Many critics also made note of the level 30 glitch, which Craig Harris of IGN claimed "makes a bad game worse". Gamesradar was heavily critical of the title as well, stating "If you're looking for a fresh update to a classic arcade game, this is not it." John Walker of "Eurogamer" began his review off by giving praise for the original game before harshly criticizing the "new-age" remake. Reviewers also made note of the drastic redesigns of the original characters, which were described as "stupendously ugly". Despite the negative criticism, some did praise the game's inclusion of the original "Bubble Bobble". Provo called the game "a genuine classic" and "enjoyable", and praised the multiplayer modes as well. However, Harris referred to them as "unacceptable" for requiring two copies of the game, a statement echoed by Walker. On release, Weekly Famitsu scored the game a 25 out of 40.