This article is about the game. For the island chain in which the game takes place, see Rainbow Islands (location).
Rainbow Islands (レインボーアイランド Reinbō Airando?), subtitled The Story of Bubble Bobble 2, is an arcade game developed by Taito, released in 1987. It serves as a sequel to Bubble Bobble starring Bubby and Bobby, the human forms of the first game's protagonists, Bub and Bob. The brothers must rescue the denizens of the Rainbow Islands, who have been imprisoned and turned into Bubble Dragons by an evil villain. As opposed to Bubble Bobble, where enemies were trapped in bubbles, to defeat enemies in Rainbow Islands the player must shoot rainbows at them.
Like Bubble Bobble, Rainbow Islands recieved a number of ports to other consoles. A series of ports for various models of home computer were developed by Ocean Software primarily for the European market. A version for the Nintendo Entertainment System was developed by Disco, an in-house subsidiary of Taito, and released in 1988, one year after the release of the arcade game. This version contains fewer levels, but adds additional cutscenes and a new island based on KiKi KaiKai. A conversion of this version was later produced for the SEGA Master System by ITL. Ocean Software would additionally produce a different port for the NES that was a more direct conversion of the arcade title.
A more arcade-accurate conversion was later released for the Turbografx-16. Additionally, an updated version of the game called Rainbow Islands Extra (レインボーアイランド エキストラ Reinbō Airando Ekisutora?) was released for the SEGA Mega Drive exclusively in Japan, featuring a new "Extra Mode" that functions similarly to the Super Mode from the original Bubble Bobble.
A version of the game for the Game Boy Color was developed by Dreams and released exclusively in Europe in 2001 that features overhauled visuals, cutscenes, and all eleven islands from the different versions of the game. A Japanese release published by Altron was advertised, but never materialized.
Gameplay[]
The player controls Bubby or Bobby, who must make it to the top of the stage. Bubby and Bobby have the ability to shoot rainbows, which can defeat enemies, collect items, and act as platforms. Bubby and Bobby can collect power ups that allow them to shoot rainbows faster, increase their speed, or to increase the number of rainbows they shoot. If the player takes too long to clear the stage, the sea level begins to rise. If Bubby or Bobby touch the water, they will lose a life. After reaching the top of the stage, Bubby and Bobby move on to the next one.
There are 10 islands in total, each with their own different theme. Each island features four levels with a boss at the end of the fourth one. The last three islands are not available at the start, they must be unlocked by collecting the seven big diamonds which are only obtained by collecting the seven small diamonds which are dropped by enemies. Enemies will drop diamonds if a rainbow is dropped upon them, or if they are defeated by using certain items.
After collecting the seven big diamonds, Bubby and Bobby may continue on to the secret islands, all of which are themed after other Taito games. To achieve the best ending possible, Bubby and Bobby must collect seven more diamonds on each island, which will make the boss drop one of three mirrors. After clearing the remaining islands, Bubby and Bobby will face off against the Master of Darkness, who is a giant armored Bubble Dragon. After being hit enough times, the Master of Darkness reveals his true form: a giant Skel-Monsta. After destroying the Baron, Bubby and Bobby use the gems and the mirrors to transform the villagers of the Rainbow Islands back to their human forms.
Story[]
Bubby and Bobby set off to rescue the inhabitants of the Rainbow Islands, who have been turned into Bubble Dragons by the evil Master of Darkness. They must collect the big gems and mirrors on the ten Rainbow Islands and defeat the Master of Darkness to return the islanders to normal.
Endings[]
Like Bubble Bobble, Rainbow Islands features multiple endings depending on how the player completes the game. To get the true ending, the player must collect all seven big diamonds and all three mirrors.
Bad Ending[]
- If Bubby does not collect all seven big diamonds, he discovers a large treasure pile after defeating Super Gargoyle. The game then displays this message:
CONGRATULATIONS!
THE ADVENTURE ON THE RAINBOW ISLANDS
IS OVER! AND YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED IN
GETTING A LOT OF TREASURES!
THE PURPOSE HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.....
