Game Debate #50: Adventure Island

[Tanooki | 4,936]

So since there's that side discussion about Adventure Island, on other formats, I think one quite worth mention and from experience as I have it, is the JP only Hudson Selection release of the old game upgraded for the Gamecube.  They did a fairly solid job of it, much like they did with Bonk (and Star Soldier too.)

[Dr. Morbis | 2,089]

18 hours ago, Sumez said:

Most of the ports are pretty faithful to the arcade original, but I'd take the Master System version over this.

  Except that you'd then have to play the game with the worst  D-pad in gaming history and fuzzy purple-blue graphics and vastly inferior sound output....      but to each his own

8 hours ago, Tanooki said:

So since there's that side discussion about Adventure Island, on other formats, I think one quite worth mention and from experience as I have it, is the JP only Hudson Selection release of the old game upgraded for the Gamecube.  They did a fairly solid job of it, much like they did with Bonk (and Star Soldier too.)

I bought a Gamecube specifically for this reason, and I concur that it is definitely worth the purchase for fans of the original game.

[docile tapeworm | 4,203]

13 hours ago, JamesRobot said:

 

will you change my diaper?

[docile tapeworm | 4,203]

@Dr. Morbis dpad>joystick

nes dpad

[Tanooki | 4,936]

Good call @Dr. Morbis on that.  We're lucky that the Gamecube is so easy to get around the region locking depending how far you want to run down that rabbit hole. For me, it's surface level, I use the v1.06 of the FreeLoader boot disc and it gets PAL and NTSC-J stuff running great for me, very very select few games have issues so it's a really solid option vs hacking the hardware itself.

Adventure Island (Takahashi Meijin) on the Gamecube is really fantastic, a right and nice level of fluffy upgrades while keeping the core experience intact.  Just because I didn't rate it exceptionally high doesn't mean I hate it, it's just not my favorite.   It was the last of the 4 Hudson Selects I ever owned, and the only one I haven't retained is Lode Runner as I found it a bit insufferably annoying and very minimalist in what they did to it too (it's like the half-assed release.)  This one, Bonk and Star Soldier they put a good level of fun effort and attention to detail in making them very nice on the Cube (and PS2 has it too.)

[AstralSoul | 502]

So I gave this game another shot for th first time in 7 or 8 years and I still don't like it. I think what I hate most now is that it feels like you're walking on ice the entire game. The controls are not great. However I could see the game's merits and i think with enough time and practice it could be fun but I just don't like it enough to keep practicing so I think my 4/10 is accurate.

[T-Pac | 7,560]

I love Adventure Island in theory, but I think Moon Patrol executes the same basic formula better, earlier.

It also feels good to see so many other people complain that a game is too hard. Finally I'm not alone haha.

-CasualCart

[Strikezone1 | 155]

I gave it a 6. 
 

It’s a classic and a pretty good game considering its an earlier release.. but like an earlier poster mentioned, it’s not a game I’m jonesin’ to replay and there are many NES platformers that are more fun than AI, including the sequels.

I played the shit out of it a few years ago and beat it a bunch of times, including a few 1CCs (one of which was a 1-death). Beating this game is very satisfying, but it comes at the expense of a lot of frustration.

The most irritating parts are when in some of the later levels you die and lose your weapon, and it then just becomes brutal to try and get through. You’re forced to inch your way through the level with enemies coming at you from all angles, but yet are up against the time bar.

And those damn falling platforms at the end of 8-3. Eff them!

[rdrunner | 422]

52 minutes ago, CasualCart said:

I love Adventure Island in theory, but I think Moon Patrol executes the same basic formula better, earlier.

I think that's the first time I've ever seen anyone compare the two games.  Never thought about it, but I see where you're thinking.

[Strikezone1 | 155]

On 5/21/2021 at 8:09 AM, WhyNotZoidberg said:

Cheap deaths? Yes and no. Just like in Ninja Gaiden, you have to know what's coming.

I see your point and don’t disagree... but yet I think AI is more cheap/difficult than any of the 3 NG games, and less enjoyable.

[rdrunner | 422]

8/10 for me.  Controls could use some tightening and the later levels have some serious Gradius syndrome (though not impossible should you die).  Still, it's one of the best early platformers on the NES and one of my personal favorites.

I actually played this first in the arcade as WonderBoy, so I'm one of those guys who looks cross-eyed at what happened to the series.  Hudson did a great job with this port though.

Edited May 22, 2021 by rdrunner

[SpoonMan Abrams X | 697]

6/10

I feel like the sequels were at least a bit better? Still fun games though, and different but in a good kind of way

[JeremiahJT | 75]

A 7 from me. I enjoy it and will beat it one day. Wonder Boy on the Master System is better though. That would be an 8 or maybe even a 9. I have beaten Wonder Boy multiple times even collecting all 36 dolls for the real ending.

