adventure-island
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New Nintendo eShop releases: Adventure Island, Teslagrad
Oh, the NES... simpler times. Blowing into cartridges, power gloves, cheat codes, Minus World, R.O.B. and The Wizard. It was a time when people could make Adventure Island, a game in which a rotund man clad only in tiny green shorts and a white cap went running, jumping and skateboarding around the forests and caves of the South Pacific. And, with the help of a fairy called Honey Girl, he saved a princess from a witch doctor. Time-travelers, take yourselves to the Wii U this week and go skate some clouds. If you want something a bit fresher on Wii U, Teslagrad offers Metroid-like platforming with a dollop of electromagnetism, steampunk and Eastern European art. There's also the kung-fu rhythm of Kickbeat, and on 3DS you've got first-person, old-school dungeon crawler The Keep. Apart from that, Nintendo's pre-Super Smash Bros. sale is also worth a look. Running through until the release of Smash on 3DS, the big N's discounting games starring the fighter's roster. Check out the Smash sale here and all the other discounts, and jump past the break for the full list of new releases.
NintendoWare Weekly: Adventure Island, Double Bloob
The 3DS's Virtual Console adds an extra layer of abstraction today, with the Game Boy port of the NES version of Adventure Island II (called, confusingly enough, "Adventure Island.") You can enjoy this Game Boy version of an NES game in a little Game Boy-looking window on your 3DS! DSiWare features Double Bloob, a vertical shooter/puzzle game we first covered way back in 2007, years before there even was a DSiWare service. It's gone through a lot of changes since then, not the least of which was a departure of the development team from its former home at the infamous Nibris.%Gallery-140821%
Toshiyuki Takahashi (aka Master Higgins) to leave Hudson
Few single-studio careers in the gaming industry have been as lengthy or illustrious as that of Hudson's Toshiyuki Takahashi. He's something of a folk hero at the company, having appeared in the classic Adventure Island series as Master Higgins, and having become known for his uncanny ability to hit an NES button 16 times per second. He's accumulated no small amount of prestige while working at Hudson -- but in a recent post on his personal blog (as translated by Andriasang), he announced he's leaving the company at the end of this month, ending his 26-year tenure with Hudson. Takahashi didn't explain his reasons for leaving the company, or where he'd end up at next. Considering his announcement's proximity to Konami's acquisition and trimming of Hudson, we'd wager that has something to do with it. Then again, we shouldn't jump to conclusions. He might just be taking some time off to focus on his other interests, like skateboarding on clouds while collecting floating fruit, or rescuing princesses from nefarious, reptilian foes.
Hudson's 'Master Higgins' sings on new game music CD
For some of us, the latest game music remix album release from Hudson is going to be a bizarre retrogaming oddity. But for a few -- those who love Hudson classics and also idolize Takahashi Meijin, the Hudson PR executive who became famous for his ability to push a button 16 times a second, and who served as the model for Adventure Island's protagonist, Takahashi Meijin Legend: Soul of the 16 Shot -- is instantly going to become one of the year's most anticipated music releases. And a bizarre retrogaming oddity. Soul of the 16 Shot features the Meijin singing, auto-tuned, over new arrangements of the music from classic Star Soldier, Challenger and Milon's Secret Castle. It'll be available on CD and in the Japanese iTunes store January 27. After hearing the new interpretation of the Adventure Island music, we're going to hope really hard that it shows up in the US iTunes store as well. Listen to some preview tracks after the break! [Via Chiptuned]
DSiWare Master of Illusion, Brain Age, Art Style rated by OFLC
While we can't be sure what the launch lineup for the DSiWare shop outside of Japan will look like, we can guess that the Australian shop will feature at least one of these games, thanks to OFLC ratings: Master of Illusion Express: Shuffle Games Master of Illusion Express: Funny Face Master of Illusion Express: Deep Psyche A Little Bit Of ... Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: Maths Edition D-Code (probably Art Style: Decode) The standard ratings board disclaimer applies: we don't know when these will be out, or if this release implies other regions. But if you wanted to know if Nintendo planned to localize any of its Japanese DSiWare lineup, here is evidence that yes, it is. Also found on the OFLC: The WiiWare version of Rainbow Islands (yay!) and Adventure Island: The Beginning. Also, Karate Phants. %Gallery-39571%
First screens of Adventure Island: The Beginning
Finally, Hudson has revealed the first screens of the new WiiWare Adventure Island game. It looks like a return to the style of gameplay from the original NES game -- which means that axes and skateboards are in, and dinosaur riding (as seen in Adventure Island 2 and 3) is out. While we're suitably (extremely) excited about playing a new Adventure Island game, we do wish that Hudson had taken the Mega Man 9 route, because the 3D makeover isn't working. The GameCube remake of Adventure Island looked a lot better, in fact. The new game includes some exciting new features, like multiplayer and Adventure Island-themed minigames. Our favorite is the in-game version of the Shooting Watch, the button-press-timing toy made famous by Hudson's Takahashi Meijin, who is the inspiration for the Master Higgins character.
