Master Higgins just can't catch a break. Evil forces crashed his wedding and kidnapped his entire family. Rightly pissed off and ready to rock, he embarks on another trip around the isles to crush a scourge unlike any he's faced before. Funny thing is, I can't put too much emphasis on the word unlike, because this game is designed to be reminiscent of the 1986 classic that started it all. Our hero won't be riding dinosaurs or solving puzzles or doing anything that could be identified as non-linear. At the same time however, I can't call this the "back-to-basics" instalment. There are numerous changes, upgrades, surprises, and... well... plenty of new to go around. Basically, if you tried the first Adventure Island but couldn't get into it, then you absolutely must give New Adventure Island a shot. I was always sort-of disinterested in the original, but this lit my fire and convinced me that the series is worth digging into.
The central idea is that Master Higgins is a man in constant motion. He's seriously unable to stand still. This is further reinforced by the constantly draining food gauge. It's that green bar in the upper-left corner. Adventure Island 3 would get pretty stingy with the fruits, which are essential to keeping the gauge topped off. This entry reverses it. There's more than enough food, but it disappears 3 or 5 seconds after materializing. Naturally, players are obligated to apply precise bursts of speed to obtain the fruit and get around any obstacles. In another departure from series norms, it's actually possible to backtrack for a little bit. A convenient feature that's best used to a set up a difficult series of jumps, better avoid a creature's onslaught, or grab that egg you just missed.
Every isle is populated with the wildlife that has lost their ever-loving minds. All of your old foes are here: bats, birds, skulls, frogs, pigs, more frogs, snakes. They're series staples and doing whatever's necessary to slow your progress or outright murder you. Depending on your chosen weapon, it's fairly simple to eliminate most hazards before they become hazardous. Get into the routine of jumping and tossing axes when you're not certain of what's next. While sneak-attacks are practically nonexistent, New Adventure Island will play with expectations. Wolves normally run in from behind, prompting players to jump on reaction. Blue wolves however will jump, punishing those who have settled into routine.
A key aspect that should dissuade you from frequently tossing weapons is how they halt Higgins' momentum. Several chasms are designed so that the hero running at full speed can just barely clear it with a jump. Tossing an axe or an arrow means the finger must leave the run button for fraction of a second. It's more than enough time to eat away at that momentum and cause an untimely death. A quirk of the jumping controls, but one you'll have to respect. Enemies typically aren't placed near long jumps, so it's not like the game purposefully attempts to cheat lives away.
I like what they did with the bosses here. Yeah, they're large and non-descript dudes (aside from their heads) but they all have a unique attack that must be handled with extra care. I say extra care because boss stages don't have checkpoints, so every mistake results in another trip through a nasty obstacle course. Speaking of boss stages, they tend to be the most consistent (or repetitive) of anything else in the game. I'm guessing the idea here is that since the entirety of it must be completed at once, the level-designer didn't want to commit to anything that would distract players who are struggling to learn the boss's pattern. The sentiment is appreciated, but it is odd that this series chooses anything besides having checkpoints before a boss.
Overall, I really like what New Adventure Island's approach to level-design. There is a gradual yet noticeable uptick in difficulty when reaching a new island, and that's coupled with the subtle introduction of new obstacles. I never feel blindsided by something that comes from out of nowhere, but at the same time there is this creeping tensity in going from the overly familiar to the completely unknown. The focus on core essentials was also the right call. While I enjoy finding dinosaurs and secret bonuses in the other games, there is something very real in using nothing but finesse and acquired knowledge to complete stages. With every playthrough, I gain more confidence in my abilities and make riskier plays - like running under purple frogs - because I know that they'll work.
The prevalence of large point rewards and score-based extends also do a fine job of fueling the all-important serotonin gauge. Netting a cool 5,000 points if Higgins can hang onto his skateboard for the entire stage is a good reward and a really entertaining challenge. I want to give a special mention to stage 3-2, because it's a phenomenal showcase of everything that makes this entry work. Playing well isn't clearing the screen of baddies; it's swiftly moving around them and maintaining that momentum. Weaving through a relentless deluge of obstacles, all the while dealing with the physics of riding a skateboard on ice, and reaching the goal without so much as a scratch? It's a beautiful thing.
Granted, a scratch is all it takes to eliminate Higgins, but you get my meaning.
I believe there's nothing else to talk about here.
So, until the next review... Try to set aside time for this extremely solid entry in the Adventure Island saga. Or just play whatever you like. It doesn't matter that much to me as long as you're playing something.
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