Parasol Stars (PCE, 1991)
Graphics-8 Sound-6.5 Control-8 Challenge-6.5 Story-?
Level Design-7 Frustration-6 Fun-(7.5) Originality-6
Overall Score-7.5
+
Some innovative mechanics (use an umbrella as a tool, paralyzing/carrying enemies and throwing them, collecting water for a charged shot, gliding in mid-air etc.)
2-player coop
Good art direction and use of colour
Plenty of power ups (speed, invincibility, smart bomb, paralyze all, point booster (rod), )
Combo kill and shoot walls for extra points and hidden items
Cameos (Parodius, Bubble Bobble), two hidden worlds (pink heart in 3-3 - very hard to enter in 1-player, get star miracle to unlock world 9)
+/-
Lifts a lot of stuff from Bubble Bobble (level layout, combos, flood attack, drops can be bounced on, lightning and fire attacks)
Time limit (speeds up enemies after a certain point)
One hit kills
Overpowered star bubbe attack
-
Starts out too easy
Easy bosses overall
Can't pick up water drops from the ground
Invisible wall in platforms makes some jumps tedious
Can't jump down through platforms which can be jumped up through (makes point item collecting tedious at times)
Only two music tracks, mechanics aren't explained in-game (hearts, most enemy projectiles only stun you, how the icons work), glide move happens a bit too late when jumping (at the end of the jump instead of the height peak), icons/items disappear if you kill all enemies in a level, pretty repetitive, no stage number indicator (see Castlevania for example), no difficulty options, lame ending?
Level Design-7 Frustration-6 Fun-(7.5) Originality-6
Overall Score-7.5
+
Some innovative mechanics (use an umbrella as a tool, paralyzing/carrying enemies and throwing them, collecting water for a charged shot, gliding in mid-air etc.)
2-player coop
Good art direction and use of colour
Plenty of power ups (speed, invincibility, smart bomb, paralyze all, point booster (rod), )
Combo kill and shoot walls for extra points and hidden items
Cameos (Parodius, Bubble Bobble), two hidden worlds (pink heart in 3-3 - very hard to enter in 1-player, get star miracle to unlock world 9)
+/-
Lifts a lot of stuff from Bubble Bobble (level layout, combos, flood attack, drops can be bounced on, lightning and fire attacks)
Time limit (speeds up enemies after a certain point)
One hit kills
Overpowered star bubbe attack
-
Starts out too easy
Easy bosses overall
Can't pick up water drops from the ground
Invisible wall in platforms makes some jumps tedious
Can't jump down through platforms which can be jumped up through (makes point item collecting tedious at times)
Only two music tracks, mechanics aren't explained in-game (hearts, most enemy projectiles only stun you, how the icons work), glide move happens a bit too late when jumping (at the end of the jump instead of the height peak), icons/items disappear if you kill all enemies in a level, pretty repetitive, no stage number indicator (see Castlevania for example), no difficulty options, lame ending?