Developer: Taito, G-Mode
Publisher: ININ Games
Platform: Switch (2), PS4, PS5, Xbox One,
Tested on: Switch 2
Spica Adventure – Review
After a whopping four Milestones collections, three of which we’ve reviewed in the past (we probably should get on that fourth one), you’d expect TAITO to stick to that formula when it comes to re-releasing their older arcade games on modern platforms. Their latest pair of titles are standalone releases though, although you can get them as a slightly cheaper bundle too. This indicates that these games either aren’t considered Milestones or that they’re fleshed out enough to stand on their own legs, without being grouped with other games. Given the premium price tag, we’re hoping for the latter, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Today, we’re taking a look at the first half of the so-called Parasol Superstars bundle, Spica Adventure.
Story
Given Spica Adventure’s origins as a quasi-arcade title (more on that later), it’s not exactly surprising that the story is pretty much non-existent. Whatever is here largely serves as a framing device rather than being a central focus. Players take on the role of Nico, a girl who has crash-landed on a planet and must now make her way through whimsical, space-themed worlds using her multifunctional parasol. Beyond that initial setup, there is no meaningful plot to be found here.
Graphics
The visuals of Spica Adventure are bright, colorful, and highly stylized, leaning into a playful aesthetic that is equally toy-like and pop-art. The cosmic environments and enemy designs stand out as whimsical. The game’s art direction is one of its strongest points: bold colors, expressive characters, and imaginative settings provide Spica Adventure with a lively arcade feel. Animations are smooth, and the presentation is energetic, although the overall visual chaos that unfolds on screen does occasionally affect clarity, making it harder to read threats during busy moments. Mind you, that is a direct result of on-screen clutter, rather than poor performance. The game runs as smoothly as it should, with a stable frame rate and no notable performance issues whatsoever.
Sound
The audio in Spica Adventure primarily centers on music, with sound effects coming in second and no voice work present. The soundtrack was composed by TAITO’s in-house band ZUNTATA. It’s fittingly energetic and funky, with a lively, arcade-style sound that complements both the fast-paced gameplay and the game’s colourful presentation. Sound effects are effective, providing clear feedback for Nico’s actions and helping you keep track of what’s happening, even during those chaotic moments. The game’s overall soundscape fits its upbeat, nostalgic arcade tone, focusing more on enhancing gameplay flow and atmosphere than on storytelling.
Gameplay
In a vacuum, Spica Adventure is a fairly standard and simple arcade platformer. Its merit doesn’t come from its gameplay, as it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Before we get into what makes it stand out, let’s cover the gameplay basics first. As Nico, you move through short stages, defeat enemies, collect items, and reach the exit before a time limit expires, with branching paths encouraging replayability. What gives the game its identity is how Nico’s parasol ties everything together: it acts as a weapon, shield, and movement tool, allowing you to glide, bounce, reflect projectiles, launch yourself around the environment, and chain actions together. This creates a fluid, rhythmic feel where success depends on timing, positioning, and mastering the interplay between movement and combat. Designed to be as accessible as possible early on, Spica Adventure gradually rewards skill and experimentation. As you learn how to combine Nico’s abilities and familiarise yourself with the different stages, you’ll find that runs become more efficient over time. Combat itself is straightforward, but it puts emphasis on precision and enemy awareness, especially in denser setups and boss encounters built around readable patterns.
What sets Spica Adventure apart from TAITO’s other arcade titles isn’t in its gameplay but more in where it sits in the company’s history. The game has somewhat unusual origins compared to most of TAITO’s legacy titles. Rather than starting in arcades, it was first developed for Japanese mobile phones in 2003 during a period when TAITO was experimenting with new platforms. It was later adapted into an arcade version around 2005, effectively reversing the more typical pipeline of arcade-to-home ports. In this context, Spica Adventure is more of a curiosity than a cornerstone of the arcade catalog. While it’s a good thing that the game is available on modern platforms, at least in terms of game preservation, its appeal is going to be limited to collectors and completionists, as well as retro enthusiasts eager to discover a game that was previously Japan-only, but with limited appeal outside of those niches.
That inevitably brings us to the game’s value. In typical arcade fashion, Spica Adventure is woefully short. There is around an hour’s worth of content here, although the idea is, of course, to keep replaying it to break your high score. Even with that philosophy in mind, the €19.99 price of entry is hard to swallow. Granted, the game can be picked up bundled with Parasol Stars for €24.99, but even that price makes the €39.99 Milestones series look comparatively cheap, as that bundle includes 10 of TAITO’s arcade games together. Sure, Spica Adventure is a more modern title compared to those, but this is still essentially a port of a 20+ year old mobile game.
Conclusion
On its own, Spica Adventure is a fun little arcade platformer, but it lacks the depth and long-term appeal necessary to justify its price tag. This is the kind of release that is aimed at a very specific niche, and those who are in that niche probably won’t need to be convinced to pick this up. It’s not a bad game at all, but it should’ve been in a fifth Milestones collection, as it’s simply not worth it as a standalone release. Keep an eye on our website if you’re wondering whether our perception of Spica Adventure’s value changes in the context of the Parasol Superstars bundle, though, as we’ll be looking at its bundle counterpart, Parasol Stars, very soon.
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