Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Rainbow Islands Revolution reimagines the classic bubble-and-rainbow formula for the Nintendo DS, placing Bubby and Bobby inside touch-screen bubbles and letting you draw rainbows with the stylus. On each stage, you balance between guiding your floating hero by dragging them directly or sketching vibrant arches to fend off waves of enemies. This dual-screen setup—where action plays out on both the top and bottom screens—adds a fresh layer of spatial strategy, as foes crop up above and below.

Beyond standard rainbow bars, Revolution introduces two special rainbow types tied to the shoulder buttons. Hold L to trace a circle and conjure a large bubble you can man-handle into enemies, or hold R to draw a triangle that spawns a black-hole vortex, sucking in foes for one swift clean-up. These moves require steady hands and on-the-fly decision-making, especially when multiple baddies swarm from both screens.

The Star Gauge mechanic caps off the arsenal, rewarding you for chaining kills and collecting items. Once full, you get a brief window to trace a five-point star—nail it and you obliterate everything on screen in a gratifying spectacle. On top of the main Adventure Mode, there’s a high-stakes Score Mode (one life only), unlockable secret characters, and a two-player Versus Mode. Score Mode strips out special rainbows for pure risk-versus-reward play, while Versus pits friends in a race to the summit, injecting competitive replay value.

Graphics

Visually, Rainbow Islands Revolution stays true to the series’ candy-coloured heritage, with vividly shaded sprites and chunky, cartoonish animations that pop on both DS panels. The bubble and rainbow effects are impressively fluid—each arch and cascade of pixels feels bright and tactile, making every enemy zap and screen-clearing star feel like a mini celebration.

Stage backdrops are a charming mix of pastel skies, rolling hills, and floating platforms, lending each level a distinctive theme while ensuring that foreground hazards remain readable. Occasional frame rates dips occur when too many particles fill the screen, but these slowdowns are brief and don’t significantly hamper play. The dual-screen presentation is handled cleanly, with the game smartly mirroring enemy patterns and keeping vital information in view at all times.

Character sprites for Bubby and Bobby retain their classic charm, though updated with subtle shading and expressive eyes that widen every time you draw a rainbow. UI elements—life bubbles, Star Gauge meter, score readouts—are crisply rendered and unobtrusive, letting you focus on the frenzied action without hunting for status icons. Overall, the DS hardware is pushed just enough to dazzle without stutter.

Story

Set years after the antics of Bubble Bobble, Rainbow Islands Revolution finds Bubby and Bobby summoned back to action when the inhabitants of the seven Rainbow Islands are kidnapped by mysterious foes. While the narrative is lightweight—more of a frame than a focus—it establishes clear stakes: rescue the islanders and restore colour to each world.

Cutscenes are minimal but effective, using simple comic-style panels and sprite talk bubbles to narrate your progress from island to island. The brevity of the plot works in its favour, keeping players moving quickly into the next stage without lengthy exposition or cutscene breaks. Fans of the original arcade title will appreciate the callbacks and series lore sprinkled throughout.

Though there’s no deep character development, the story acts as a motivational scaffold for the varied level design. Each Rainbow Island has its own visual motif—lush jungles, frosty peaks, fiery caverns—tying the narrative promise of “seven distinct realms” to coherent stage aesthetics. It’s a light adventure, but one that feels true to its arcade roots.

Overall Experience

Rainbow Islands Revolution strikes a satisfying balance between nostalgia and innovation. The touchscreen-centred gameplay breathes fresh life into a decades-old formula, and the new rainbow mechanics—circle bubbles, triangular black holes, and the star-tracing ultimate attack—add meaningful depth without overwhelming casual players. Challenges ramp up steadily, making both short bursts and extended sessions feel rewarding.

Multiplayer modes and unlockable characters extend the game’s lifespan, while Score Mode invites repeat plays from high-score chasers. Controls are generally precise, though some may find the star-tracing moments finicky under pressure. Meanwhile, the visuals and audio deliver a cheerful, upbeat vibe that complements the game’s pick-up-and-play design.

For anyone seeking a portable twist on classic action-puzzle gameplay, Rainbow Islands Revolution is a vibrant, engaging package. It embraces its arcade lineage while smartly leveraging the DS’s unique capabilities, resulting in a breezy yet challenging experience that’s hard to put down. Whether you’re a series veteran or a newcomer, there’s plenty here to charm, challenge, and continually delight.

Retro Replay Score

5.8/10