JayisGames.com is now available ad-free!
Jay is Games recommends Cheat Happens with 8,000+ games and 35,000+ trainers!

  • Review

  • Browser Games

Rubble Trouble (New York)


  • Currently 4.6/5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Rating: 4.6/5 (327 votes)
Comments (95) | Views (10,637)

DoraRubble TroubleDo you ever get the impression that construction crews are having way more fun than they let on? That maybe after you round the corner they throw down their hoagies and cold coffee, toss safety concerns to the wind, and break out the bombing runs and the limbo? Nitrome thinks so too, and the result is Rubble Trouble, a physics based game of that most cherished of pastimes; blowin' junk up.

Similar to Demolition City in concept, the goal is to destroy enough of a structure on each level to make a certain amount of cash for your hard work. You'll have a variety of tools at your disposal to get the job done. Some things, like nitro, can just be clicked into place wherever you want them and they'll explode automatically. Others, such as the missiles you'll find (yes, found missiles), actually need to be guided to their destination with the mouse. Certain tools are more expensive than others, so you'll have a limited number of uses for them. Fail to meet the requirements for a level within the time frame or before running out of explosives and you'll have to start the level over. If you need a break, tap [P] to pause. To restart a level if you see failure looming on the horizon, tap [R].

Certain building materials are sturdier than others and will require specific tools to destroy in one shot, while others behave in different ways when an explosion is introduced. Don't think you can just start flinging around explosives like Mardi Gras beads, as certain levels will have conditions designed to put a bit of restraint into your destructive tendencies. Think you can destroy a teetering tower without causing damage to its surroundings? How about using nitro to deliver a stranded coworker safely to the ground? What do you mean, "safety regulations"? We don't need no steekeeng safety regulations! Bombs away!

Rubble TroubleAnalysis: Saying that Nitrome designs a good looking game is a bit like stating that tidal waves are damp, or taunting a pitbull is a bad idea. Rubble Trouble is no exception with the trademark crisp visuals and quirky characters that make every game such a pleasure to look at. You've got a variety of "found" tools at your disposal, fragile melon shops to avoid, oddball crew members, and the end result is a lot like what one imagines a construction company run by the Mythbusters would be like if they stopped worrying about safety. Which is to say, over the top firepower resulting in massive property damage, followed by boyish giggling and high fives all 'round.

The game keeps itself from degenerating into a mindless blast-fest with the restrictions that some levels impose. The time limit is something to keep your eye on for your score's sake, but it doesn't pose an issue itself. The problem is that not every object behaves like it should. Chief offender is the wrecking ball, which behaves like a yo-yo on an elastic rather than a massive tool of destruction, but you'll also occasionally see heavy buildings held aloft by a single surviving column of materials as long as no damage was done to it. I'm fairly certain that if this was the way real construction behaved, I would have gotten a much better grade in my high school engineering class.

If you can forgive these shortcomings, Rubble Trouble is a fun and occasionally tricky little physics puzzle with that turns construction work into a noble, monocle-wearing calling. The game's 30 levels likely won't consume your entire day, but it's an afternoon of explosive fun for those of you who need a bit more destruction in your day. Which is probably all of you.

Play Rubble Trouble

95 Comments

Finally, a Nitrome game I can enjoy for over 30 minutes, let alone 5. This is a good one.

Reply

I must be missing something with the drill, because I can't get past the second level :(

Reply

There isn't really a time limit. It's just there for those who want to compete on the highscore boards. It's a bonus for those people who get the job done quickly.

You can take as long as you like to complete a level if all you want to do is finish the game.

Reply

Ah, it goes vertically, too!

Reply
queen-of-diamonds February 1, 2010 7:12 PM

This is fuuuuuuuuuuuun!!!!!!!

Reply

help ... level 23 plz

Reply

been playing this for a while, but i lent my laptop to my buddy while he's in the hospital so I have to start over.... :(

Reply
Mathmagic123 February 1, 2010 7:52 PM

jfgi-

using the nitro the whole time, explode the bottom explosives (yellow boxes). Then, take away the little strip of normal blocks which were next to the explosives. Repeat. Then, only explode one of the two explosives. The people should fall to the ground. Destroy the rest.

