Adventure Island Game by Hudson Soft Reviewed by The Boinker fulgore@mindspring.com Size: No clue Save: No saving system Released: 1991 Works with: Works with any version, works well with Color **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: I wrote this quote to Viral speak in desperateion for a solution to my gaming woes: I'm trying to review Adventure Island... but it's very hard. It's one of those games you get more enjoyment out of finally NOT playing than you do get from playing it. The design and controls are horrid, along with the graphics and sound. SOMEONE SAVE ME! I feel I need to play the game more before I can review it, but I end up turning my gameboy off after World 2, IT'S THAT BORING! - The Boinker Well, my perspective changed a *little* once I got the stage select code, but not enough to make it a good game. Read on. **************************************************************************** Gameplay Descripion: This game is very simple. You play the roll of Master Higgins, man with skirt. You must get from the start of a level to the end in a certain amount of time. Collecting fruit refills your time, and if you run out of your alloted time a life is deducted. You also loose a life if anything hits you. Every so-many levels you fight a boss, and these battles are pretty pointless. After the boss is dead, you move on to the next island and more timed levels. You do this for nine islands, then you set the game down and cry because you have wasted valuable time in your limited life. There are some things that add a bit to this game, but not many. Several items are available to you including a throwing axe, a skateboard, and four kinds of rideable dinosaurs. The throwing axe is your primary defense against the island baddies, but some dinosaurs also have attack systems. The skateboard is one of the only fun parts in the game, for reasons that escape me, it just is rather fun. The four dinosaurs each have a patron card suit. Basically they are a flying dino, a swimming dino, and two 'attack' dinos that have little difference between them. The one thing this game did well is the before and after level scenes. After each level you play a 'pick the egg' minigame good for points and 1-ups. Before each level you can equip and de-equip your weapons and dinos. Liked: The equip screen is about the only good idea in this game. Hated: I hate games where the main gameplay focus is beating a timer **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: Graphics are standard 1991 fair. Things look like what they should, btu there is some slowdown when three or more enemies get in the screen at once. Liked: clear, good contrast Hated: Higgins skateboard helemt makes him look non-human **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: Music is ANNOYING! Very annoying. It is not catchy at all, and you will turn the music off before island 2, garunteed. Liked: Nothing, the music in this game hurts my ears Hated: All backgroudn music, and even the ackward FX **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: The play control is pretty poor. Running is good, but action button response is poor at best. For example, some times the hacket button will not even register, same goes for the jump button. The only good thing is the fact that Higgins has so few moves that you don't need to enter complex combinations on such a bad game engine Liked: Moves are basic requiring a single button press Hated: Who programmed this? does this game have STDIN at all!? **************************************************************************** Improve: This series is dead, but if they must make another game like this, the least you could do was improve the sound, and take away the timer. RIYL: Wasting Time and Batteries **************************************************************************** Final Words: I mainly forced myself to write this review because 'DMG Ice needed me', or at least that's what I told myself. This game can be strangly addicting when you're short on sleep. Do not buy this game, consider this review a warning. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: *** Graphics: *** Sound/Music: 0 Play Control/Game Design: * Personal Opinion: 0 Total: 28 Final Score: 28% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: As advised by Philip, I found a stage selcet code so I could play enough of this game toe review it. Enter the below sequence at the title screen once Higgins awakens: Right, Left, Right, Left, A, B, A, B This will bring you to a menu that lets you choose one of the nine islands.