It's Friday night and I'm on my usual bullshit: playing Zelda II randomizers. Either inspiration strikes, or my brain numbs itself into slush. After two or twelve hours, it finally dawns on me that I can throw down some words on an inoffensive game. Super Adventure Island is a spice-free and forgettable take on Hudson Soft's hop & toss series. Most gamers remember it for the funky Yuzo Koshiro soundtrack. Is there something else? Well, shit. I've already committed myself to writing a piece. Either I find something, or I talk in circles and call it content.
Master Higgins' girlfriend has been kidnapped again! Tighten up that grass skirt and embark on yet another rescue mission. This time around, there are five stages with four areas apiece. Go ahead and use those first couple of areas to familiarize yourself with what's new. It won't be long until you realize that the hero has given up running. The man jogs like he's gotten tired of his lot in life. Luckily for him, the areas have been squished to compensate; hardly ever approaching the lengths common to the NES entries. With everything being a bit truncated, one would believe that obstacles and enemies would be more common. Short and intense, yeah? Ehh. This is an early Super Nintendo game we're discussing here. Not a whole lot can happen without slowdown. Anyway, Higgins has one little quirk to be mindful of. The jumps he makes while standing still are never going to be as high as when he's moving. If you need a high jump, then press the d-pad in the requisite direction before hitting that button.
As far as weapons go, Mr. Dude has two available to him. The differences between the hammer and boomerang aren't nearly as pronounced as before. I would've suggested that they're interchangeable if it wasn't for the fact that the boomerang is always the better choice. You see, weapon pick-ups can be stacked until three can be thrown at a time. They also turn into fireballs, because why not. Anyway, the ability to throw boomerangs in two* directions is just too good to pass up. Also, they have better distance and coverage. With hammers (or hammerballs), it's possible to throw one over an enemy's head if they're too close. Total Bummer! Super Adventure Island also has a tendency to place hammer pick-ups in spots where they're hard, or at least inconvenient to avoid. Sure game, just do whatever you like. Higgs-meister can coat a third of the screen in consistent, rhythmic blasts as long as he's at maximum boomerang power. Barring some exceptions, the most his enemies can do is struggle to find their way through the fire.
Weirdly enough, all the crazed animals that once ruled the islands of adventure are nowhere to be found. Snails, bats, pigs, foxes, and most notably, frogs have decided to take a vacation. Instead, there are an entirely new set of adversaries to deal with. Weird little shell-like guys sit and wait for someone to land on them. Walruses float along like hot-air balloons. Don't forget the penguins who charge whenever they catch sight of some fireball-chucking guy. Most of the time, these goobers only succeed when players get a little too comfortable. Dangerous enemies tend to have weapons of their own, or the element of surprise. Bug-likes attacking from the sky and tiny bugs that fly in a circle after their rest is disturbed can do a frightening amount of damage. Otherwise, I suppose the only serious threat are the bosses, and even then, the concept of consistency seems to elude them.
Five stages mean five bosses, so let's go down the list. First up is the statue. Immediately chuck fireballs up in his face and he'll be dead before his counterattack can reach the ground. Next is Octo-shell and... Alright, this one's got tentacles. It'll take some patience to find enough of an opening to land a hit and get away. By the by, failing at a boss kicks Higgsworth back to the previous area. It's a rather annoying method to replenish lost weapons, but not a huge deal. Third boss is a ride-along dragon. Most deaths to him can be attributed to falling through the end of his tail or getting sneak-attacked by the sudden lava flow that falls from above. Dying means replaying the most chill mine-cart section. It's a weird fight. Speaking of weird fights, Skeleboner with a lightsaber has one attack. Its hitbox lingers for an extra frame, you need precise jumps just to land a hit and not die, but the boss can be defeated in just a few hits. Then there's the final boss. If he's laughing, then he's going to jump when he runs toward you. Either you know about this, or you die to a seemingly unavoidable attack. His second phase is something either you'll either get on the first try or suffer greatly. It's a load of bleagh.
Sometimes, I think the entire purpose of Super Adventure Island is to create a vibe for players to slide into. There's a specific flow to every area. All the player has to do is find and hold onto it, and don't allow anything to shake it from their grasp. The game is still challenging in the sense that every bit of contact is fatal. Besides that, however, series veterans so used to the beatings they received on the NES may wonder if the fight ever actually starts. Deaths almost occur by happenstance instead of a concentrated effort. The worst of it is when the game knows all its cards have been played, and resorts to the "I bet you weren't expecting this!" in order to steal a few more lives away. Still, at least I'm not playing Adventure Island 1. That has to count for something.
*Sir Higgins can fire underneath him while jumping or swimming. Why do the hammers even exist? No, seriously. I know they're Adventure Island's thing, but... they kinda suck here. Don't even get me started on the skateboard. Damn thing barely exists.
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