Parasol Stars
System: TG-16
Release Date: October 1991
Developer: Taito
Publisher: Working Designs
Genre: Action
Bub and Bob are back once again in another Rainbow Worlds adventure with Parasol Stars! Chaostikahn has broken free of the magical seal and is unleashing havoc not only on the Rainbow Islands, but on all the planets of the solar system! Bobby and Bubby are too engrossed with their new magic parasols to notice what’s going on, but an emergency distress signal gets their attention and off they zoom to save the day once again! There are eight planets of seven levels each in your way. Can you save the solar system from terror?
If you’ve played Bubble Bobble or Rainbow Islands, you should have an idea of what to expect here. There are enemies on screen that you have to hit with your parasol. This stuns the smaller enemies and allows you to hit them again to throw them. Larger enemies may take multiple hits from smaller enemies to stun, and even bigger enemies will really test your mettle. Defeating enemies drops a pickup of some sort. This is usually food and it’s good for points. However, other items pop up as well. When you see shoes, you had better pick those bad boys up for the speed boost they bring. Bombs explode and destroy all the enemies on screen. A 100 dollar coin adds a continue on to your credits. A cross rains down elemental death from above. The clock freezes enemies in their tracks for a moment.
Many levels also have elemental drops falling from set places. You can collect these on the parasol and throw them to damage enemies, or you can collect five for a big drop. These have important effects that can be used to clear the level. Water creates a torrent of water that can get you through small gaps and catch all enemies in its path. Lightning throws a giant bolt that kills any enemies in its path. Fire sets the ground ablaze injuring enemies who step on the flames. The star creates a swirling attack to defeat anything it touches.
Collecting two large drops in a level will unlock an elemental tile in the next level. Collecting three of these will grant you a miracle. A combination of three mismatched tiles will stun all enemies on the level and give you a 1up. I believe that matching three icons will do something else special and I glean that finishing the game with three star icons will take you to the good ending. I did not get the good ending.
The final level of each planet pits you against a boss. You’re given a specific elemental potion and must charge your attacks and hit the boss enough. The times you get the water torrent make the boss easy as the same water hits them many times. Getting hit respawns you right away. Go through all of your lives and you’ll have to use a continue. You gain a lot of lives through miracles and points and a lot of continues when you find the coins, so this shouldn’t be too hard of a challenge.
Graphics: 2.5
Everything is bright and charming, if not super advanced.
Sound: 2.0
The music is generic, and the sound effects are kind of annoying and overpowering.
Gameplay: 2.5
Bub and Bob don’t move as easily as in previous titles in the series. The parasol is a step back from the rainbows in my opinion.
Difficulty: 2.5
Enemies will blast you out of nowhere and your parasol won’t protect you all the time you think it should.
Fun Factor: 2.5
If you’ve enjoyed the other games in the series, you’ll like this one too. It’s good for an hour distraction or so.
Overall Rating: 2.4
Parasol Stars earns a C+. I would probably have had more fun with a second player, but it’s not bad by any means.