Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III Reviews
A superb, crisp version of the arcade classic with plenty of replayability and tonnes of secrets to uncover. An absolute must for fans who want to complete the trilogy.
Parasol Stars is still a fun and colourful platform game, an heirloom from a simpler and more innocent era that is worth preserving. The low price and online leaderboards are a good incentive to embark on this journey into the past, minus a somewhat lazy and gritty adaptation.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Though some extras would've been beneficial, Parasol Stars is a likable release in many ways. It's straightforward fun yet still offers plenty of excitement as you find secret doors, the "Hurry" message appears, and more. Bubble Bobble fans will want to scoop up this "third" entry, as will fans of quarter munchers, even if this classic skipped the arcades for the home console realm.
A fantastic modern port of a criminally overlooked classic.
Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III is a must-play for any fan of arcade-style retro games, especially those who love co-op.
Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III is the third and rather sweaty game in TAITO's popular platform game series.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Still, when you’re dealing with one of the best Hucard games on the entire console, the only thing that gets in the way comes from the price being a bit steeper than a VC title on the Wii would have been. For the leaderboards, I still think that Parasol Stars is a pretty great deal, and an absolute gem worth playing for score again and again, especially if you bring a friend along.
Whether you are a veteran to the Bubble Bobble series or a newcomer, Parasol Stars is a classic title that’s fun for all to enjoy. Grab your parasol and jump in.
Parasol Stars is a fantastic, single screen game that challenges while it charms. Easy to learn but hard to put down, this game is what classic gaming is all about.
Parasol Stars is a hidden gem in both the Bubble Bobble franchise and the PC Engine library. It boasts lovely graphics, high replay value, and a surprisingly deep scoring system. Its only drawbacks: a short running time, two-player multiplayer that can feel clumsy at times, and a nasty bug unique to this modern port. Once the patch is live, definitely consider picking this one up.
Overall, this is easily the best way to enjoy Parasol Stars on modern systems. For me, it’s probably not the strongest game in the Bubble Bobble trilogy. But in no way dismisses all the elements this game gets right. It is an upbeat action arcade game that you can enjoy alone or with a loved one. An art style that explodes positivity. And, of course, a few quality-of-life improvements to make this version of the game welcoming to old and new fans alike. If it’s raining outside, consider your next retro gaming session sorted.