Bubbles

Bubbles is an action game where the player controls a soap bubble from a top-down perspective. The objective is to clean a kitchen sink by maneuvering over ants, crumbs, and grease spots to absorb them before they slide into the drain. As the bubble absorbs more objects, it grows in size, soon acquiring eyes and then a smiling mouth. At the same time, sponges and scrub brushes slowly move around the sink, cleaning it on their own in competition with the player.

Touching these enemies costs the player one life unless the bubble is at its largest size. If the bubble is large enough, the enemy will be knocked away and the bubble will shrink. Sponges and brushes can be knocked into the drain for bonus points, eliminating them from play.

Bubbles was developed and published by Williams Electronics. The initial concept was conceived by John Kotlarik, who aimed to make a non-violent game. Inspired by Pac-Man, he envisioned similar gameplay in an open playing field rather than in a maze. Python Anghelo furthered the concept by creating artwork and a scenario.

Kotlarik designed the protagonist to have fluid movement like it was traveling on a slick surface. The control scheme allows the digital input to operate similar to an analogue one. He programmed the bubble to accelerate in the direction the joystick is held. Once the joystick returns to its neutral position, the bubble will coast as the velocity slowly decreases.

Bubbles received a mixed reception by gaming publications. After the AOE trade show, William Brown of Electronic Fun with Computers & Games praised Bubbles, highlighting it as an example of games available in the summer that were more creative and technologically advanced in terms of gameplay and audiovisuals. He described it as a "goof-fest" with "challenging" gameplay. While Brown called the graphics "superb", he felt the amount of blue in the visuals was "monotonous".

Video Games magazine's Roger Sharpe also noted Bubbles' appearance at the AOE, calling it "unique" and a "nice change of pace" for Williams. While he believed that Sinistar stood out more, Sharpe described Bubbles' gameplay as a "nice diversion". However, Sharpe stated that he could not conceive how a follow up would play if it was successful. By September 1983, Play Meter had ranked it one of the top fifteen arcade games based on polling from arcade operators.