Zogging Hell!!!

Rainbow Islands (Ocean 1989)

Most gamers have heard of Rainbow Islands, it's an absolute legend. The long awaited sequel to the fantastic Bubble Bobble, Rainbow Islands takes the cutesy thing to new levels. Although magazines in their retro sections usually say that the best conversions of this game were for the NES and the Amiga, the ST version can easily hold it's head up as being equal to the aforementioned, though this seemingly hasn't been noticed. As a slight diversion from the review; I'd have to say that the ST seems to have been forgotten about full stop, which is suprising since most of the pioneering 3D and evolution into 16bit games was started on this machine. Anyway, rant over, back to the review. O.K. Rainbow Islands is a platform game, you have to make your way up a series of 'islands' to safety on a bridge at the top. Safety from what? I hear you ask; well for starters there's a flood attempting to drown you. This rises up the level as time progresses and if you linger to long, you'll end up drowned. There's also a variety of 'cute' but deadly creatures trying to give you a good kicking.
So what do you have to defend yourself? er well you'd think that an automatic and a life raft would be useful, but instead your given a rather weedy rainbow. But wait, maybe it's actually quite useful. You see this rainbow can trap and kill creatures it touches. Plus you can stand on it for a short time and use it to reach islands that you can't normally reach. So there. There are bugger loads of levels and it's all very good. Chirpy tunes and pretty, colourful graphics abound. Control can sometimes be a bit over responsive but it's only a minor quibble.
So how does it compare to it's superb prequel, Bubble Bobble, and it's sequel Parasol Stars. Well personally, and I'm not entirely sure most people would support me on this one, I think it's the weakest of the three, if weakness is the word that is. It's still very good, but I prefer the beautiful simplicity of Bubble Bobble, and Parasol Stars plays slightly better. Rainbow Islands is however an outstanding platform game, and is head and shoulders above anything else on the ST (apart from BB and PS).

Zogging Hell Rating: 8/10

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Cheats

On the 1 or 2 players selection page, press '4' to start the game with five credits. On each intro screen type BLRBJSBJ to start the game with a pair of fast boots, RJSBJSBR gives permanent double rainbows, SSSLLRRS gives permanent fast rainbows, BJBJBJRS for Hint 'A', LJLSLBLS for Hint 'B', SJBLRJSR does nothing at all, LBSJRLJL for Book of Continues (Continue after Island Five), RRLLBBJS for All Hidden Food Becomes Money Bags, RRRRSBSJ for Does Both Of The Previous Two and SRBJSLSB gives you a 100 million points counter!