The two Bubble Bobble sequels

[Immutable]

Can someone explain why Taito decided to release "Bubble Bobble Part 2" and "Rainbow Islands - the Story of Bubble Bobble 2" when they both reference themselves as competing sequels for the same game?

[SparTonberry]

You forgot Bubble Symphony, the third "Bubble Bobble II" (as it was released in Europe).

[Bloodreign]

Rainbow Islands is Bubble Bobble's true sequel, Symphony took place far later and it was the children of Bub and Bob. BB Part 2 NES is supposed to be a sequel to Rainbow Islands. When the Rainbow Islands true last boss is defeated, I believe I have read that he split into 3 smaller skels monstas. Those skels monstas became the last boss for Bubble Bobble Part 2 once you beat them and they turn back into one Skel Monsta. Taito's timeline for this series is confusing, but I don't play the games for a storyline, just the fun the series offers.

[Jorpho]

Can someone explain why Taito decided to release "Bubble Bobble Part 2" and "Rainbow Islands - the Story of Bubble Bobble 2" when they both reference themselves as competing sequels for the same game?Because long after Rainbow Islands was released, someone decided there was money to be made in releasing another NES (and Game Boy) game with a design similar to the first. And they kept the name mostly the same to avoid confusion.

Besides, there was no NES port of Rainbow Islands (probably because someone decided there wasn't enough money to be made).

[Tanooki]

That's right the NES and GB Bubble Bobble Part 2 games aren't the same either. I still have the NES version but the GB one is long gone when I quit keeping old GB games around some years ago. Here and there I kind of miss them but I know they'd get little to no use. :\

[celerystalker]

Because long after Rainbow Islands was released, someone decided there was money to be made in releasing another NES (and Game Boy) game with a design similar to the first. And they kept the name mostly the same to avoid confusion.

Besides, there was no NES port of Rainbow Islands (probably because someone decided there wasn't enough money to be made).

Rainbow Islands is on NES. Taito published it themselves... it made it to pretty much every region, but I think Ocean did the PAL ports.

[Edmond Dantes]

Taito's timeline for this series is confusing,

Maybe one day they'll release a big collectable book called Bub and Bob Historia.

[SparTonberry]

Besides, there was no NES port of Rainbow Islands (probably because someone decided there wasn't enough money to be made).

Yes there was. Two of them, in fact.
(it is little known that Ocean's PAL version is a different port than Taito's NTSC version.
It could be argued Ocean's was actually better because the graphics are closer to the arcade version and it has co-op which Taito's version lacks. Though I'd imagine the speed issue could be a problem in later levels, if trying to play the game on a toploader or clipped NTSC frontloader)

There was also a port of Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III, but that was PAL-exclusive.

[spman]

Yes there was. Two of them, in fact.
(it is little known that Ocean's PAL version is a different port than Taito's NTSC version.
It could be argued Ocean's was actually better because the graphics are closer to the arcade version and it has co-op which Taito's version lacks. Though I'd imagine the speed issue could be a problem in later levels, if trying to play the game on a toploader or clipped NTSC frontloader)

There was also a port of Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III, but that was PAL-exclusive.

Bubble Bobble Part 2 is an NES exclusive sequel that I believe is out of canon with any other games in the series. Taito released a lot of weird (and mostly good) shit at the end of the NES's lifespan, what was up with that? Little Samson, Panic Restaurant, Power Blade 2, and Bubble Bobble 2 always seemed to me like games that could have been a lot better on SNES (not that they're bad on NES, actually Power Blade 2 kinda sucks, but I digress).

[Jorpho]

Yes there was. Two of them, in fact.
(it is little known that Ocean's PAL version is a different port than Taito's NTSC version.
It could be argued Ocean's was actually better because the graphics are closer to the arcade version and it has co-op which Taito's version lacks. Though I'd imagine the speed issue could be a problem in later levels, if trying to play the game on a toploader or clipped NTSC frontloader)

There was also a port of Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III, but that was PAL-exclusive.Goodness. I am pained at my ignorance. :embarrassed: