Rainbow Islands | (LS) (NES)

Rainbow Islands is a side-scrolling arcade-style platformer on the NES where players control Bubby as he ascends vertical stages by creating rainbows to defeat enemies and form temporary platforms. The story continues the Bubble Bobble universe, shifting from single-screen gameplay into upward-scrolling island climbs filled with hazards, enemies, and collectibles. Each level is structured around reaching the top while managing limited space and rising pressure.

Gameplay revolves around shooting rainbows that serve two purposes: defeating enemies by trapping them and creating stepping platforms to climb higher. Players must time jumps carefully while building rainbow paths, since these platforms disappear after a short duration. Items, hidden bonuses, and enemy chains contribute to scoring and add risk-reward decisions during ascent.

This game builds momentum by constantly pushing upward movement, where every rainbow placed changes both navigation options and survival routes. by tying offense and traversal into the same mechanic, it forces players to think about placement rather than just elimination. with increasing enemy density and tighter vertical layouts, progression becomes a balance between speed and precision. because of that structure, each stage feels like a controlled climb where one mistimed rainbow can reshape the entire route.