Super Adventure Island 2 for SNES

Review #543

Super Adventure Island 2

Mastervania II: The Adventure of LinkHiggins

SNES 1994 Hudson Soft Adventure Adventure › Platform
Super Adventure Island 2 screenshot for SNES
Screenshot used for review/reference purposes.
3 / 5

Gameplay

Legend of Zelda II clone
Overworld with random battles like an RPG but they play out just like Zelda II - walk to end of the screen to end them
Control is good if a little floaty while jumping
Start with a punch and quickly get a sword, with the promise of more weapons to switch between.
Also says there is armor, shields, magic, and equipment but in 30 minutes of playtime I only found the one weapon.
Has a map feature that's buried couple of clicks deep in the pause menu
Save feature!
Hard to read health meter
Enemies respawn as soon as you leave and return to their spawn spot which is pretty annoying.
There's a good game in here somewhere, but it doesn't quite come together.

3 / 5

Level Design

It's obviously trying to be a Metroidvania with teases of things you can do once you gain an ability or unlock something, but it's more frustrating than encouraging since there are way more things you can't do than can do. Blocks are visible but not active as a platform and walls blocking your path.
Unfortunately the levels don't have any clear path to follow so they feel empty and pointless. No sense of progression. Makes me appreciate Super Metroid all the more.
There are also a lot of areas on the map but they're just an empty screen with what looks like a shrine. No idea what these are for.

4 / 5

Theme

Cheery atmosphere and a clear objective - save the Princess.

4 / 5

Art Style

Nice, but not much different than the original which release two years earlier. Kudos for the great sprites but the backgrounds are pretty boring.

4 / 5

Audio

Fun conga-style beats.

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