Bubby and Bobby Finally Glide Back into Action After 33 Years with Parasol Stars July 11

Grab your fanciest parasols and prepare to save the galaxy from an invasion of cute but deadly monsters!

Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III is the third installment of the renowned Taito franchise, Bubble Bobble. It continues the story in Rainbow Islands as its direct sequel, becoming a household name for the most bubbly Bubble Bobble fans. First released in 1991 on PC Engine, Parasol Stars was then ported to a few third gen consoles like Atari ST, Amiga, GameBoy and Nintendo Entertainment System… until finally making its way to modern Xbox consoles.

In this final chapter of the rainbow trilogy, heroic brothers, Bubby and Bobby, set out on a quest to save the galaxy from the clutches of evil! Chaostikhan, the main antagonist, has wrought havoc on the galaxy, stealing color from all the neighboring planets. Play as Bubby and Bobby (also known as our favorite loveable dragons, Bub and Bob, but human) and jump and glide throughout the universe armed with magic parasols, collecting items, propelling enemies and restoring color one planet at a time. 

This faithful Xbox port features everything you once loved about the game. A beautifully colorful array of enemies, bountiful power-ups and dazzling parasols with magic powers, while also incorporating a few quality-of-life options to improve the gaming experience.

Go at it alone or grab a friend for some old-fashioned couch co-op action! Hop around from planet to planet and beat all seven rounds of each of the eight base worlds! And surprise! Two additional secret worlds can be unlocked to face Chaostikhan himself and reach the true ending of the game. 

Well? What are you waiting for? Everyone’s counting on you to bring back color to the galaxy!

Check out Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III, available for pre-order now, and releasing on July 11, 2024.

Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III

United Games Entertainment GmbH

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$9.99

Pre-order

The legendary bubble dragons Bub and Bob are back… in human form!? In this critically acclaimed Taito classic, available on modern consoles for the first time, the now-transformed Bubby and Bobby embark on a mission to save their neighboring planets. But this time, instead of blowing bubbles, our favorite duo swings colorful parasols filled with magical powers. Use parasols as a shield against enemy projectiles or to stun, pick up and throw foes as projectiles themselves! Parasol Stars released in 1991 as the sequel to Rainbow Islands, marks the third installment in Taito's massively successful Bubble Bobble series of action platformers and has lost none of its colorful charm throughout the years. High-score hunters can rejoice because just like in the bubble-filled predecessor skillful play will quickly fill the levels with sweet and fruity collectibles that can be gathered to climb the leaderboard. Look out for a variety of pick-ups to be found granting you all sorts of special powers from bouncing energy balls to screen-clearing magic. Play on your own or bring a friend and take on the challenging levels together! Just like using enemies as projectiles, flinging your buddy against the enemies could be a good strategy. But be careful, as you won't only stun the enemy you hit but your buddy-turned projectile as well. In the 2-player co-op mode, tactical teamwork is key to clearing the levels and getting the highest scores. Parasol Stars is a retro gem brought back for modern consoles whose bright and beautifully crafted worlds will draw you in, and its simple but addictive 1- or 2-player gameplay will make you want to come back again and again to reach the top of the leaderboard.