Super Adventure Island – Guide and Walkthrough

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| SUPER ADVENTURE ISLAND FAQ/Walkthrough |
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v1.5+
Packed with solutions to every nook and cranny of the game!
Written by Snow Dragon (C) 2001-2002. All rights reserved.


TABLE OF CONTENTS
=================
I. Updates
II. Story, Intro, and Notes
III. Controls
IV. Walkthrough for All Levels
V. Credits and Copyrights


UPDATES
=======
3-17-02: While most of my older walkthroughs have recently been given
         total rearrangements, this one is sort of an evolution from my
         older style to the style I adopt now. There are really no big
         changes, but there are enough to give this one a sort of semi-
         update. Therefore, this one isn't being completely upgraded to
         2.0. That's the reasoning behind the designation "1.5+". If 
         any other changes come up, I'll keep you in the know.


STORY, INTRO, AND NOTES
=======================
If you know anything about the plot of most Adventure Island games, I 
can just tell you that the story behind this one is just like the story 
to every other Adventure Island game in existence. However, since that 
will not suffice for someone who has never played a game in this 
series, here's what actually happens.

Master Higgins, the fat islander in a baseball cap, is making out in a 
tree with his girlfriend (correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe her 
name is Tina). Anyway, they're petting each other and kissing when this 
goofy-looking wizard in a purple robe comes and turns Tina to stone. 
Higgins realizes this at about the time he realizes that he just kissed 
a hunk of granite. Anyway, Higgins hops down out of his romance tree 
and is off to kill the sorry [bleep] who turned his main squeeze into a 
rock.

Now that you know exactly why Higgins is off on this inane romp, here 
are a few things you should know about the FAQ:

** I did a walkthrough for Super Adventure Island because, unlike the
   ones for NES, this one is sadly very linear. On a happier note, that
   makes it easier to do a walkthrough for it! Oh, sweet irony.

** If there is anything you need to contact me about, like a mistake in
   the walkthrough or a request for additional info or something
   similar in content, e-mail me at <eubanks1084@hotmail.com>. I always
   answer all my mail, even if it takes a month like it sometimes does.

** Since most of this game's levels are pretty short, the walkthroughs
   are in paragraph form. Sometimes I do step-by-step walkthroughs, but
   more often than not it depends on the game.

** That should be all. Have fun playing Super Adventure Island!


CONTROLS
========
As far as a Super NES controller goes, these are pretty basic controls. 
Note that Higgins, true to morbidly-obese-person form, cannot run - 
instead, he employs a light jog that often feels too slow for the 
game's action.

Left/Right
----------
Jog left or right. You won't be jogging left too much, as everything in 
this game is basically directly ahead of you waiting to kill you.

B or X
------
These both serve as jump buttons. Use B - it's much easier.

Y or A
------
Both buttons will launch your current weapon. Y is easier to use than 
A.

Hold Down, jump
---------------
A super-jump of sorts. Use it to reach higher items.

Hold up, fire weapon
--------------------
Fire your weapon in a high narrow arc. Good for reaching enemies above 
you, like bats or bosses with high-up weak spots.

Hold down, fire weapon
----------------------
Fire your weapon in a low wide arc that can take foes far away by 
surprise.


WALKTHROUGHS FOR ALL LEVELS
===========================

Round 1-1
---------
Before you start, pause the game and take a look at the status symbols 
around you. In the upper left-hand corner is your life bar. It peters 
out pretty fast as you go through a level - that's where tropical fruit 
comes in. Generally speaking, almost anything that isn't a weapon or a 
skateboard will restore your health meter. Unfortunately, Higgins is a 
weak fatty who dies in one hit (unless special conditions are present). 
In the upper right-hand corner is the score, and in the lower left-hand 
corner are your reserve lives. Bearing that in mind, let's move on.

Just ahead is the quintessential hammer, Higgins' main weapon of choice 
throughout the game. Grab it. To kill the shell monsters, use the low 
wide arc technique described just above in the Controls section. It's 
better than aiming square at the middle, in which case the hammer will 
probably fly right over them unless you throw it right when you see 
them. Keep going until you see the skateboard. If you're smart, you'll 
never get this item when you see it.

Having cleared the skateboard, walk on ahead, minding the rocks (if you 
trip on one, you lose a little health) until you find the boomerang. 
Use the high narrow arc trick to get the floating reptiles before they 
hit the ground. This is sometimes difficult because they tend to move 
around in midair a lot. If they make it to the ground they'll proceed 
to blow fire at you.

After them, jump over the two rocks and kill the shell. The ticket to 
escaping every level is the red circle with the star inside. Touch it 
to beat the level. You will receive bonus points for any health you 
have left at the end - a full health bar nets you 8000 points (you have 
16 single units and each is worth 500).

