Rainbow Islands - Why is it a classic?

[Dizrythmia]

I've always felt it was well deserving of classic status simply because they took the series in a new direction & it worked VERY well. The sequel Parasol Stars is a good game, but as it goes back to the original Bubble Bobble formula, I guess it feels a little too... "safe" is the word I'm looking for.

[BellyFullOfHell]

Because as other have stated, the basic mechanics and gameplay are simple enough for anyone to get to grips with, yet underneath there's a huge amount of depth and a truly fantastic scoring system that really rewards intelligent play.

Never did understand why it wasn't designed as a portrait display though.

[Pinhead7]

It is easy to pick up and play, it has cute graphics and has not been bettered by the sequels.