BUT JUST THEN, THE HEAP OF TREASURES
BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN! "WHAT'S THIS?"
IT IS A LETTER FROM THE PEOPLE IN
THE RAINBOW ISLANDS ASKING FOR HELP!
WE WERE CAPTURED BY
"THE BOSS OF SHADOW"
WHO TURNED MANY PEOPLE
INTO THE BUBBLE DRAGONS!
IF YOU GET THE 7 BIG DIAMONDS
OF THE 7 ISLANDS,
THE SECRET ISLANDS WILL
COME UP TO THE SURFACE!!
HE LIVES IN THERE!!
PLEASE! PLEASE! HELP!!
Good Ending[]
- If Bubby collects the seven big diamonds but does not collect the mirrors, the Master of Darkness is destroyed. If the player manages to defeat the Master of Darkness in one hit by collecting every one of the items in the game's secret rooms, the Super Skel-Monsta says this:
WHAT STRENGTH!!
BUT DON'T FORGET THERE ARE MANY MONSTERS
LIKE ME ALL OVER THE WORLD.
Bubby opens the chest dropped by the Master of Darkness, and obtains the crystal rod inside. The room floods with blood, and Bubby must jump up to the villagers' cells. Bubby is shown using the diamonds to unlock the captured villagers. They exit their cages, and a message plays:
THE JAILS HAVE BEEN OPENED!
"THANK YOU VERY MUCH! BUT...
WE ARE STILL BUBBLE DRAGONS YET."
"TO RETURN US TO HUMAN FORM,
IT IS NECESSARY TO GET 3 MAGICAL
MIRRORS... SO WE HEARD!
"PLEASE FIND THE 7 LITTLE
DIAMONDS TO GET THE MIRRORS OF THE
SECRET ISLANDS!............"
True Ending[]
- If Bubby collects all seven diamonds and the first two mirrors, the Master of Darkness is destroyed and displays the same message as in the good ending, but he drops a golden mirror as well as the crystal rod. Bubby uses the diamonds to unlock the villagers' cells, like before, but a beam of light comes down from the sky and reflects off of the three mirrors to create seven rainbow colored beams. The villagers turn back to human, and a message congratulates Bubby:
THE BOSS OF SHADOW, "SUPER SKULL
MONSTA" WAS RUINED!
SO, THE FINAL WAR WAS OVER!
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT HE
INTENDED TO TURN THEM INTO HIS
FOLLOWERS TAKING A LONG TIME.
BUT, THE BLACK MAGIC OF "BUBBLE
DRAGON" HAS PERISHED NOW!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BUBBY!!
AT LAST, THE PEACE CAME BACK TO
THIS WORLD THANKS TO YOUR BRAVE
ACT!! WE SHALL NEVER FORGET
YOUR ACHIEVEMENT FOREVER,
THANK YOU!!!...
Characters[]
Playable characters[]
Non-playable characters[]
- Sally (NES and Master System versions only)
- Knight (NES and Master System versions only)
- Sayo-chan (NES and Master System versions only)
- Grandpa (NES and Master System versions only)
- Anchor (NES and Master System versions only)
- Cutey Cutey (NES and Master System versions only)
- President (Game Boy Color version only)
- Ptolemy (Cameo, Game Boy Color version only)
- Miki-chan (Cameo, Game Boy Color version only)
Enemies[]
- Weepy
- Nanabo
- Bunta
- Kumonga
- Minosuke
- Kurobe
- Heli-Boh
- Bomby
- Tru-san
- Mammet
- Canno
- Tochka
- Bat
- Wolfman
- Franken
- Dracula
- Skeleton
- Ghost
- Dokuron (NES and Master System versions only)
- Skull Bone (NES and Master System versions only)
- Water Gun
- Punchman
- Skull Ball
- Magic Hand
- Pierron
- Othello Piece
- Marionette
- Forgot
- Mechanimal
- Slander
- Opopo
- Bon
- Energy Ball
- Spannern
- Nutton
- Nejibo