[docile tapeworm | 4,203]

heres the one i have.  cant rememeber how i got this, think it might have been with yall it came with other games. thanks if so, it was a good deal. 

disclaimer its a story...

this game was always around as a kid but i never dealt with it offen. i played smb3, zelda, mm 3(..6), tmnt 2...sprinkle the rest. but i really did fall in love with this one during the contest. i played it for a week after, trying to just finish it. still havent. but its a great game. it is really fun. the control is loose and frustrating. the graphics are ok. the game play in parts is cheesy. but you still want to play. the music. and then the same game play that frustrates and is cheesy, turns into, fun to play and you cant stop. because the loose control is fun once you learn it even just a little. and the music cant be stopped! i dont know if its even that good but kinda like bubble bobble. its just fun. and makes you want to go go go! get the fruit lil buddy! run buddy! jump buddy! the time! the time! the time! go! go gooooo! lol. its fun. and the little dude is a cool guy. what a name! what a title to have. its funny cause ive never finish the game. so i keep this copy. the funco copy. ill beat you one day higgins! for now you keep your title. 

honest i never been to funco so i could be fronting. but what funco represents to me is a universal recognition of that time. any time you ever rode the bike to rent, buy, trade a game second hand. ya buddy. so the game is cool and the funco is icing. so i prob have this a long time. its like a cib to me.

Edited May 23, 2021 by docile tapeworm

[docile tapeworm | 4,203]

@mbd39 @Dr. Morbis wooooowhoooo! 10's! i cant remeber if you finished this before? morphius! you beat this one?! i know @JamesRobot robot throwing a 9 never beat this one! lol. @Hammerfestus you have beat this one? no matter this game is a good one. its cool i could see you guys voted this way hahaha.

i might go with @rdrunner with his 8. this guy is one of the best nes players can be. but im going with 9!!!!! baby! just like robot lol!

Edited May 23, 2021 by docile tapeworm

[Hammerfestus | 3,857]

Nope.  Haven’t beaten it.  Do I have to have beaten a game to like it?

[Sumez | 2,966]

On 5/21/2021 at 5:15 PM, Reed Rothchild said:

And I doubt we do too many SMS games considering Americans' limited exposure to the console (which is the majority of us).  It would probably get under 10 scores.

Of course talking about the Master System port of Wonderboy would be even more obscure. Unlike Donkey Kong, which pretty much needs to be played on arcade or emulation, the Wonderboy ports are all faithful enough that I don't see any reason to limit discussion to any one port.

It's still an arcade game first and foremost, and an incredibly popular one at that. I don't really know that many people who were into the NES port as opposed to some of the later Adventure Island games (2 especially seems more popular, god knows why), but the original Wonderboy game seems to remain commonplace anywhere I see an arcade setup even nowadays.

I guess it just serves to reinforce the incredible NES-centric perspective of this forum.  

[Sumez | 2,966]

On 5/22/2021 at 3:56 AM, Dr. Morbis said:

Except that you'd then have to play the game with the worst  D-pad in gaming history and fuzzy purple-blue graphics and vastly inferior sound output....      but to each his own

Fuzzy graphics and inferior sound?

The Master System game looks way more vibrant than the NES one, it's probably the closest you'd ever get to an arcade perfect port back then.  

And fortunately MegaDrive controllers work fine on it.

 

Edited May 23, 2021 by Sumez

[docile tapeworm | 4,203]

@Sumez i am nescentric. can i have a flag?

Edited May 23, 2021 by docile tapeworm

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

It's a good game, but there are better platformers on the NES. 7/10.

[JamesRobot | 5,806]

2 hours ago, docile tapeworm said:

i know @JamesRobot robot throwing a 9 never beat this one! lol.

You know nothing, @skinnygrinny.  Not a 1cc but I've beat it a handful of times. 

[Reed Rothchild | 9,547]

2 hours ago, Sumez said:

I guess it just serves to reinforce the incredible NES-centric perspective of this forum.  

I try to give people what they want.  I might do Astral Chain next week and it might get 10 posts.  If I do Dr. Mario it'll get 50-100

[Reed Rothchild | 9,547]

...though maybe we need another round of user selections.  I'll reach out to all of you guys.  If I miss you, just PM me.

[docile tapeworm | 4,203]

3 hours ago, JamesRobot said:

You know nothing, @skinnygrinny.  Not a 1cc but I've beat it a handful of times. 

respect!

[docile tapeworm | 4,203]

5 hours ago, Hammerfestus said:

Nope.  Haven’t beaten it.  Do I have to have beaten a game to like it?

 right on. not saying you have to beat it to enjoy it. as i myself have not finished this game just like you. just curious.