Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III

1991 · Platformer · TurboGrafx-16

Overview

Parasol Stars is the third entry in the Bubble Bobble series, following Bub and Bob as they wield magical parasols to collect water drops and defeat enemies across colourful single-screen stages. The game blends the puzzle-platformer DNA of Bubble Bobble with new mechanics enabled by the parasol weapon, creating one of the most charming platformers on the TurboGrafx-16.

Deep Dive

Parasol Stars continued the Bubble Bobble lineage — colourful single-screen stages, cooperative two-player play, defeating enemies by trapping or hitting them before collecting the items they leave behind — while replacing the bubble-blowing mechanic with parasol-based combat. Bub and Bob could use the parasol to collect raindrops falling from above, then hurl the charged water at enemies. Different liquid types — stars, fire, flowers, and more — were collected by catching different coloured drops, each with different attack properties and point values. The level structure followed the Bubble Bobble template: one hundred stages of increasing difficulty, each presenting a spatial puzzle about how to efficiently eliminate all enemies while maximising the point multiplier for chain kills. Secret items hidden in each stage encouraged exploration and rewarded players who memorised stage layouts across multiple playthroughs. The two-player cooperative mode retained the charming character interaction — players could assist each other or accidentally get in each other's way — that had made Bubble Bobble a social gaming staple. Parasol Stars is considered among the finest games on the TurboGrafx-16 and one of Taito's strongest franchise entries of the 16-bit era. The game's combination of accessible mechanics, deep optimisation potential, and cooperative play gave it exceptional longevity. It is frequently cited alongside Rainbow Islands as one of the best Bubble Bobble sequels, and its 100-stage structure has been completed by dedicated players in under an hour through precise play.

Developer Story

Parasol Stars was developed by Taito as the third game in the Bubble Bobble series, following Rainbow Islands. Bub and Bob use magic parasols to catch and throw enemies and water droplets, and it was later converted to the Amiga, Atari ST and Game Boy.

Did You Know?

Parasol Stars is officially subtitled 'The Story of Bubble Bobble III,' making it the direct sequel to Rainbow Islands (Bubble Bobble II) in Taito's internal franchise numbering.
Parasol Stars was initially planned as a PC Engine exclusive and was later ported to the Amiga, Atari ST, and Game Boy, but the TurboGrafx-16 version is consistently regarded as the definitive version.