"Bubble Witch Saga 4" is the fourth installment of the popular mobile game series developed by King. It follows the story of a witch named Stella, who embarks on a magical journey to save her fairy friends from the evil Wilbur. In this puzzle game, players must shoot colored bubbles and match them to clear the game board. The objective is to rescue all the fairies trapped within the bubbles by completing levels and progressing through different magical worlds. The game features hundreds of levels with varying difficulties and challenging obstacles. At times, players may encounter boss battles that require strategic planning and quick thinking to defeat.
SEA WITCH is set in 1800s Denmark (the home of Hans Christian Andersen, who wrote the tale we’re all familiar with), and as this is the olden days and people were a tad more superstitious than they are now, Evie (our future Sea Witch) is forced to hide her own witch powers. She is the daughter of the Royal Fisherman and a close friend of Prince Niklas, and she’s also having a sort-of fling with Niklas’ charmingly roguish cousin, Prince Iker.
However, Evie is holding on to a lot of pain years before the story s events, her best friend Anna drowned while she, Evie and Niklas were at the beach. A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived.
At times, players may encounter boss battles that require strategic planning and quick thinking to defeat. As players advance, they can unlock special abilities and spells that help them overcome tricky situations. One of the key attractions of "Bubble Witch Saga 4" is its vibrant visuals and enchanting graphics, which transport players to a whimsical world filled with potions, spells, and mystical creatures.
[Review] Sea Witch – Sarah Henning
How I read it: I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Get it at Amazon UK: Sea Witch
Everyone knows what happens in the end.
A mermaid, a prince, a true love’s kiss.
But before that young siren’s tale, there were three friends.
One feared, one royal, and one already dead.
Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch.
A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn’t so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes—and hearts—of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after.
But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can’t stay in Havnestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend’s humanity, along with her prince’s heart—harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain.
The rise of Hans Christian Andersen’s iconic villainness is a heart-wrenching story of friendship, betrayal, and a girl pushed beyond her limits—to become a monster.
I love fairytale retellings that make you feel like you’re reading something completely fresh and new, and SEA WITCH does just that – it’s a gorgeous re-imagining of The Little Mermaid, from the point of view of the sea witch that cursed her.
If you’ve read my other reviews you’ll have noticed that I also read (and loved) Alexandra Christo’s TO KILL A KINGDOM, which is another YA retelling of this fairytale. My initial worry with SEA WITCH was that it would be too similar, but it’s not at all – however, if you loved TO KILL A KINGDOM, I would definitely recommend this too. MERMAIDS! DEATH! DANGEROUS GIRLS!
The Little Mermaid was my favourite Disney Princess movie as a kid. I have not changed a bit.
SEA WITCH is set in 1800s Denmark (the home of Hans Christian Andersen, who wrote the tale we’re all familiar with), and as this is the olden days and people were a tad more superstitious than they are now, Evie (our future Sea Witch) is forced to hide her own witch powers. She is the daughter of the Royal Fisherman and a close friend of Prince Niklas, and she’s also having a sort-of fling with Niklas’ charmingly roguish cousin, Prince Iker.
Sounds like a nice cosy set-up, right? However, Evie is holding on to a lot of pain – years before the story’s events, her best friend Anna drowned while she, Evie and Niklas were at the beach. Anna’s body was never recovered, and Evie still mourns the loss of her friend, believing her to be gone forever – until one day she sees a familiar face through a porthole…
I loved the twisting mystery of this book – is Annemette really Anna, returned from the dead? Is she all that she appears to be? How does Evie turn from a quiet, witchy girl who dearly loves her friends into the powerful sea sorceress who steals the voice of a mermaid? All these questions are answered, but not quite in the way you might expect. SEA WITCH keeps the reader on their toes – several times I felt like I could predict what was going to happen next, only to be proved wrong. I was glad to see that I was proved wrong in some cases – I was initially worried that Evie and Annemette would be pitted against each other for Niklas’ attention, but was relieved to see that the drama came from elsewhere, and that the girls’ friendship was given just as much attention (if not more) than the romantic threads. It’s their story that is the focus, which I loved.
