Parasol Stars
Encyclopedia
is a video game by Taito
released in 1991. It is a sequel to Rainbow Islands
(see below paragraph). It is technically the third game in the Bubble Bobble
series.
- it was first released on the PC Engine
, and has been ported to a number of other home systems. Parasol Stars was misreported as being the third coin-op in the Bubble Bobble series by many magazines at the time, and there are rumours about prototypes for an arcade version, which now appear to be false; Taito has officially stated that an arcade game was never produced. Mick West (who was the programmer of the Game Boy version) stated that they ported the game directly from the PC Engine and that "no coin-op of the game exists".
The game was released in limited quantities in North America for the TurboGrafx-16
. The Game Boy
version was published by Ocean Software. The game was also planned for the Commodore 64
and the ZX Spectrum
but scrapped.
Parasol Stars was released in Europe for the NES
and Game Boy
.
, released in 1995. Bubble Memories is a prequel (given the "Memories" part of the name) to the 1994 game Bubble Symphony
, which was released as Bubble Bobble 2 in some countries. Nonetheless, Rainbow Islands
is indeed the sequel to the original Bubble Bobble
, even if it (Rainbow Islands) doesn't retain the same gameplay as the first game (similar to how Blaster
is the sequel to Robotron
even though both are completely different games), and since Bubble Memories was released years after Parasol Stars, this may be a retcon
in which Parasol Stars never happened, whereby after the events of Rainbow Islands, Bubby and Bobby (their human names) are once again transformed into Bubblun and Bobblun (their names as bubble dragons). It is also possible however, that Parasol Stars could be a side story
, or "gaiden" to the series occurring after Rainbow Islands, but before Bubble Memories.
The game takes place on a number of different planet
s, each with a distinct theme. There are ten rounds on each planet, and at the end of these rounds is a boss that must be defeated to progress to the next planet. There are eight main planets; however, in order to complete the game properly, the player must open a secret door on the final planet by collecting three of the Star
items - allowing access to 2 secret planets, themed around Bubble Bobble and Chack'n Pop
that are not initially visible on the main screen. Completing these two lead to the final boss, Chaostikhan (the one responsible for stealing color from the worlds, and supposedly the mastermind behind the previous game's villains) and the true ending.
The rounds are simple arrangements of platforms. On every round, droplets fall down from the ceiling and flow through the level. These are of strategic importance to the player.
The parasol is a multi-purpose device, it can block as a shield, stun enemies, capture droplets or hurl enemies. At many points it can be used as a parachute.
The parasol can hold more than one droplet at once; if five are held, they merge into a large droplet with a special power.
There are four different kinds of droplets, with a mostly elemental
theme. Some of them are inherited from Bubble Bobble.
Taito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
released in 1991. It is a sequel to Rainbow Islands
Rainbow Islands
is a 1987 arcade game developed and published by Taito. The game is subtitled "The Story of Bubble Bobble 2" and is the sequel to Taito's hit game Bubble Bobble from the previous year...
(see below paragraph). It is technically the third game in the Bubble Bobble
Bubble Bobble
is an arcade game by Taito, first released in 1986 and later ported to numerous home computers and game consoles. The game, starring the twin Bubble Dragons and , is an action-platform game in which players travel through one hundred different stages, blowing and bursting bubbles, avoiding...
series.
Straight to home systems
Unlike many of the other games in the series, this game was never released to arcadesArcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
- it was first released on the PC Engine
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
, and has been ported to a number of other home systems. Parasol Stars was misreported as being the third coin-op in the Bubble Bobble series by many magazines at the time, and there are rumours about prototypes for an arcade version, which now appear to be false; Taito has officially stated that an arcade game was never produced. Mick West (who was the programmer of the Game Boy version) stated that they ported the game directly from the PC Engine and that "no coin-op of the game exists".
The game was released in limited quantities in North America for the TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
. The Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
version was published by Ocean Software. The game was also planned for the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
but scrapped.
Parasol Stars was released in Europe for the NES
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
and Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
.
Relation to other games
The game's subtitle is The Story of Bubble Bobble III, which was also used as the subtitle for Bubble MemoriesBubble Memories
Bubble Memories is a video game by Taito released to arcades in 1995. It is the sequel to Bubble Symphony and is the fifth Bubble Bobble game...
