2 reviews
It's similar to Super Mario Bros. (the seminal adventure video game). You go through 8 worlds with 4 levels per world, with a villain at the end of the 4th level. The 4th level is always a dark forest instead of a castle.
In this one, we follow Master Higgins in his difficult quest. This is an extremely hard game to beat. I've only made it to 8-3, though my brother once beat it by using the Game Genie (cheating?). That said, it is extremely fun. Hits will take away your power, which you can get back by eating fruit (see, it teaches good eating habits). Eggs (sometimes hidden) contain goodies, but be sure to avoid the ones containing an eggplant, which will drain your power (but it is possible to hurry and make it to the end and make 5000 extra points with it in some levels).
As indicated in the manual, you can find a hidden bee at the end of 1-1 and be able to resume the game from where you left off by a simple combination of the buttons when you run out of lives. It would be impossible to make it past the first couple worlds without that.
It was followed by a similar, but much easier, Adventure Island II. Adventure Island for the Game Boy was actually just Adventure Island II (not this game) rebranded.
In this one, we follow Master Higgins in his difficult quest. This is an extremely hard game to beat. I've only made it to 8-3, though my brother once beat it by using the Game Genie (cheating?). That said, it is extremely fun. Hits will take away your power, which you can get back by eating fruit (see, it teaches good eating habits). Eggs (sometimes hidden) contain goodies, but be sure to avoid the ones containing an eggplant, which will drain your power (but it is possible to hurry and make it to the end and make 5000 extra points with it in some levels).
As indicated in the manual, you can find a hidden bee at the end of 1-1 and be able to resume the game from where you left off by a simple combination of the buttons when you run out of lives. It would be impossible to make it past the first couple worlds without that.
It was followed by a similar, but much easier, Adventure Island II. Adventure Island for the Game Boy was actually just Adventure Island II (not this game) rebranded.
Back in the distant 1980s - when pixels were chunky and not only rock bands but video games were truly hardcore - "Adventure Island" hit the scene. This platformer could both delight with its vibrant visuals and drive you absolutely mad with its difficulty.
Following a time-honored story setup, the hero - a chubby guy in a cap named Master Higgins - sets off to rescue his girlfriend Tina. Naturally, his path lies across an island packed with deadly challenges: jungles, caves, forests, and even icy underground zones.
For a game released in 1986, "Adventure Island" looked really colorful to me. Bright colors, detailed backgrounds, cute animations of the main character and enemies - all of it made the island journey feel pretty enjoyable.
But I'd definitely call this game a hardcore platformer. The hero runs nonstop, dodging enemies, leaping over pits, and collecting fruit for points. And with each new level, the difficulty spikes: more enemies, faster movement, and very little room for error.
The coolest parts? The weapons and the skateboard. Master Higgins could throw axes, instantly turning into the king of the jungle. And riding the skateboard? That was just awesome. It looked stylish and helped you blaze through levels at breakneck speed (though usually straight into a pit).
The game was tough for me. Sometimes repetitive, but always insanely difficult. The jumps demanded nearly pixel-perfect precision, and the enemies were relentless.
Despite the challenge and some repetition, "Adventure Island" is a true old-school platformer that left a mark in its time - especially those rare moments when you sped through an entire level on a skateboard without crashing into the first enemy. A decent game that made you sweat but gave back some cool memories in return.
6 out of 10.
Following a time-honored story setup, the hero - a chubby guy in a cap named Master Higgins - sets off to rescue his girlfriend Tina. Naturally, his path lies across an island packed with deadly challenges: jungles, caves, forests, and even icy underground zones.
For a game released in 1986, "Adventure Island" looked really colorful to me. Bright colors, detailed backgrounds, cute animations of the main character and enemies - all of it made the island journey feel pretty enjoyable.
But I'd definitely call this game a hardcore platformer. The hero runs nonstop, dodging enemies, leaping over pits, and collecting fruit for points. And with each new level, the difficulty spikes: more enemies, faster movement, and very little room for error.
The coolest parts? The weapons and the skateboard. Master Higgins could throw axes, instantly turning into the king of the jungle. And riding the skateboard? That was just awesome. It looked stylish and helped you blaze through levels at breakneck speed (though usually straight into a pit).
The game was tough for me. Sometimes repetitive, but always insanely difficult. The jumps demanded nearly pixel-perfect precision, and the enemies were relentless.
Despite the challenge and some repetition, "Adventure Island" is a true old-school platformer that left a mark in its time - especially those rare moments when you sped through an entire level on a skateboard without crashing into the first enemy. A decent game that made you sweat but gave back some cool memories in return.
6 out of 10.
- alekspredator87
- Apr 17, 2025
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