Reply
Anonymous February 1, 2010 7:52 PM

level 23

err.. the dialog tells you exactly what to do.

use the bombs in the air to make an indent on the wall on eater side. the steel frame should slide down. bomb the explosives on the top so the triangle drops down. repeat for the next three sections. use the grabing thing to slide the people off if they haven't already.

Reply

Level 16. Ragequit. I know exactly what I'm supposed to do but it NEVER HAPPENS.

Reply

Ah, the old "state what's wrong and it gets fixed instantly" trick. Seems to work every time..

Reply

O hai! I lurv this game, but I am thoroughly dumbfounded as to hao you beat this one level. I don't quite recall the number, but it consists of a large arrow-shaped tower and a factory. I can't figure out how to beat it. I have absolutely no idea whatsoever. The tools you get are drills and airstrikes. Any help?

Wonderfully cute game, lots of explosions and strategy. Once again, my favorite gamers have delivered a recreational masterpiece. Well done Nitrome!

Reply

AHHHH!! I'm so close! Level 29!! Help! Any tips? This level is nuts!

Reply

@Joel:
If you haven't figured it out already,

You CAN finish the level, even if the middle factory is destroyed.

Reply

I beat the game!

I've found that in some levels, keeping all workers unharmed is not a strict requirement. I blasted the worker into the air in level 30 but the game didn't end.

Reply

This is my favourite Nitrome game for quite a while. But it does suffer from the 'I know exactly what I'm trying to do but I can't do it' syndrome on several levels.

Reply

Pretty fun game. I'm on level 20-something. Figured I'd take a break. A couple of levels took several tries to get just right, but no rage-quitting kinda stuff yet. Fun and casual game.

Reply

Hmm, not too keen on this one. Many levels that required ludicrous precision. Took way too many tries with the level with the ming museum where you're only allowed cannonballs and the power meter fills up too fast for precision; gave up on the level with four guys up on the roof where you can't even drop their platform a couple of storeys without them all dying.

But then, I often don't get that into Nitrome games. I enjoyed Parasite, but most of the others I've tried I didn't like.

Reply

Got stuck for an hour on 20 (I think)...
The one with the drills and the AS.

Finally finished it. Nice one Nitrome.

I like their puzzles more than the platformers... Icebreaker is their all time best imo.

Reply

I seriously cannot get past lvl 16!!!
any help??

Reply

> Saying that Nitrome designs a good
> looking game is a bit like stating
> that tidal waves are damp, or taunting
> a pitbull is a bad idea.

Actually pitbulls are one of the most human-friendly breeds out there. Unlikely to attack a human even after repeated abuse by that human (which is why they are so often used for dogfighting, sadly).

Just thought I'd do my part to combat breed prejudice...

Reply

> Saying that Nitrome designs a good
> looking game is a bit like stating
> that tidal waves are damp, or taunting
> a pitbull is a bad idea.

Actually pitbulls are one of the most human-friendly breeds out there. Unlikely to attack a human even after repeated abuse by that human (which is why they are so often used for dogfighting, sadly).

Just thought I'd do my part to combat breed prejudice...

Reply

Level 14 doesn't load for me, even if I deactivate Adblock Plus.

Reply

Okay, now it does load.

Reply
Anonymous February 2, 2010 2:48 PM

any advice for Job 27

Reply

Thanks Ellis! I finally got it- and even though I hate the wrecking ball with a fiery passion, I finished the game!

One of my fave Nitrome games by far!

Reply
Anonymous February 2, 2010 3:41 PM

Help! any help on level 20? Plz?

Reply
samharm11 February 2, 2010 4:33 PM

Woohoo! A new Nitrome game! I is jumping up and performing my happy dance! :-)

Reply

Level 11, seriously, i blast the cannonball out and it just stops in mid air or just above the second (lowest) level of explosives. Grr

Reply

Melon shop? Melon shop?! That ain't no steenking melon shop! That's a marrow greenhouse.

