Product Info

Platform

Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One

Publisher

ININ Games

Developer

TAITO

Series

Bubble Bobble

Genre

Adventure, Arcade, Platform, Puzzle

Players

1-2

File Size (Minimum)

79 MB

Release Date (NA)

Jul 11, 2024

Purchase From

eShop

PSN Store

Microsoft Store

Official Store

Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III is a fun, retro title that deserves a spot in your gaming lineup.

Umbrella Power!

The third entry of the Bubble Bobble series and sequel to Rainbow Islands, Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III originally released on the PC Engine in 1991. Finally making an appearance on modern consoles, Bubby and Bobby, in their human forms, travel to their neighboring planets to extinguish the evil that’s been terrorizing the universe, with the help of their powerful parasols.

Instead of bubbles, Bubby and Bobby use parasols that contain magical powers. These parasols not only shield attacks from enemy projectiles but can also be picked up and flung across the stage. Additionally, you can use orbs, such as lightning bolts, fire, or water orbs, to attack. Spread across a stage, these can be picked up with your parasol to take out enemies. For a powered-up version, carry at least one orb and float down without touching a platform. This causes the orbs to multiply and then generates a large orb. This big version is used to take out larger enemies and damage bosses.

Levels are designed differently. There are eight planets to explore and two secret levels that need saving. On each planet, there are several stages to go through before you’re up against the boss.

Boss stages are in a contained area with various level designs for players to maneuver around. Each boss fills a large portion of the stage and slowly moves towards the player while shooting projectiles. Attack patterns vary between bosses but all require players to pick up power-up attacks to throw at them. These powers are dropped in the stage and players will need to pick them up to throw large orbs. Few of the game’s stages are tougher than the boss fights themselves.

It’s a fun, short title for you and a friend to go through in co-op. Players can pick up their partner and throw them across the stage, so work together or not. If things are feeling too difficult, you can use the game’s cheat mode to increase continues, become invisible, double jump, and more. However, playing in the Arcade Mode won’t let you use cheats other than the 99 continues. Trophy and achievement hunters will have to play through the Arcade Mode to earn those awards. Online leaderboards are available for solo and co-op playthrough. That said, if you turn on the cheats, your score won’t be recorded. 

Pixel Cleanup

For a game published in the early ‘90s, the game looks clean and crisp on modern screens. For those wanting a more authentic look, the options menu offers filters to give the game a closer resemblance to the tube television screens. The soundtrack is brought over intact from the original, retaining its fun and upbeat scores. It definitely gives off that classic arcade vibe.

Parasol Stars does have some quality-of-life improvements. You can create saves during playthroughs for those times when you need a break and don’t want to start over. Rewinding was also added to this release, giving you the option to avoid mistakes. Button remapping is also available for those who need to adjust the game’s control setup.

With all the options to play, it’s unfortunate that the game doesn’t have a gallery of artwork or a playable version of the Game Boy and NES editions like the Felix the Cat game does. Scans of the game’s original cover, illustrations, sketches, and more would be nice to have. Still, for $9.99 USD, it’s a fair price for what the game offers.

The Final Parasol

Whether you are a veteran to the Bubble Bobble series or a newcomer, Parasol Stars is a classic title that’s fun for all to enjoy. Grab your parasol and jump in.

A PlayStation 5 review code provided for this review.