Super Adventure Island

"Anything new? No, but who cares when it's this fun!"

Super Adventure Island is a fairly early action/platform title featuring everyone's favorite party animal, Master Higgins. The core gameplay is this game is fairly similar to earlier Adventure Island titles. You move left to right jumping on platforms and attacking enemies with tomahawks or boomerangs. The game is extremely simple and though challenging, the action isn't extremely frenetic and the settings are cute and upbeat. Many have called this game a run-of-the-mill platformer, but I think this game is an underrated classic.

Super Adventure Island never won any awards for originality. Like I said, this game plays much like previous titles of the series, and there is nothing flashy about its gameplay. The game isn't extremely frenetic but the action does have challenge. Our hero will die if hit once and have to restart the level at the beginning or a checkpoint. Along the way, Higgins will have to eat food to stay alive. Anyway, the very simple gameplay has a certain addictive charm to it. It's very easy to pick up and play, and the challenge keeps things exciting. Additionally, the level designs are very nice. Some levels focus on timed jumps, some focus on dodging and attacking enemies. There are also some levels where Higgins progresses vertically, and underwater swimming levels, too. At times you can ride on a skateboard and get a chance to whirl through a level (if you get hit, you go back to normal). The game manages to constantly keep things fresh. While there are only 5 stages, the excellent difficulty curve and the variation in levels makes this forgivable. You'll get no passwords and 3 continues, but with perseverance, you will finish the game without much frustration. The last boss of the game is a nice little surprise, and unlike some other games, beating him relies more on thought than raw reflexes.

Super Adventure Island would not be as fun if it didn't have the aesthetic elements in place. Graphically, the game is very smooth and colorful. The enemies and the main character are cute and colorful, as are the environments. This creates a very pleasant and relaxing setting. The stages all have different and interesting themes. Surprisingly, this game stands out in the sound department. The soundtrack is done by Yuzo Koshiro, of Streets of Rage, Actraiser, and Revenge of Shinobi fame. There's actually a funk soundtrack in this game. The music is great at setting the tone of the game, and these tunes are not typical for a cute action/platformer. Though I can't say so much about graphics and sound, they contribute so much to the game.

There's nothing revolutionary about Super Adventure Island. All I can say is that this game is pure fun, plain and simple. I didn't like Adventure Island 2 much, but I'm a fan of this game. The combination of its strengths add up to one great package. You should find this game pretty cheap, so if you want a good action/platformer, this is a fine choice.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/19/06