- Isaac'n
- Isaac'n Head
- Borot
- Missile Pod (NES and Master System versions only)
- Slime
- Ghoston
- Cyclops
- Gargoyle
- Silver Knight
- Gold Knight
- Kobold Knight
- Orc
- Wizard
- Cleric
- Golem
- Wraith
- Worm
- Nouko V15
- Benser G21
- Jitsumi P19
- Soid
- Chlodride
- Rawagasu Z17
- Dachima U11
- Milarze
- Tabashi Y12 (NES and Master System versions only)
- Puka Puka (NES, Master System, and Game Boy Color versions only)
- Kasabe (NES, Master System, and Game Boy Color versions only)
- Bake Chouchin (NES, Master System, and Game Boy Color versions only)
- Rin Rin (NES, Master System, and Game Boy Color versions only)
- Tousenbou (NES, Master System, and Game Boy Color versions only)
- Bake Uri (NES, Master System, and Game Boy Color versions only)
- Ogei-chan (NES, Master System, and Game Boy Color versions only)
- Onibi (NES, Master System, and Game Boy Color versions only)
- Minoji (NES, Master System, and Game Boy Color versions only)
- Hashiritai (Game Boy Color version only)
- Otama (Game Boy Color version only)
- Zen-chan
- Maita
- Monsta
- Pulpul
- Banebou
- Hidegons
- Drunk
- Invader
Bosses[]
- Super Kumonga
- Super Heli-Boh
- Super Dracula
- Super Pierron
- Doh
- Super Isaac'n
- Super Gargoyle
- Horned
- Electric Fan
- King Fossil (NES and Master System versions only)
- Manuke (NES and Master System versions only)
- Master of Darkness
- Super Skel-Monsta
Locations[]
- Rainbow Islands
- Insect Island
- Combat Island
- Monster Island
- Toy Island
- Doh's Island
- Robot Island
- Dragon Island
- Magical Island
- Darius Island
- KiKi KaiKai Island (NES, Master System, and Game Boy Color versions only)
- Bubble Island
Items[]
- Main article: List of items in Rainbow Islands
Special Items[]
- Diamond (Red)
- Diamond (Orange)
- Diamond (Yellow)
- Diamond (Green)
- Diamond (Blue)
- Diamond (Indigo)
- Diamond (Purple)
- Blue Tiara
- Green Tiara
- Red Tiara
- Copper Rod
- Silver Rod
- Gold Rod
- Balloon
- Drug of Rainbow
- Crystal Ball
- Bell
- Clock
- Magical Mantle
- Star Rod
- Yellow Star
- Red Star
- Rainbow Necklace
- Magic Pot (Red)
- Magic Pot (Yellow)
- Book of Wing
- Scroll
- Magic Wand (Red)
- Magic Wand (Orange)
- Magic Wand (Yellow)
- Magic Wand (Green)
- Magic Wand (Blue)
- Magic Wand (Indigo)
- Magic Wand (Purple)
- Shoes
- Crystal Ring
- Amethyst Ring
- Ruby Ring
- Lamp (Yellow)
- Lamp (Blue)
- Lamp (Red)
- Cross of Rainbow
- Cross of Thunder
- Rainbow Pentagram
- Holy Comet
- Peacock Feather
- Holy Cup
- Holy Water (Red)
- Holy Water (Orange)
- Holy Water (Yellow)
- Holy Water (Green)
- Holy Water (Blue)
- Holy Water (Indigo)
- Holy Water (Purple)
- Rainbow Special
- Big Diamond (Red)
- Big Diamond (Orange)
- Big Diamond (Yellow)
- Big Diamond (Green)
- Big Diamond (Blue)
- Big Diamond (Indigo)
- Big Diamond (Purple)
- Big Mirror (Copper)
- Big Mirror (Silver)
- Big Mirror (Gold)
- Gold Shoes
- Red Pot (Big)
- Yellow Pot (Big)
- Book of Wing (Big)
- Gold Door
- Peacock Feather (Big)
- Book of Continue
- Big Gold Coin
- Wave
- Silver Door
- Diamond Rod
Trivia[]
- The Game Boy Color version of Rainbow Islands utilizes the background music from Bubble Bobble during gameplay, as opposed to the theme heard in other versions of the game.