I’m always a sucker for these retro revival bundles that dig out games many of us either missed entirely or, in the case of one of the titles here, likely never played. Parasol Superstars falls into that category 100%.
Especially with the inclusion of the long-overlooked Spica Adventure, which is finally getting an official western release alongside Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III.
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Following the current trend of modern retro compilations, this is very much a celebration of the source arcade titles. Rather than stuffing in dozens of titles, Parasol Superstars focuses on just two games. Thankfully, both are packed with enough charm and joy to carry it off.
The main draw here is definitely Spica Adventure, which is in a lot of ways the definition of a hidden gem. It’s a little rougher around the edges mechanically, but there’s a lot of charm in its vibrant visuals and more experimental level design.
Parse Hole
A side-scrolling platformer developed by both Taito and Dreams and released to arcades in Japan in 2005. Though interestingly, it did start life originally as a mobile phone title back in 2003. The game was hence a Japan-only release for more than 20 years until this collection.
You can definitely see how it evolved from the same gameplay core of Parasol Stars, even if it never quite reaches its level.
Fresh Stars
Speaking of Parasol Stars, it feels surprisingly fresh 35 years on, thanks to its chaotic brand of co-op gameplay. In particular, the clever use of the parasol mechanic as both weapon and shield is superb.
A 1991 platformer developed by Taito for the TurboGrafx-16 originally before being ported to Amiga, Atari ST, Game Boy and NES, Parasol Stars also sits as the sequel to 1987’s Rainbow Islands.
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There’s something very wonderfully old-school about how it all feels. Enemies swarm the screen, power-ups bounce everywhere, and before long the whole thing descends into an assault of colour. It captures that “just one more go” feeling, especially when playing with a mate locally.
Polished Pair of Pickled Peppers
Visually, Parasol Superstars is a very polished package overall. Both games have been cleaned up and sharpened for modern platforms. They come complete with display filters, save states, rewinds and cheat menus. There are also some other quality-of-life additions that make these classic titles much easier to enjoy today.
Also worth noting is that you can buy both games separately if you want to. However, you do get a few bob off for the bundle.
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That said, it’s worth bearing in mind these are arcade games from a different era. Repetition does creep in. And newcomers may find the gameplay loops a little simplistic compared to modern platformers, with Spica Adventure feeling the most uneven at times.
Parasol Superstars delivers a truly colourful little slice of arcade history that has been brought back with care, accessibility in mind, and love for its source material.
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