This seems to be a game that has an unfair reputation. Many in the modern so-called "Retro Community", seem to parrot the popular meme, that this game is "garbage", as in a legitimately bad game. Which is absolutely isn't. Is it hard as fuck, even unfair at times in later stages? Definitely. But it has always come across as very disengenuous and hypocritical to me, that many of the same sorts who praise OTHER hard-as-nails NES games (many of which are complete bullshit at times), like Contra, like Ninja Gaiden, like Ghosts n Goblins, like Battletoads, or Holy Diver, etc. etc. etc., turn around and call THIS a "bad game" for its jank or difficulty.

In this man's estimation, the first Adventure Island is a goddamn gem. It's essentially a port/reworking of the Sega arcade (and later Master System) game Wonder Boy. Personally, I prefer Master Higgins to the Blonde Wonder, and I prefer Wonder Boy in his later (more popular) form, as a "metroidvania" type affair. As far as AI itself goes, it kicked off a fantastic franchise, with 2 and 3 being the strongest of the bunch (2 being my favorite). But this original game, while VERY rough around the edges, is incredibly fun, and obviously challenging. I honestly can't remember if I beat it upon my one childhood rental of it, or not. I'd be willing to lean towards not, because World 8 especially does, in all fairness, get STUPID hard in spots. But I did manage, at the very least, to get pretty far into this classic.

The Adventure Island games, as far as I'm concerned, as every bit as much NES classics, as the likes of Mega Man, or Castlevania, or Ninja Gaiden. And they should be remembered as fondly, including this original entry.

Imagine if Mario had a crossover with Pac-Land, but Mario has the metabolism of a baby bird and will straight up fucking die out of nowhere if he doesn't eat a mushroom every 4 seconds or touches anything

Who thought a hunger meter in a platform game was a good idea?

Anyway, there are points in this game where you have to be pixel perfect to continue, and moments that are straight-up luck-based. I completed this out of spite and my thumb is purple

I have no idea how the game wound up on my Wii, but it was the first time since the 90s me and my cousin played a game together (taking turns each time we died) and it really got me nostalgic for when that happened every time I saw him, so that really affects my score.

The game itself is dickishly hard and all that classic NES style and probably not even anything super special, but that doesn't matter when you have memories associated with a game worth much more you know? It's the magic of video games that can't be captured as much in other mediums: The experience.

So while I forget most of Adventure Island itself, I'll never forget experiencing Adventure Island.

first of all. this is game is DIABOLICALLY HARD.
i used to play it when i was a kid on a bootleg console and i think i was never able to get pass the first area. well, 18 years later i downloaded an emulator and tried to give it a go thinking i was gonna do so much better. BUT I DIDNT.
like i said, this game is. So hard. and most of the times so unfair. i was only able to finish by saving and loading my progress almost every step of the level (which can be interpreted as cheating but YEA!). it was a very frustrating but sweet experience at the same time. if i wasnt playing for nostalgia sake tho, i would never dare to finish this game.