Just to immediately head off any confusion, today's review is about the NES game Adventure Island 2. I played through it using this romhack, which replaces Master Higins with his girlfriend Tina. Typical of role-reversals, now Higins is the one who has to be rescued. Otherwise, it's the same game as before.
This is technically not the first Adventure Island review I've ever done. That would be Wonder Boy Returns Remix for the Playstation 4 back in 2019. That wasn't my greatest year. By the end of it, I had burned out and stopped writing the next five. All that time writing for someone else took its toll. Nowadays, I write only for myself. It's more of an addiction than anything noble. I realize now that if I ever stopped writing, I'd just slide into another addiction, one that's not nearly as productive.
Moving along, Tina's Adventure Island 2 is what you'd expect from a hop & throw platformer. The heroine runs from left to right across eight islands, each of which contains anywhere between 9 and 14 stages. There are I believe 80 stages altogether, which is actually quite a handful. Most of them are completed in just a minute or two, so it balances out. A password system still would've been nice to have, but I can't fault Hudson Soft too much for its omission. They printed the level-select code in the manual so players wouldn't have to start over after shutting down the console.
As tempting as it may be to skip ahead to the final island, I'd advise against it. The game employs a very gradual but noticeable difficulty curve. The first several stages might be lacking in challenge, but they teach the essentials that'll help players survive. With the completion of every island, the numbers of obstacles & creatures increase, putting up a fierce fight that'll get even genre veterans to sweat. Also, whether you're Tina or Higins, contact with most anything is immediately fatal. The meter at the top of the screen is the time limit. Food keeps it topped off, and don't be surprised when you're faced with stages where there's little to none whatsoever.
Nevertheless, I'm sure you'll (eventually) persevere, because this is a fair and well-designed game. Power-ups are typically found in eggs. The first you'll find in each stage contains your trusty hammer. It's a strong weapon with great reach. With practice, you can eliminate threats nearly the second they appear onscreen. Tina's speed and jumping ability are also finely tuned. There's a slight tad of momentum, but no more than you'd find in the average Super Mario game. However, I will go ahead and point out that whenever you're jumping over an obstacle - especially if it's a rock - that you give yourself a fraction of a second's leeway. Hitboxes and hurtboxes are a tiny bit larger than one would assume. Trying to cut your jumps close will result in Tina stubbing her toe on something, and then you're both in a world of hurt. Aside from that, all of the running, jumping, and throwing basics will be second nature before you finish the first island.
In keeping with tradition, some stages allow the heroine to ride a skateboard. The extra speed is nice, but not being able to stop is a rough trade-off. The game treats this as an added challenge, going so far as to provide 2,000 points if you can reach the end with board intact. Other rides include this entry's big feature: dinosaurs! There are four in all, with two specializing in offense while the other two are masters at flight or swimming. It's a fun way to traverse the stage, though not without difficulties. The time limit drains at a faster rate, and players will have to adjust to being a larger target as well as a molecule's worth of additional momentum. If you manage to complete a stage with your dino safe and sound, you can bring them to the next stage or shove them into your inventory for the future. I appreciate this QOL addition, even if my hoarding self refuses to ever take a dinosaur out of storage. "What if I need one for the final stages?" I ask myself while the credits roll.
On that note, Tina's Adventure Island 2 isn't afraid to get mean as the endgame approaches. Volcano island introduces - get this - volcanoes. Their consistent spread of hot rocks will take a shocking number of lives. On the flipside, penguins in the frostier lands can drop killer snowballs from the sky. These two were a source of pain during my adventure, so watch out for them. The final island has some significant platforming challenges, one of which can cause slowdown at the worst possible time. Those who persevere will eventually be thrown into the literal belly of the beast. This final stage is a grueling test of endurance where there's a lot to avoid and no time to stand still. I'd argue that Hudson could've eased up just a little. Having to repeat the 14 toughest stages + a final boss after every Game Over is very "NES hard".
Speaking of the bosses, I must give credit to their consistency. Most stick to a basic pattern of moving from one spot to the next, all the while spitting projectiles. Other obstacles are added to subsequent boss arenas to maintain the gradual upward climb in difficulty. There are very few surprises, which is a good thing considering how much work it can take to reach them. Learning a boss can be fun, but Hudson wisely chose to keep that aspect to a minimum. If you have dinosaurs to spare, try bringing one along to a fight that's giving your trouble. The extra assistance could make a huge difference.
For all you maniacs out there, it is possible to go hammerless. Yes indeed! Just plop Tina's hammer into the inventory before each stage and get to moving. Not taking a weapon along creates an entirely new level of difficulty, one that requires dedicated knowledge of enemy patterns. It's certainly not insurmountable and can even be a lot of fun. The game acknowledges your exemplary achievement with an extra 2,000 points upon stage completion. Give it a try whenever you're feeling zesty.
My one major complaint is that the underwater stages are pretty repetitive. They all have the same layout, with the only differences between them being the number of obstacles. It's not a serious issue. Go ahead and give Tina's Adventure Island 2 a whirl. You'll have a really good time with it.
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