Remember those days squinting at a tiny green-tinted screen, desperately trying to keep Master Higgins from tripping over a rock or running out of fruit? If you were a Game Boy kid in the early '90s, chances are you crossed paths with the Adventure Island series. While the NES entries were notorious for their brutal difficulty, one handheld title offered a slightly more forgiving, yet equally charming, tropical adventure: Adventure Island II: Aliens in Paradise.
Released in 1992 for Nintendo's portable powerhouse, this game isn't a direct port of the NES Adventure Island II. Instead, it's based on the gameplay and structure of the NES Adventure Island III, adapted for the Game Boy. It brought the familiar run-and-jump action, the ever-dwindling life bar (fueled by delicious fruit!), and the iconic skateboard, but with some key differences that made it stand out.
Master Higgins' Portable Predicament
The premise is classic Adventure Island absurdity. Master Higgins' girlfriend, Tina, has been kidnapped by... well, aliens! Not just any aliens, but ones who seem keen on causing trouble across a chain of tropical islands. It's up to our grass-skirted hero to traverse diverse landscapes – from sunny beaches and icy mountains to dark caves and cloudy skies – to rescue his beloved.
Gameplay is exactly what you'd expect: run right, jump over obstacles, and hurl axes (or boomerangs later on) at prehistoric foes. Collecting fruit keeps your energy meter topped up, and finding hidden eggs can grant you power-ups or, more importantly, dinosaur buddies!
More Than Just Running: The Delightful Dinosaur Pals
One of the best features carried over and central to Adventure Island II: Aliens in Paradise is the inclusion of rideable dinosaurs. Unlike some platformers where mounts are temporary power-ups, here you can collect and even store different dinosaur types, selecting the best one for the level ahead.
- Red Dino: Breathes fire, great for attacking enemies from a distance.
- Blue Dino: Can swim, essential for underwater stages.
- Pterodactyl: Allows you to fly over obstacles and enemies.
- Triceratops: Can charge through rocks and certain enemies.
Finding an egg might give you a new dino or add to your stock. Lose a dino, and you're back on foot, feeling a bit more vulnerable. Managing your prehistoric posse adds a fun strategic layer to the simple platforming.
A Kinder, Gentler Island?
Compared to the often merciless difficulty spikes and lack of continues/saves in earlier NES titles like the original Adventure Island II, the Game Boy's Aliens in Paradise felt like a breath of fresh air.
While still challenging, it introduced a password system. This was a huge deal! No longer did a "Game Over" mean starting the entire adventure from scratch. You could pick up where you left off, making progression far less frustrating and much more accessible, especially for younger players or those just getting into platformers. This improved system, coupled with the ability to replay stages to find hidden items or dinos, made the Game Boy entry feel more player-friendly.
The Game Boy Experience
Playing Adventure Island II: Aliens in Paradise on the original Game Boy, or even the Super Game Boy or Game Boy Advance, is a pure hit of nostalgia. The simple graphics are charming, the chiptune soundtrack is catchy and memorable, and the tight controls hold up well. It perfectly captured the essence of the series in a portable format, ideal for long car rides or playing under the covers with a Worm Light.
Is It Worth Revisitng Today?
Absolutely! If you're a fan of classic 8-bit/16-bit platformers, or simply looking for a nostalgic trip back to the Game Boy era, Adventure Island II: Aliens in Paradise is a fantastic choice. It might not reinvent the wheel, but its solid gameplay, fun dinosaur mechanics, and thankfully less punishing difficulty (thanks to that password system!) make it a genuinely enjoyable retro experience.
It's a great example of how a series could adapt its core mechanics for a portable system while learning from past design choices to create a more accessible, yet still challenging, adventure.
Adventure Island II: Aliens in Paradise FAQ
Q: Is this game the same as the NES Adventure Island II? A: No, it's a different game! While sharing a similar name and theme, the Game Boy Aliens in Paradise is based more closely on the structure and features (like dinosaur storage) of the NES Adventure Island III.
Q: Does it have a password system? A: Yes, thankfully! This was a major improvement over some earlier games in the series and allows you to continue your progress.
Q: What platforms was it released on? A: It was originally released on the Nintendo Game Boy. It's also compatible with the Super Game Boy and Game Boy Advance.
Q: Is it very difficult? A: Compared to some other games in the Adventure Island series, Aliens in Paradise is generally considered less punishing due to its password system and slightly more forgiving level design, though it still offers a good challenge.