Hudson confirms new Adventure Island and online FPS for WiiWare
This June, none other than Hudson's Master Higgins himself, Takahashi Meijin, revealed early plans to make a new Adventure Island game for the Wii. We've heard almost nothing since then, until today! Hudson has told WiiWare World that a new Adventure Island is on the way to Europe for this April. We can assume it'll show up worldwide at some point as well, like every other Hudson WiiWare game. In addition, the company has announced a new WiiWare FPS called Onslaught, whose defining characteristic is that it isn't Adventure Island. We're willing to look past that flaw, however, for a four-player online multiplayer WiiWare FPS (seriously) about "blasting a massive number of enemy creatures to feel the exhilaration". Onslaught is set for European release in March.
Top 5: RETRO REVIVAL PLZ!
As the release of Mega Man 9 looms closer, the so-called "old school gamers" are about 17 pixels away from exploding out of their skin with anticipation. This is the retro gamer equivalent of a "Phan" witnessing a Phish reunion. The kid inside all of us, having been smothered behind flabby beer guts for years, is beginning to crawl towards the surface. I imagine there's quite a few younger gamers who scratch their heads at all of the love for comparatively prehistoric graphics and gameplay. However, if one were to wipe off the thick coat of nostalgia emblazoned onto the games of long ago, they'd often find enjoyable and satisfying titles. They're not definitively better or worse; just different from much of what is released today. Some prefer that, and they're hungry for more. The biggest hurdle for those folks is commercial success. Not too long ago, retro revivals were rarely considered serious. After all, it would be silly to have Mega Man 9 released on a retail DVD disc. Yet with the success of downloadable services, the floodgates are now blown wide open. The slightly less hyped but similarly retro-themed Gradius: Rebirth was just released in Japan, and cowboy hat-clad developer Igarashi has stated that he's "very much looking into [WiiWare]." Perhaps the style of retro gaming is seeping into the bloodstream of major retail releases. Despite the beautiful hand-drawn graphics and cutscenes of Wario Land: Shake It!, the gameplay is heavily grounded in 2D. Perhaps we're experiencing a retro-renaissance, if I may quote Mr. Greenhough. With this in mind, here's a few more dusty franchises we're nominating to be reborn through the birth canal of Nintendo's online service (wow, gross). These range from the unexpected to painfully obscure, so don't be offended if your favorite was not included. A small note: I excluded some IPs due to either a retro-esque presence on the GBA/DS or because they are likely destined for WiiWare. These include Mario, Castlevania, Contra and Metroid. NEXT >> #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.
Hudson crafting a new Adventure Island
It may be hard to believe, but it's been 13 years since the last Adventure Island game was released. ... OK, so maybe it's not that hard, the "dude riding a skateboard and collecting eggs" genre isn't exactly thriving. Undeterred, Hudson's Takahashi Meijin says that the company is going back to the well for another Adventure Island game, currently in the early stages of development. Meijin said that the game will probably appear on WiiWare, but noted concern about trying to shoehorn motion control into the game, making him (we believe) the very first Wii developer to ever, ever worry about that. Congratulations, Takahashi!
Takahashi Meijin: Hudson planning Adventure Island sequel
If there's one person who would know the future of Adventure Island's Master Higgins, it's ... Master Higgins himself. According to statements made by Takahashi Meijin (the real-life basis for the Master Higgins character) in a conference call a few minutes ago, Hudson is in the earliest stages of planning a new Adventure Island game, "probably" for WiiWare. There are no details yet, but Takahashi expressed concern about "forcing" motion control into the game, saying it would "change what the game is about." Regarding other Hudson WiiWare, Hudson's Mike Pepe said that between Alien Crush, Blue Oasis, and Karaoke Joysound Wii, "two out of three" would be localized for North America, and that more details would be known about a month before the release date. We don't know for sure which is excluded, but two of those games don't rely on multiple music licensing deals. We didn't get to ask about Bomberman or Tetris, but is there any doubt that Bomberman is coming out everywhere in the world?In addition, Hudson is working on a "puzzle action" title that may use the Balance Board.