, released in 1995. Bubble Memories is a prequel (given the "Memories" part of the name) to the 1994 game Bubble Symphony
Bubble Symphony
Bubble Symphony is an arcade video game in the Bubble Bobble series. While being a new Bubble Bobble for a new generation, in actuality it takes place after Parasol Stars....
, which was released as Bubble Bobble 2 in some countries. Nonetheless, Rainbow Islands
Rainbow Islands
is a 1987 arcade game developed and published by Taito. The game is subtitled "The Story of Bubble Bobble 2" and is the sequel to Taito's hit game Bubble Bobble from the previous year...
is indeed the sequel to the original Bubble Bobble
Bubble Bobble
is an arcade game by Taito, first released in 1986 and later ported to numerous home computers and game consoles. The game, starring the twin Bubble Dragons and , is an action-platform game in which players travel through one hundred different stages, blowing and bursting bubbles, avoiding...
, even if it (Rainbow Islands) doesn't retain the same gameplay as the first game (similar to how Blaster
Blaster (arcade game)
Blaster is an arcade game developed by Eugene Jarvis and released by Williams in 1983. The game is a 3d shooter set in outer space and is a quasi-sequel to Robotron: 2084. The objective is to shoot enemies and avoid obstacles in twenty differently-goaled levels in order to reach paradise...
is the sequel to Robotron
Robotron
VEB Kombinat Robotron was the biggest East German electronics manufacturer. It was based in Dresden and employed 68,000 people . It produced personal computers, SM EVM minicomputers, the ESER mainframe computers, several computer peripherals as well as home computers, radios and television...
even though both are completely different games), and since Bubble Memories was released years after Parasol Stars, this may be a retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
in which Parasol Stars never happened, whereby after the events of Rainbow Islands, Bubby and Bobby (their human names) are once again transformed into Bubblun and Bobblun (their names as bubble dragons). It is also possible however, that Parasol Stars could be a side story
Side story
A side story is a story that occurs alongside established stories set within a fictional universe. As opposed to a prequel, sequel, or interquel, a side story takes place within the same time frame as an existing work....
, or "gaiden" to the series occurring after Rainbow Islands, but before Bubble Memories.
Gameplay
Bubby and Bobby (the characters' human names) star once again as the main characters, retaining their human forms from Rainbow Islands. However, Parasol Stars is more of a take on Bubble Bobble than it is on Rainbow Islands.The game takes place on a number of different planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
s, each with a distinct theme. There are ten rounds on each planet, and at the end of these rounds is a boss that must be defeated to progress to the next planet. There are eight main planets; however, in order to complete the game properly, the player must open a secret door on the final planet by collecting three of the Star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
items - allowing access to 2 secret planets, themed around Bubble Bobble and Chack'n Pop
Chack'n Pop
is an arcade game released by Taito in 1983, considered to be an ancestor of Bubble Bobble due to the appearance of many similar enemies and Bubble Bobble's duplication of a Chack'n Pop level. The arcade rom set also contains unused graphics for the mechanical wind-up "Zen-Chan" that later appeared...
that are not initially visible on the main screen. Completing these two lead to the final boss, Chaostikhan (the one responsible for stealing color from the worlds, and supposedly the mastermind behind the previous game's villains) and the true ending.
The rounds are simple arrangements of platforms. On every round, droplets fall down from the ceiling and flow through the level. These are of strategic importance to the player.
Parasols
The player is armed with a parasol. While it is normally closed, the player can deploy it in two ways; either open in front of them, or open above the head.The parasol is a multi-purpose device, it can block as a shield, stun enemies, capture droplets or hurl enemies. At many points it can be used as a parachute.
Droplets
Almost every level has droplets which drip from points in the level. They fall under the influence of gravity and roll along the platforms within the screen. The player can capture these on their parasol and throw them at enemies.The parasol can hold more than one droplet at once; if five are held, they merge into a large droplet with a special power.
There are four different kinds of droplets, with a mostly elemental
Classical element
Many philosophies and worldviews have a set of classical elements believed to reflect the simplest essential parts and principles of which anything consists or upon which the constitution and fundamental powers of anything are based. Most frequently, classical elements refer to ancient beliefs...
theme. Some of them are inherited from Bubble Bobble.