Rainbow Cotton | January 20, 2000

Rainbow Cotton is a rail shooter video game released exclusively for the Dreamcast in 2000, developed and published by Success. It is the fifth entry in the Cotton series and the first to transition into 3D. The game follows the adventures of the young witch Cotton and her fairy companion Silk as they fly across York Country to defeat the evil demon Tweed and recover the stolen Willow candy. Gameplay resembles Panorama Cotton, incorporating shooting elements with RPG mechanics, set along a predetermined 3D track.

The game was primarily developed by a new team at Success under the direction of company founder Takato Yoshinari. Despite featuring colorful visuals and animated cutscenes, the game received mixed to negative reviews, particularly due to its frustrating control system. Critics compared it unfavorably to Space Harrier and Panzer Dragoon, though the visual presentation was often praised.

Gameplay involves blasting enemies, collecting power-up crystals, and defeating large bosses across five stages. Players can level up their attacks, rescue captured fairies, and explore branching paths. A dual gauge system for Cotton and her broom was also introduced. If the broom's energy runs out, Cotton moves on foot with Silk’s support in the sky.

Originally announced as Panorama Cotton 2, the game faced development challenges, including difficulty acquiring Dreamcast development kits. As a result, early work was done on Windows CE. Developers worked under tough conditions, often living in the office. The fairy dialogue system was a point of pride, though the developers later regretted making the game overly difficult.

The game launched in Japan on January 20, 2000. Although never released outside Japan at the time, a fan translation surfaced in 2021. On May 9, 2024, a full remake with English localization was released on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows, marking its first official international release.

Reception was lukewarm to negative, with reviewers criticizing controls, difficulty, and limited field of view. However, the game's visuals, music, and charm were noted positively. Over time, Rainbow Cotton has earned a reputation as a colorful but flawed experiment in transitioning the Cotton series to 3D.