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Mento

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Octurbo: Parasol Stars

By Mento 0 Comments

Hey everyone, it's my birthday! Now you might think I have better things to do today than to write another TG-16 blog, but nothing stops Octurbo consarnit. It is a special day, though, so I'm going to play something I didn't really need to cover but feel like doing so anyway: Taito's Parasol Stars, the third game in the Bubble Bobble/Rainbow Island trilogy.

Parasol Stars is easily the best game I've played yet for this feature, but then that's no surprise given its pedigree. It also happens to be the first game for this feature that I'd already played to death years ago, so I'm not exactly breaking new ground either. The story simply involves erstwhile bubble dinosaurs Bub and Bob travelling from themed planet to themed planet to take care of hordes of adorable creatures, armed with only their parasols and their uncanny control over the forces of nature. It's very much a return to the Bubble Bobble formula after the mechanically disparate Rainbow Islands. It's also got some of the catchiest music (that boss theme sounds suspiciously like the Lambada).

Umbrella Corporation

Welcome to Parasol Stars! I seem to recall seeing this title screen state
Welcome to Parasol Stars! I seem to recall seeing this title screen state "The Story of Rainbow Islands II". Maybe it's different between regions?
In a manner reminiscent of Kirby, Bub flies across the busy cosmos to wherever he's needed. Looks like Music Planet is first up. It's kind of cute that the planet I depart from appears to be where Rainbow Islands was set.
In a manner reminiscent of Kirby, Bub flies across the busy cosmos to wherever he's needed. Looks like Music Planet is first up. It's kind of cute that the planet I depart from appears to be where Rainbow Islands was set.
Stage 1 puts us up against some nasty castanets, but I'm armed with my indomitable golfing umbrella. It has two modes, and this defensive forward option is the first. Any enemies that walk into it will find themselves stunned temporarily and vulnerable to getting flung around.
Stage 1 puts us up against some nasty castanets, but I'm armed with my indomitable golfing umbrella. It has two modes, and this defensive forward option is the first. Any enemies that walk into it will find themselves stunned temporarily and vulnerable to getting flung around.
I can also hold it straight up, which is key to several of the deeper mechanics of the game, as well as a means of shielding myself from enemies dropping down from above.
I can also hold it straight up, which is key to several of the deeper mechanics of the game, as well as a means of shielding myself from enemies dropping down from above.
Lastly, and what is probably the most obvious technique when armed with an umbrella in a cartoon universe, I can use it to gently float to the bottom of the screen with some degree of horizontal movement.
Lastly, and what is probably the most obvious technique when armed with an umbrella in a cartoon universe, I can use it to gently float to the bottom of the screen with some degree of horizontal movement.
The piano here ought to be the first target, since it spawns enemies. Fortunately this stage introduces water drops, which'll make things easier.
The piano here ought to be the first target, since it spawns enemies. Fortunately this stage introduces water drops, which'll make things easier.
When in the upright position, the parasol can collect water drops and let them build into these giant bubbles...
When in the upright position, the parasol can collect water drops and let them build into these giant bubbles...
...which then create these streams that instantly kill every enemy caught in its deluge. Water bubbles were in Bubble Bobble too, of course, but you have to work a little harder to unleash their screen-clearing powers in this game.
...which then create these streams that instantly kill every enemy caught in its deluge. Water bubbles were in Bubble Bobble too, of course, but you have to work a little harder to unleash their screen-clearing powers in this game.
As is customary for any Bubble Bobble game, the screen fills with fruits and desserts whenever it is cleared of enemies, and you have a short amount of time to frantically run around and devour it all before getting swept along to the next stage. No wonder Bub and Bob never seem to lose any weight.
As is customary for any Bubble Bobble game, the screen fills with fruits and desserts whenever it is cleared of enemies, and you have a short amount of time to frantically run around and devour it all before getting swept along to the next stage. No wonder Bub and Bob never seem to lose any weight.
The game gets very overt with its water torrent mechanic in this level, as it's practically suicide to try and jump into that mess of triangles in the middle. There's so much water pouring in from above, though, that it's easy for slower players (even the average YouTube LPer) to make the connection and flush them out. Remember when we had good game design as our tutorials? I'm starting to sound like Egoraptor.
