Wobble Squabble: The Forgotten Game

On the eve of Origins' launch, players flocked to the Rooftop Rumble public room. Queuing up from the pool's ladder to the yellow and orange buoys, Habbos were giddy with excitement at finally being able to play Wobble Squabble again - the classic game they remembered so fondly from their collective childhood. 

Many a Habbo was pushed head first off the buoys and into the pool, many a laugh was had and Wobble Squabble remained very popular during the first summer months. The game's popularity began to decline around the time of the first BattleBall tournament, and with players' attention firmly fixed elsewhere, the rooftop became less and less populated day by day. The prospect of a tournament for Wobble Squabble kept the community hopeful for the game's revival, which would in turn lead to a renewed surge of activity on the rooftop, but despite efforts by several dedicated players to draw attention to the game from Habbo staff, these attempts yielded no results. Consequently, many of the regular players have since quit, and the room has since been all but abandoned.

State of the Game

The neglect of the Rooftop Rumble room, and thus Wobble Squabble, is evident the moment the room finishes loading. A black bar occupies a section on the far left of the screen, indicating that the room has not yet been updated to accommodate widescreen displays, which became standard in November of last year.

The game itself is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches. First of all, the game is noticeably laggier than it used to be. When a Habbo steps up to play, their avatar appears above the buoys, making it difficult to gauge which buoy the player is currently standing on. Using the N and M keys to move back and forth, one experiences a delay in action - which also occasionally happens when attempting to push one's opponent, rendering the game not unplayable, but rather unenjoyable to play.

Wobble Squabble's Future

So... is there still hope for the Wobble Squabble community? Possibly.

Regarding the game's future, Macklebee expressed his uncertainty about how a potential Wobble Squabble tournament would work, primarily because only two players can compete at once. Wobble Squabble is arguably more skill-based than BattleBall, and learning to play can be a frustrating experience for new players. A single skilled player can dominate the game, continuously defeating newcomers, which may discourage them from even attempting to join. Many players have come up with new ideas in an attempt to solve this problem, but solution might be found in Habbo's past. Previously, there were three 'Rooftop Rumble' rooms: the original and two copies. To even the playing field, these rooms could be designated as bronze, silver, and gold levels—beginner, intermediate, and expert—similar to the BattleBall lobby system. This setup could help make the game feel less intimidating for newcomers. Regarding prizes and rewards, awarding the Wobble Squabble badge to, for example, the top 10 players each month seems very straightforward to implement. Additionally, gold, silver and bronze dragon lamps and small trophies could be given out - if not monthly, bi-monthly or how ever long the staff members in charge would see fit.

In terms of anti-cheating measures, a combination of community monitoring and Habbo's existing anti-cheating system could help maintain the integrity of the competition. Implementing a reporting tool for the game would allow for tracking suspicious activity, with reports addressed by Hobbas or another type of community volunteer.

Another challenge is the visibility of the game. As Macklebee noted, a new player would have virtually no way of knowing that Wobble Squabble even exists. The game is hidden under the 'Rooftop Rumble' room title, and with no additional information provided in the room's description, newcomers would have to stumble upon it. Similar to the recent BattleBall ranked preview, the room could be featured in a larger box at the top of the navigator, advertising the game in a visually eye-catching manner.

In short, there is no justification for the game's neglect. Many of the game's issues appear solvable (from an outsider's perspective), and the untapped potential of the game could greatly benefit Origins as a whole. Wobble Squabble could easily be integrated into Macklebee's existing idea for daily tasks (e.g., "Win 1 game of Wobble Squabble"), fostering engagement and encouraging players to return each day.

Only time can tell what will become of Wobble Squabble, and what part it has to play in the grander scheme of Origins' future. What is certain, is that the true fans of the game will continue to rally around it until it is given the attention it deserves. 

This article was written with assistance from one of those fans, CJVX - one of the top Wobble Squabble players in Origins and a true scholar of the game. Many thanks for your knowledge and your input!