Did I mention there are mermaids? MERMAIDS ARE GREAT. Reading this book was like sinking into a warm bath of childhood nostalgia – I loved the Disney franchise and Saban’s Adventures of the Little Mermaid. I need more deadly mermaids. Sassy mermaids. Kick-ass mermaids. They don’t have to be romantic and cutesy and drippy. Books like this prove that, and take me back to watching Ariel and Marina go on adventures and get into trouble.
More of this, please.
Magic is carefully woven into the historical setting, and I loved the idea that witches and mermaids exist in SEA WITCH’s Denmark, but are hidden away – even Evie, who knows magic exists, isn’t sure if mermaids are real. I also liked that the romance was a bit messy (even more so than the original story!) with a bit of a love square going on between Annemette, Niklas, Evie and Iker – this may be a fairytale retelling, but this isn’t a fairytale romance…
If you love mermaid stories with a bit of darkness, or historical fantasy with witches, or doomed romances with death and danger, then SEA WITCH is for you. If this and TO KILL A KINGDOM are anything to go by, then mermaid YA is very much in, and I can’t wait for my next mermaid read!
For fans of: TO KILL A KINGDOM by Alexandra Christo, LORALI by Laura Dockrill, HEARTLESS by Marissa Meyer
Sounds like a nice cosy set-up, right? However, Evie is holding on to a lot of pain – years before the story’s events, her best friend Anna drowned while she, Evie and Niklas were at the beach. Anna’s body was never recovered, and Evie still mourns the loss of her friend, believing her to be gone forever – until one day she sees a familiar face through a porthole…
The game also offers social features, allowing players to compete with friends, send and receive lives, and share their progress on social media platforms. In addition to its addictive gameplay and engaging storyline, "Bubble Witch Saga 4" is a free-to-play game with in-app purchases that offer optional power-ups and boosters to enhance the gaming experience. However, players can enjoy the game without spending any money and progress through the levels at their own pace. Overall, "Bubble Witch Saga 4" is a captivating and entertaining game that combines puzzle-solving skills with magical elements. With its addictive gameplay, stunning graphics, and challenging levels, it continues to be a hit among mobile game enthusiasts..
Reviews for "The Making of Bubble Witch Saga 4: Behind the Scenes with the Game's Developers"
1. John Doe - 1/5
"Bubble Witch Saga 4 was a complete disappointment for me. The game lacked innovation and felt like a cheap cash grab. The levels were repetitive and offered no real challenge or excitement. The graphics were uninspired, and the overall gameplay felt sluggish and unresponsive. I was hoping for something fresh and engaging, but instead, I got the same old formula with minimal improvements. I quickly grew bored and uninstalled the game. Save yourself the frustration and skip this one."
2. Jane Smith - 2/5
"I was a huge fan of the previous Bubble Witch games, but Bubble Witch Saga 4 left me feeling underwhelmed. The game seemed more focused on pushing in-app purchases than providing a satisfying gaming experience. The difficulty level was all over the place, with some levels being frustratingly hard and others being ridiculously easy. The power-ups and special abilities felt unbalanced and didn't add much excitement to the gameplay. Overall, Bubble Witch Saga 4 felt like a step backward compared to its predecessors, and I'm disappointed with the direction the series is heading."
3. Sarah Johnson - 2/5
"I found Bubble Witch Saga 4 to be repetitive and uninteresting. The levels had a lack of variety and the gameplay quickly became monotonous. The constant bombardment of ads and pop-ups made the experience even more frustrating. The game also heavily encouraged in-app purchases, which made progression feel slower and more grindy. I was hoping for a fun and engaging puzzle game, but Bubble Witch Saga 4 fell short of my expectations. It's a shame because I enjoyed the previous installments in the series, but this one just didn't cut it for me."
4. David Brown - 2/5
"Bubble Witch Saga 4 failed to impress me. The levels felt unbalanced and poorly designed. Some were too easy, while others seemed almost impossible to complete without spending real money on power-ups. The game's progression system felt convoluted and confusing, with no clear direction on how to advance. The constant need to watch ads for minor rewards became tedious and took away from the enjoyment of the game. Overall, Bubble Witch Saga 4 felt like a money-grabbing scheme rather than a well-crafted game."