Rainbow Islands - First Impressions

[Darran@Retro Gamer]

What did you think the first time you played it?

[RMLF]

Eurrgh! This isnt very good. What was all that about then?

[ipmarks]

Really did not like it... and still don't to be honest.
Love Bubble Bobble though, so that is a bit odd isn't it... I just can't get on with the way it looks... think I just prefer dinosaurs to cute kids.

[STranger81]

Being honest, my first impression was, "this is crap"

If ever I play it now I still think "this is crap"

Give me good old Bubble Bobble anyday!

[Bub&Bob]

My first impression - those cool dinosaurs look a bit gay

[Smurph]

Mine was 'Why isn't this as good as Bubble Bobble?' but then I gave it a chance, and it grew on me... A bit. It's still a poor sequel to Bubble Bobble, but taken on its own merits its a cool wee game.

[JennyTablina]

Ahh I remember playing the megadrive version for the first time

I started the first level and was enjoying making rainbows and traveling upwards, then suddenly things got faster, Rainbows didnt always get the baddies (leaving me very vulnerable if I ran out) and then got to the boss and died very quickly

I love cute colourful games but the bubble bobble series has always been consistent in mixing the design element I love with the tough-as-nails gameplay element that I tend to shy away from. Which is a shame, I really want to love Rainbow Islands and the other games but I just cant take the abuse it dishes out at me : (

[Timothy Lumsden]

feeling a bit sheepish, as the games seemed like it was for kids - then slowly, secretly starting to enjoy the colourful action.

[pottyboy]

A colourful looking title that looks like it could be as fun as Bubble Bobble. It isn't as fun as that, but it's still good.

[dwitefry]

Three letters - 'G' 'a' and 'y'

Then I realsied it was awesome

(I seem to be alone in this...)

MeX

[WildWillyWilson]

First impressions? This theme tune is catchy!

Oh and cant understand why it's getting so much stick, it's a bloody classic!

[NonShinyGoose]

I think I jumped on an enemy and died. Once I worked out that I had to trap the enemies under rainbows and then leap on the rainbow to kill them, I was hooked.

The music did quickly get annoying though.

[ShadowMan]

My first impression? "This is a fun game". Then I actually bothered getting the emeralds in each level and it become even more fun, sometimes frustrating and always challenging as I tried to get the last of the emeralds I was short on a level.
To this day though I think that damn Vampire boss at the end of level 3 is a complete bastard

[brandynigma]

Three letters - 'G' 'a' and 'y'

Then I realsied it was awesome

(I seem to be alone in this...)

MeX

Ah, but most gays are awesome, or so my boyfriend tells me.

Now, first impressions: I didn't play this game first time around. I knew about Bubble Bobble, of course, but not this one. Playing the Master System version for the first time now, it's easy to see why it's popular. The tunes are catchy, the graphics are sumptuous, and the mechanics interesting. On the surface, the gameplay has little to do with Bubble Bobble, but if you look deeper they share the same basic premise: shoot monster, collect spoils which fall from it, advance to next screen.

The formula is simple, as is the gameplay- but the game still provides a challenge. It's all too easy to be overconfident, and jump up into a falling tank, and the use of rainbows both as a weapon and a platform is highly inventive (and is still being used today- Cloud Mario, anyone).

My initial impression? I actually prefer this to Bubble Bobble, after just half an hour!

[woody.cool]

This is one of my favourite games of all time, so had to play this.

I decided to play this on the real systems, and played it on C64, Amstrad CPC, Spectrum and Amiga (oh and gave it a shot on MAME)
I prefer the Amiga version, as it's practically arcade perfect.
It's nice and colourful, with cutesy graphics and a catchy theme tune. What more can you ask for?
Definitely full of playability! I always keep going back to this time and time again.
Glad it's the "Let's All Play" this time around.

My initial impression? I actually prefer this to Bubble Bobble, after just half an hour!

Glad I'm not the only one! I've always preferred Rainbow Islands over Bubble Bobble.