(A marrow is a courgette - oh hell - if you insist - a zucchini - that's been allowed, or encouraged, to grow big. Really big. Several pounds big at least. Growing them is a serious competitive activity in certain parts of northern England (and I don't mean Scotland.... oh never mind).)

Reply

Lv 20 rage quit. Please help me! The airstrikes don't seem very helpful...

Reply

Also, It's possible to achieve levitation on some levels. I first noticed this on level 18. If two corner tiles are adjacent, but the solid parts don't actually touch each other, the middle metal part can appear as if it is levitating. I will see if this effect can be achieved on other levels. Try it!

Reply

God, Level 20 is a brain-buster. Someone help.

Reply

Ok, for lvl. 20:

Not really a solution, but what you need to achieve and the tools to do it.

Tools: Drill only. don't use the Air Strike, at least at the beginning.

What you need to achieve: you need the building on it's left side i.e. roof facing left, building parallel to the floor.

At your disposal: three facts.
Fact a: a drill fired from the left and hits the wall leaves a brick untouched but also disconnects it, and destroys bricks outside of the original line (due to the brick exploding).

Fact b: fired from the right (above the wall): leaves a straight line.

Fact c: fires from the right (below the wall line, above the factory): dislodges about 3 bricks. second shot destroys them.

Can't really tell you how I did it... It was the only level that pissed me off - it's horribly designed and took me ages to pass.

Reply

oh, one more thing:

after the building is down on it's side, it's free for all air strike/drill.

Reply

I'm still confused. None of the tactics worked.

Reply
howbigis1gb February 2, 2010 8:19 PM

Level 20 is really simple.

Fire the drill horizontally, but make sure it doesn't disconnect the building from the steel. Then fire downwards in the gap, but away from the steel. Then disconnect the building - it will fall on it's side. Then airstrike/drill/whatever you want.

Also. Loved level 30. Guess the idea was to finally be able

to blow the guy up.

Reply

Help with level 28? I can destroy the building but can't get the guy out from the steel square.

Reply

i Just started and job 12 is annoying me.

Reply

@howbigis1gb

Damit. Just replayed it using your method. It SUCKS!
(lit. works the first time)

Reply
Christian Coletti February 3, 2010 10:46 AM

I need to know how to get the guy out of the super steel box with only a chain gun!
Help plz!

Reply

how do you do level 19?

Reply

I need help with level 29. Any ideas?

Reply
david Henderson February 3, 2010 3:49 PM

i can't get past lvl 16

Reply

I haven't beaten it but for 29

you CAN destroy the middle building, but I'm not sure that it is a good idea, because it still subtracts and it might make it difficult to make up the cost.

Reply
fattywads February 3, 2010 6:08 PM

Yay! another nitrome game ruined by its own ambition! The cannon is useless, everything in unrepeatable and it gets annoying after 5 levels! standard nitrome!

Reply

for level 29

note: 'building' means the stuff you have to destroy, building means the stuff you don't want to destroy

use the thumper one time in the middle (you can set it on the middle building it won't collapse)and wait until the two 'buildings' are done with falling. Begin with the left one: use a wreck ball just below the safes so they fall down, you might have to stop them from hitting the middle building by holding the wrecking ball before it but be very carefull! Now use the thumper as many times as you can without the left building collapsing.After this use wrecking balls until all saves from the left side are on the ground and disappeared, now do the same for the right side. You'll probably miss some money (for me it was 30$ so that means I needed 3 extra blocks) so chose the right blocks from the right 'building'. If you are really carefull you can do it this way :), it might need some tries ;)

Reply
Anonymous February 4, 2010 4:01 PM

How do I beat level 19????

Reply

This is the third Nitrome game in three months. Do they actually make them EVERY MONTH? I've known their games about a year or two, but I didn't know they came out with new games so quickly. I hope this one's better than Avalanche (see my comment there). Yes, I mean the recent Nitrome game.

Reply
samharm11 February 4, 2010 7:48 PM

AAAACK! Stuck on level 14! I get the guy down on the ground, destroy everything else (except the unbreakable steel stuff), but it still says that I need about 100 more dollars. Please help, somebody?

