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Rainbow Islands

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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[]

Bosses[]

Locations[]

Items[]

Main article: List of items in Rainbow Islands

Special Items[]

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.
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