GENRE
	Action
	DEVELOPER
	Hudson Soft
	PUBLISHER
	Nintendo
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1
	WORTH PLAYING TODAY?
	yes
	BUY NOW AT

Five years before Sonic the Hedgehog’s speed dazzled gamers, Adventure Island was breaking new ground in its equally fast paced venture. Gone were the days of leisurely making your way through objectives. This game had you frantically dashing through levels to complete your quest. Its innovative style broke the mold of your standard sidescroller and made it stand out as something truly special for all these years.

visuals

Graphics were never Adventure Island’s greatest strength. The game is by no means an eyesore, but it’s obvious that Hudson Soft focused more on gameplay than the game’s backgrounds and sprites. While it’s unfortunate that flat colors dominate Adventure Island’s visuals, they are pleasantly bright, vibrant, and appropriate for the game’s theme. Also notable are the game’s characters and settings. While not incredibly detailed, characters and environments have fitting personality and variety. All in all, you won’t be blown away with the game’s visuals, but it’s not a big enough problem to draw away from the experience.

audio

Uplifting and memorable tunes are abundant in Adventure Island. The game’s soundtrack is certainly catchy and you’ll be hard pressed not to find yourself humming the tunes in your head long after a good gaming session. Not as memorable however are the game’s sound effects. While it’s obvious the NES can’t produce high quality sounds, Adventure Island’s library of effects is still noticeably sub-par. So much so that it unfortunately can become annoying and take away from the experience.

gameplay

With a lackluster showing in both the visual and audio departments, there had to be something about this slick little package that made it withstand the test of time. Luckily Adventure Island shines where it’s most important, the gameplay. Back in 1986 when most sidescrollers were abandoning the notion of a time limit, Hudson Soft took a big risk and pressed Adventure Island in the opposite direction. Its super short time limit increased the pace and tension in the game and added a new element of gameplay by testing the gamer’s nerves under pressure. This could have lead to potential disaster for the new franchise had Hudson Soft not focused the time and effort needed to balance out the platforms, enemies and obstacles correctly to avoid player frustration. Thankfully however, the game came out well balanced and artfully tweaked to perfection. It was this intense focus on gameplay over presentation that allows it to continue holding a special place in gamer’s hearts for years to come.

multiplayer

N/A

overall

Thanks to its polished and groundbreaking gameplay, Hudson Soft’s brave little oddball franchise beat the odds, stood out in a sea of sidescrollers and went on to enjoy success. A well-balanced learning and difficulty curve also helped the title gain notoriety for being an enjoyable experience for both novice and veteran gamers alike. Anyone could have fun with Adventure Island. It’s that quirky charm that lead to the birth of a franchise and more success for Hudson Soft. This title's unique history, mold-breaking innovation, and attention to detail have allowed Adventure Island to withstand the test of time and earn a well deserved spot in any classic gamer’s NES collection.

9.0/10