Reply
howbigis1gb February 4, 2010 9:35 PM

@ Keynant. Wait; are you saying the method sucks because it's no fun? Cos it sure as hell works. Check the walkthrough link below. (I hope the link I posted wasn't an infraction on the rules)

Reply
SuperPawz February 5, 2010 5:51 PM

Help on the last level please!

Reply
Anonymous February 7, 2010 7:22 PM

level 19 is SOOOOOOO TRICKY! I know how to destroy the building without hurting anything but how do u get the worker down?!?!?!?

Reply

I'm having some difficulty with level 26. I can't wrap my head around the problem.

Any help would be appreciated.

Reply

i can't beat level 9 help!

Reply

im stuck on level 15 any help?

Reply

On Level 29,

do not destroy the middle building. Although the game doesn't make you restart, it is impossible to finish.

Reply

I just don't get level 30.

There's 12 Grabber Chopper uses but there's more than 12 safes!

Reply

I can't beat level 19! Any help?

Reply
maldove March 6, 2010 5:34 PM

can't get past level 11! Need help PLEASE!

Reply

i need help on level 10. i need the angle and power of the shot. help please???

Reply
tv watcher March 7, 2010 9:35 AM

Level 28?? I can blow everything up, but I can't get the guy out of the steel box!!! I need to use a grabber or somehting.

Reply

HELP stuck on level 19 i cannot get the building or the guy down without destroying the firework place please someone help !!!!

Reply
Anonymous March 17, 2010 6:10 PM

how to pass the last level?

Reply
watucare March 17, 2010 9:05 PM

need help lvl 25

Reply

help me stuck on level 28

Reply
Chrisssssss March 28, 2010 10:05 AM

Cant get pass level 16. No matter what!!

Reply
Anonymous April 15, 2010 10:37 AM

I don't care what anyone says, there's no way past level 25, at all, no matter what you do.

The limited cycle time of the thumper 100% guarantees you can't keep the unbalanced building balanced within the ludicrously tiny space they give you between two buildings that make you fail the instant you scratch one.

Nitrome, you really, really want us to hate you a lot, don't you? Why else create something so sadistically impossible? What did we ever do to you?

Reply

Level 25 is possible!

When you use the thumper, set it away from the building so you can see it, then wait until it just starts tipping one way, then do it again when it tips the other, until it's gone.

Reply
Arzwinc110 May 28, 2010 2:50 AM

How To Win Level 28 On Rubble Trouble?I can destroy the building but I can't get the worker out of the metal square block....It is impossible!

Reply
Anonymous May 30, 2010 8:51 PM

how do you beat job 30 it's impossible!

Reply
Jackie Chan Man June 3, 2010 5:28 AM

How can you pass lvl 16? it is IMPOSSIBLE!

Reply

For Level 30

Blow up the bottom of the middle column until all six sets of safes and explosives are resting in two groups of 3, then blow up the rest of the middle column. Finally use the Grabber to pick up each set of explosives with a safe in the middle and drop it into the hole to the left and blow them up, MAKE SURE THE SMALLER SAFES ARE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SET WHEN YOU PUT THEM INTO THE HOLE OTHERWISE THEY WILL FLY OUT AND WRECK THINGS.

Reply

Please help me I can't get past level 9! :O

Reply
Anonymous July 27, 2010 1:47 AM

ok for level 20

USe the drill from the bottom left of the tower and work your way up.when use get to the first dynamite, disconnect the building from the metal thing and it will fall to the side.

Reply
Anonymous August 8, 2010 3:50 PM

Help on lv.24

Reply

ARGH! I just can't beat level 28!

Reply

how do you get past level 14? the guy dies everytime i try to get him down!!!
P.S: nitrome rules!!

Reply

I still can't win level 20. It's so annoying. Ive tried everything but it still won't work and i've tried it 20 times more maybe. HELP!! But nitrome still rules.

Reply

How do I beat level 11????

Reply

yo, how do i beat lvl 27, im stuck

Reply

for level 20, i understand how to do it. it takes several tries though.

use drills from left to right from the bottom up. make sure there is a little falling rubble from the level above. keep doing that until near the demolition box. the building should fall on its right.

