until it is open, you can only see the poles of it. When it's flashing white, that's you chance - rush to the door and clear the stage!

Challenges

As you attempt to clear each stage and move on, many things will put the show at risk!

Enemies

All enemies are dangerous to touch. But if they are hit by a bubble, they will be locked in place for a short period of time. That's your chance to walk into them and make them pop into stars - getting rid of them!

If you're a hit, you'll lose a life and respawn at the level's start.

You obtain a short period of invincibility if you respawn from an enemy's hit, so roll with it!

DEVIL

The red little devil will bounce up and down between walls, to prevent you moving left and right.

SPINNERS

Spinners bounce left and right between walls, preventing you from moving up or down - it's best to face them from downward, if you can!

BEETLES

They move diagonally as they move across the stage. Be mindful of them - their movements can be a little unpredictable!

SPIKES

Spikes don't move, but you don't wanna walk into them anyway! And please be careful - enemies can move through spikes.

Timer

Each stage gives you a limited time to collect all the bits and walk into the exit door. You get bonus points for time you have left when you clear a stage. 

If the timer reaches zero before you clear the stage, you'll lose a life, and the stage will reset. Be quicker next time!

Game Over

If you have zero lives left, the curtain will descend and reveal the Game Over screen.

CONTINUE

Here, you get the option to continue the game or accept the ending. 

Simply scroll up and down with the arrow keys and pick with X.

Continuing will give you back 3 lives, but will also reset the Score back to zero.

Ending

Once you clear stage 13, you will receive a bonus for the lives you have left.

Congratulations for beating the game! Hope you enjoyed the show.

SCORING

Coins - 100pts

Bits - 500pts

Enemy Bubbled - 1000pts

Enemy Hit - 5000pts

Behind the Scenes

This one took me a couple of weeks, but despite the problems and the worries, I ended up very satisfied with how it turned out!

The first time I managed to program a platformer-like physics system! That left me so, so incredibly excited.

I also really liked this idea of Gibbo the Dragon as a performer - I might even bring him back in the future as a recurring character. Who knows! I just know I am very, very happy to finally have come back to developing videogames. 

Pico8, my beloved.

Credits

Game made in Pico8

Design and Programming by KaaSnake

Music and SFX by KaaSnake