The game gets very overt with its water torrent mechanic in this level, as it's practically suicide to try and jump into that mess of triangles in the middle. There's so much water pouring in from above, though, that it's easy for slower players (even the average YouTube LPer) to make the connection and flush them out. Remember when we had good game design as our tutorials? I'm starting to sound like Egoraptor.
The first boss looks like it came right out of Parodius, with a full assortment of instruments and a little dancing couple on top. We have a special weapon for this fight: the lightning in a bottle.
The first boss looks like it came right out of Parodius, with a full assortment of instruments and a little dancing couple on top. We have a special weapon for this fight: the lightning in a bottle.
Lightning bubbles can be collected and built up in the same manner as water bubbles, but instead shoot a devastating lighting bolt across the screen. The power of the bottle means I can simply hold the umbrella up and lightning bubbles will magically appear over it.
Lightning bubbles can be collected and built up in the same manner as water bubbles, but instead shoot a devastating lighting bolt across the screen. The power of the bottle means I can simply hold the umbrella up and lightning bubbles will magically appear over it.
Anyway, doesn't take long to defeat this guy with the power of Zeus on one's side. The early bosses aren't the brutal wake-up calls they were in Rainbow Islands, but they'll eventually get more challenging.
Anyway, doesn't take long to defeat this guy with the power of Zeus on one's side. The early bosses aren't the brutal wake-up calls they were in Rainbow Islands, but they'll eventually get more challenging.
I think I'm getting Type II Diabetes just looking at this screen, good lord.
I think I'm getting Type II Diabetes just looking at this screen, good lord.
My work done, I ride my mystical spacefaring parasol to the next world in peril: Forest World.
My work done, I ride my mystical spacefaring parasol to the next world in peril: Forest World.
I don't even know what the hell these things are. Lions? Hamsters?
I don't even know what the hell these things are. Lions? Hamsters?
Did I mention this game was completely insane?
Did I mention this game was completely insane?
I find one of the well-hidden miracle icons on this stage, the equivalent of the big gemstones from Rainbow Islands, and everything kind of explodes and turns into high score items. I never did figure out how to make these miracle items appear back in the day, but then I didn't exactly have GameFAQs handy in 1992.
I find one of the well-hidden miracle icons on this stage, the equivalent of the big gemstones from Rainbow Islands, and everything kind of explodes and turns into high score items. I never did figure out how to make these miracle items appear back in the day, but then I didn't exactly have GameFAQs handy in 1992.
Lightning bubbles really make things a lot easier, goddamn. These adorable pink lion monsters didn't know what hit them. (It was lightning. Lightning hit them.)
Lightning bubbles really make things a lot easier, goddamn. These adorable pink lion monsters didn't know what hit them. (It was lightning. Lightning hit them.)
Cabbage Parrot here is our next boss. It just looks like a bird-eating fern to me. Either way, we have a new bottle item to help us out.
Cabbage Parrot here is our next boss. It just looks like a bird-eating fern to me. Either way, we have a new bottle item to help us out.
Fire works similarly to the holy water of Castlevania, in that they create little flames around you that you just... have to kind of hope the enemy stumbles into.
Fire works similarly to the holy water of Castlevania, in that they create little flames around you that you just... have to kind of hope the enemy stumbles into.
Thankfully, these horrifying half-flora/half-fauna hybrids aren't the brightest bulbs in the aviary. Wait... what? Never mind, can't think about that simile now - I've got to eat an eclair that's twice my size.
Thankfully, these horrifying half-flora/half-fauna hybrids aren't the brightest bulbs in the aviary. Wait... what? Never mind, can't think about that simile now - I've got to eat an eclair that's twice my size.
I think at this point I'm ready to draw this to a close, as much as I want to keep playing.
I think at this point I'm ready to draw this to a close, as much as I want to keep playing.
I think a few sharp-dressed penguins and snorkeling plesiosaurs is a good note to end on.
I think a few sharp-dressed penguins and snorkeling plesiosaurs is a good note to end on.

Parasol Stars takes the addictive puzzle-platformer template of Bubble Bobble and builds on it, with more worlds, enemies, power-ups and secrets. Proper parasol prowess is paramount, so it's not an easy game, but there's less opportunities to really screw yourself over like there are in Bubble Bobble and its mean little traps. Bubble Bobble is rightly regarded as a classic, but it's worth remembering that its sequels are no slouches either.

Anyway, enough self-indulgence for today (though, really, I think that's acceptable behavior on one's anniversary of existence). Back to the obscure and the mediocre for the last week of October, methinks.

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