Reply

help on number 19 please its so hard

Reply

never mind i got it it takes some time a steady hand and patience

explode the nitro just outside the building destroying ONLY the bricks on top and right side then using the grabber destry alayer of glass at a time and then the dynamite grab the metal beam and put it in the first groove under the worker(hint it looks like a stair case sideways put it on the first"step")tilting down and destroy the single pane of glass left and he will slide down the beam to safety

and you will win

Reply

Guys, please how do I get past level 22?
I have destroyed all the blocks and got the target amount too.
target-1000, earned-1060
It still won't let me pass.

help! help!

Reply
Harry Potter February 16, 2011 7:41 PM

Tip for level 11:

you can put the cannon in the middle of the building, where the explosives are. :)

Reply
darthdialga July 21, 2011 2:58 AM

i need help with level 31 i just cant get it
and yes i do mean level 31 three-one

Reply

How do you beat level 31 of Rubble Trouble ( New York )

Reply

hint on level 31

the building that is completely surrounded by walls has but one weakness...

Reply

to beat level 31 use the torch like a wrecking ball

Reply
blue mountain July 23, 2011 10:04 AM

Use the torch? There's no torch on level 31, please help! I can't explode the steel protected area!

Reply
Irrelevant July 27, 2011 11:12 PM

I got it. Level 31.
This is pretty cool.

First, use the grabber and destroy the block of bricks you can get at by grabbing the explosives. Then, use the stacked explosive blocks at the left like a fuse to get at the sealed building, like so: take the top block, and stack it on top of the sealed building, since it only has one layer of steel. Stack the bottom block on top of that one, so that the "open" ends (not blocked by iron) are facing down and to the left. Then take the second block from the bottom and place it touching the angled block (half on-half off the ledge), so that the double layer of steel if facing up. Then, place the last block touching that one, with the double layer of steel facing to the left. Then air strike it and watch the magic.

Reply

help me in level 11

Reply

in need help for 12 plzzzz help

Reply

Please someone help me with level 28!

Reply

^ Scroll Up | Homepage >

Leave a comment [top of page]

Please consider creating a Casual Gameplay account if you're a regular visitor here, as it will allow us to create an even better experience for you. Sign-up here!
  • PLEASE UNDERSTAND SITE POLICIES BEFORE POSTING COMMENTS
  • You may use limited HTML tags for style:
    (a href, b, br/, strong, em, ul, ol, li, code, spoiler)
    HTML tags begin with a less-than sign: < and end with a greater-than sign: >. Always. No exceptions.
  • To post spoilers, please use spoiler tags: <spoiler> example </spoiler>
    If you need help understanding spoiler tags, read the spoiler help.
  • Please Preview your comment before posting, especially when using spoilers!
  • No link dropping, no domains as names; do not spam, and do not advertise! (rel="nofollow" in use)
chrpa Jayisgames needs your help to continue providing quality content. Click for details Welcome to the Roundup 66 - Retro with four games! After you find the ten monkeys in the chapter, look in the inventory. You will find a...  ...
chrpa Jayisgames needs your help to continue providing quality content. Click for details Welcome to the Roundup 65 with three games! As mentioned in the previous roundups, only odd-numbered episodes are featured since even-numbered are for Robin Vencel's patrons (the...  ...
chrpa Jayisgames needs your help to continue providing quality content. Click for details Hi! Weekday Escape and Weekday Puzzle are here! First we have two new cans from tomoLaSiDo and then two small rooms from isotronic. That's all for this...  ...
6,365 Views
0 Comments
chrpa Jayisgames needs your help to continue providing quality content. Click for details Welcome to Mobile Monday! We have another beautiful game from Nicolet and it's a winter game as it should be. Tasuku Yahiro have released another of their...  ...

HELP Jayisgames.com

Recent Comments

 

Display 5 more comments
Limit to the last 5 comments

Game of the week


Dark Romance: Vampire Origins Collector's Edition

Your Favorite Games edit

add
Save links to your favorite games here. Use the Favorites editor.

Monthly Archives