Wonder Boy and Fantasy Zone coming to North America
Upon reading the title of this post, some of you may have been bouncing off the walls like this blogger, while the rest of you probably shrugged and moved on with your lives. If you don't realize how great these two games are, though, just trust us when we tell you that they are. We'd probably be excited for any Sega Master System games to hit our VCs, but these two happen to be some of our favorites. Our childhoods would have been empty, barren wastelands without them.Granted, Wonder Boy came out ages ago on the Virtual Console in the guise of Adventure Island. Yet, even if you aren't incredibly biased like us to see the option based on the original arcade classic as the superior choice (elitist snobs that we are), Wonder Boy will cost you $1 less than the Takahashi Meijin-infused port. That's right -- in an incredible show of awesomeness, Sega is only charging 400 Wii Points for Master System games. (Note: Sega used tricky wording in their press release, stating that "prices start at 400 Wii™ Points for SEGA Master System titles." This means that the games announced today might cost more.)Wonder Boy aside, though, Fantasy Zone is a must buy. The crazy stages and enemies alone make this game a memorable experience, but it's also a fun side-scroller with super-cool music.Of course, take our opinions with a grain of salt -- sometimes it's hard to see through nostalgia-tinted glasses. But, what we really mean by that is buy Fantasy Zone. No word on exactly when these games will hit North American VCs, but Sega promises "soon."%Gallery-19152%%Gallery-19157%[Via press release]
VC Friday: It's only freakin' River City Ransom
We kind of knew all along that Street Gangs (or River City Ransom as NTSC gamers will know it) would materialize on the Virtual Console eventually. Yet even with this knowledge in hand, we still couldn't resist cartwheeling across our living rooms with joy after it appeared for really reals today on the PAL VC. People, it's Street Gangs, a.k.a. River City Ransom. Whatever name you give to it, it's a bona fide classic, and requires your instant attention.Adventure Island is this week's second addition, yet may well go unnoticed, thanks to the game it shares this particular VC Friday with. That would be a shame, as Hudson's platformer is also worth investigating.Hoist a trash can above your head and hit the break for footage of both! Street Gangs -- NES -- 500 Wii points Adventure Island -- NES -- 500 Wii points
VC Tuesday: Adventure Mountain
This week brings another rare (not Rare) Nintendo 64 release, and a seasonally appropriate one at that. 1080 Snowboarding is making its appearance on the Virtual Console for the first time. When it hits the American download service, we look forward to playing it and pretending it's cold outside. Until then, we can just look at screenshots and pretend we're playing it and pretending it's cold outside.The other two releases are distant cousins. Adventure Island is a remake of Westone's original Wonder Boy game with a different protagonist (which, of course, spun off into its own series), and Monster World IV is part of a Wonder Boy spinoff series. It's ... a lot more confusing when they release two of them at a time like this. We're all familiar with Adventure Island, at least. Takahashi Meijin no Bouken Jima (Hudson's Adventure Island) (Famicom, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) 1080 Snowboarding (Nintendo 64, 1-2 players, 1000 Wii Points) Monster World IV (Mega Drive, 1 player, 600 Wii Points)
The VC Advantage: Grass skirts and skateboards-- a winning combination
The Internet has made it easy to find cheats for games, but we miss the tips pages from game magazines, when the discovery of a new code could inspire you to go back to an old game. These codes aren't exactly new, but oldness is the essence of the Virtual Console! We're bringing back the classic codes every week on The VC Advantage.Hudson's Adventure Island series stars a real-life Hudson executive called Takahashi Meijin, who is known as "16shot" for his famous ability to push buttons 16 times a second. In the game, he's a chubby kid in a grass skirt who finds weapons and stuff in enormous eggs. Just like in real life. (The game made a little more sense when it was called Wonder Boy and starred someone who didn't have a real job). What is it with Hudson and putting real people in their games? Takahashi Meijin may be able to jam on some buttons, but you can influence his fake life with cheat codes. Advantage: you.Adventure Island (NES): Continue: Close to the "G" sign at the end of stage 1, jump up and down to make an egg appear, which contains the Hudson Bee. You can then continue your game by holding any direction and pressing start.New Adventure Island (TG16): Level Select: New Adventure Island is only new now in comparison with the original NES game. Given that it came out in 1992, it's a pretty Old Adventure Island itself. Press left, left, I, right, right, II, up, down, up, down at the title screen to select levels in this (much better, actually) semi-remake.
Hudson interviews the real-life Master Higgins
Takahashi Meijin ("Master Takahashi") is the nickname of a longtime Hudson employee named Toshiyuki Takahashi, who became famous in Japan for his ability to tap buttons really, really quickly -- up to 16 times a second. This amazing power lent itself to videogames, naturally.After making a few TV appearances, and becoming a Hudson mascot of sorts (along with that adorable bee), he lent his appearance to videogames, too. Specifically, the Adventure Island games, which were called Takahashi Meijin no Boukenjima ("Takahashi Meijin's Adventure Island") in Japan. When you play New Adventure Island on the Virtual Console-- which you should do, as soon as possible-- you're playing as a grass-skirted Takahashi Meijin.Hudson's US branch has posted an interview with this legendary figure, which is not only interesting for the novelty of being an interview with a videogame character, but because he really knows his stuff about Hudson and their history. We can't wait until they post an interview with Air Zonk.
