Rainbow Islands

"Very fun hop'n'bopper"

Rainbow Islands is the sequel to Bubble Bobble. It is similar to the game in a few respects, but in others it's very different. In Bubble Bobble, you used bubbles to trap opponents and either kill or ride them. In Rainbow Islands, your character, Bubby, is able to produce rainbows which he uses to destroy enemies, reach items and climb platforms. The perfection of using your rainbows is the key to the game. You can shoot an enemy with a rainbow, create a rainbow above the enemy and then jump on it, also killing him, you can make a stairway of rainbows to reach a high platform that would otherwise be unreachable, as well as reaching items, and they are your weapon against bosses. The game has plenty of levels, albeit none of them very long, and each one progresses in a vertical climb.

Graphics: 7/10

Some of the brightest on the NES, but not some of the best. Characters are small and items are sometimes hard to distinguish. The game has a very cartoony feel, much the same as Bubble Bobble.

Sound: 7/10

Very cutesy. Sound effects are plentiful. The music may be too cutesy for some tastes.

Gameplay: 7/10

The idea of using the rainbows for everything is unique, and it works well in the game. Despite having the appearance of a kid's game, in the higher levels the game gets extremely difficult, especially when you consider that Bubby is killed in only one hit. The enemies lack intelligence for the most part. The various items are a plus. The bosses are not overly difficult. The game can be frustrating at times.

Replay: 6/10

I don't think there are any clear reasons to play it again, though the game is pretty fun. Some other contest using the rainbows would have been nice.

Overall: 8/10

A solid game. It has an overall kiddie feel, but it can really be played by anyone. I recommend you give it a try, especially if you liked Bubble Bobble, because at heart, the style of the two games is very similar.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 11/01/99