5 in 1 Classics: Fashion Bubble Mania

Genre: Compilation / Arcade / Match-3 Puzzle

Players: 1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen)

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Review:

(Note: All of the games in this bundle are included in multiple other bundles. I highly recommend you compare and contrast bundle contents using the handy chart on this page.)

5 in 1 Classics: Fashion Bubble Mania is a Compilation of three Arcade-style games and two Match-3 Puzzle games released on Nintendo Switch in 2023, with the respective games previously released separately in 2022 and 2023.

I have separately reviewed all of these games. Here is what I thought of all of the games in this collection:

Game	Genre	# of Players	Score
Fashion Girls	Arcade	1	D
tl;dr Fashion Girls is an Arcade-style game that copies the Qix gameplay formula of drawing lines to create shapes to fill in the screen and reveal the girls’ outfits while avoiding enemies. This game even brings some good ideas to this classic gameplay, but then it ruins them with terrible controls and other issues that will result in players repeatedly getting killed due to stuff out of their control. This game had the potential to be so much better, but with these problems I simply cannot recommend this to anyone.
Fashion Princess	Arcade	1	D
tl;dr Fashion Princess is an Arcade-style game that copies the Qix gameplay formula of drawing lines to create shapes to fill in the screen and reveal the girls’ outfits while avoiding enemies. This game even brings some good ideas to this classic gameplay, but then it ruins them with terrible controls and other issues that will result in players repeatedly getting killed due to stuff out of their control. This game had the potential to be so much better, but with these problems I simply cannot recommend this to anyone.
Fashion Friends	Arcade	1	D
tl;dr Fashion Friends is an Arcade-style game that copies the Qix gameplay formula of drawing lines to create shapes to fill in the screen and reveal the girls’ outfits while avoiding enemies. This game even brings some good ideas to this classic gameplay, but then it ruins them with terrible controls and other issues that will result in players repeatedly getting killed due to stuff out of their control. This game had the potential to be so much better, but with these problems I simply cannot recommend this to anyone.
Bubble Puzzler	Match-3 Puzzle	1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen)	C+
tl;dr Bubble Puzzler is a Match-3 Puzzle game that’s clearly copying the Puzzle Bobble formula of aiming multicolored bubbles at bubbles hanging above to try to match them and clear them. However, while this game lacks originality, it’s a pretty good take on this formula, albeit a pretty easy one – this isn’t a game to get if you’re looking for a challenge. However, for younger and more casual Puzzle fans, this is a good choice, especially if you can get the game on sale.
Princess Bubble Story	Match-3 Puzzle	1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen)	C
tl;dr Princess Bubble Story is a Match-3 Puzzle game that’s clearly copying the Puzzle Bobble formula of aiming multicolored bubbles at bubbles hanging above to try to match them and clear them. However, while this game lacks originality, it’s a pretty good take on this formula, albeit a pretty easy one – this isn’t a game to get if you’re looking for a challenge. However, for younger and more casual Puzzle fans (particularly those who like princesses), this is a good choice, especially if you can get the game on sale.

In short, what we have here are essentially three copy-pasted Qix clones, and two copy-pasted Bust-A-Move/Puzzle Bobble clones (I give Bubble Puzzler a slight edge over Princess Bubble story due to fewer random elements junking up the gameplay).

The three Qix clones are all clearly derived from Space Lines: A Puzzle Arcade Game, reusing that game’s gameplay and even some of its assets, and while they have some gameplay elements that the original Qix didn’t, they all suffer from some frustrating gameplay issues, and none of them have the multiplayer that Space Lines included. The two Puzzle Bobble clones, at least, have some pretty decent gameplay (particularly Bubble Puzzler), but are plagued by random elements that can leave your chance of success up to pure luck. Overall, I would consider none of these games to be an improvement on the games that inspired them.

When it comes to value, how do you account for the fact that this collection essentially only contains two games plus some variations? I’m not going to even try, because the answer to the question of value is easy – at $30 for a collection of games that are copycat games copy-pasted over each other, I don’t even have to bother looking up the individual games’ prices to see how they compare, this is a rip-off, plain and simple. If you’re looking at the prices on sale, perhaps you might find that more reasonable… except Classic Games Puzzle Collection contains all the same games plus one more plus all expansion content, and it has established its sale price at the rock-bottom $2.

As such, I see no situation where anyone should buy this collection of games. 5 in 1 Classics: Fashion Bubble Mania is bloated by multiple games that are identical to each other and copied off of other, more popular games. And copied poorly, too. While players might find some enjoyment out of these games, it’s not enough to justify the insulting price tag, especially when the same publisher has put out a better bundle at the same price. Even if you want these games, do not get this bundle.

tl;dr – 5 in 1 Classics: Fashion Bubble Mania is a Compilation containing three bad knock-offs of the classic Arcade game Qix, and two mediocre knockoffs of the classic Match-3 Puzzle Bust-A-Move AKA Puzzle Bobble. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the price of this Compilation is insultingly high, and this publisher has put out another more comprehensive collection at the same price. Do not buy this bundle, it is a rip-off.

Grade: D

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