Round 1-2
---------
If you were able to hang on to the boomerang from the last level, then 
today is your lucky day. Get the one up ahead and your boomerang will 
turn into a dirk-like energy ball weapon! Yeah! Keep it as you go 
ahead. When you see one of the voodoo guys like the one up ahead a few 
steps, duck in case he tries to spear you.

Advance across the waterfalls. The platforms don't have a lot of room 
to move back and forth, so this makes jumps from them slightly easier. 
Some will go left to right, others fall slowly when you touch them. The 
next noteworthy area is at the first hammer. When you get it, you 
retain the energy ball thing, but it works like a hammer instead of a 
boomerang. Still not bad! The waterfalls and platforms become more 
plentiful but no harder to cross. When you see the circling bugs, kill 
them, and when you see a voodoo man, duck. At the end of the level, use 
a super-jump to reach the star.

Round 1-3
---------
Get ready for a distinct change of locale from your normal surroundings 
to a volcanic cave. Don't try to jump over the candles or they'll torch 
you through some mystic kerosene-like power of theirs. Take them out 
with whatever weapon you currently possess. When the boulder chases you 
down the slope, keep on moving - it's just as hilariously slow as you 
are. When you get to the bottom and clear the lava pit, you should come 
into possession of the boomerang once again.

After the moving platform area, you'll see a hammer. DO NOT GET IT! 
It's much easier to kill these bouncing black blobs you'll find with 
your boomerang/energy ball (assuming you still haven't died and lost 
the energy ball). After they are out of your way, you will find a lot 
of fruit and the star. Don't get happy just yet, though. You're about 
to engage in your first boss battle.

If you have the boomerang, this battle is hilariously easy. Run up to 
him and use the high narrow arc as fast as your fingers can crank it 
out. Should you do this properly, you'll beat him before he even gets a 
shot off at you. If not, jump over the fire that he releases. It runs 
like a wave to the edge of the screen. The hammer, while slower, is 
just as effective in defeating this boss. If you die, you'll start from 
the middle of 1-3; if you don't, a bird will fly you to...

Round 2-1
---------
How the [bleep] are these penguins surviving on a tropical island? Oh 
well, I'm not one to question this game's illogic. Just know that when 
you see one, you should fire your boomerang at it immediately, on 
sight, no questions asked. If you can't manage that, jump over them.

This is one of the few times I'm going to recommend picking up the 
skateboard. With the right jumps and some semi-superhuman reflexes, you 
can beat this in record time. Unless you feel capable, try to either go 
for the fruit only or only kill the penguins. Only do both if you feel 
that Higgins is in the hand of a platforming expert.

Once you pass the flying stingrays (???), watch out for that thing that 
looks like a scooter. It's not. I tried to catch a ride on it once and 
I died :) If you're not on the scooter, stay low and kill him when he 
comes out from the shield. If you're on the skateboard, clear him with 
a professional jump. Soon you'll meet up with some more penguins, then 
you'll be at the end of the level.

Round 2-2
---------
Unless you pull some fancy footwork, you'll have to get the hammer. It 
won't matter, because before long you'll once again be holding and 
using your precious boomerang. There's nothing really worth mentioning 
until you get to the inflated walruses. This game is so darned crazy! 
Even then, this level doesn't get hard until after the arc of four 
fruits (pineapple, banana, kiwi, pineapple). Then penguins will fly at 
you again. When you jump to the ledge that sinks, one will come at you, 
and believe me, it is the most inopportune time for that to happen. So, 
when he flies at you, duck and wait for him to pass, then as soon as 
he's past you, do a super-jump to safe ground. After that, the exit is 
just ahead.

Following this level, Higgins, who is in a boat, will be swallowed 
whole by a mean-looking whale.

Round 2-3
---------
This level is simple. All you're doing is swimming through the rather 
empty innards of a digestive system-less whale. The only enemies you 
will face are stingrays, eels, and inflated walruses. Swimming is an 
easy task. Stay afloat with the jump button (if you go below the bottom 
it's just like a normal pit and you'll die), and control your altitude 
with the Up and Down buttons. It is easier if you attack your enemies 
from below or above as the situation warrants than from directly in 
front of them. At the end of the level, it is imperative that you pick 
up the hammer. You'll never get a hit in on the boss with that 
boomerang of yours.

Worm your way around the sea urchins to the boss, a giant sea-floor-
dwelling squid. The arm is invulnerable to attacks from your hammer, as 
are the urchins. You'll have to make the hammers arc over the arm and 
onto the pale orange weak spot that is his head. On top of that, the 
squid releases fish that do nothing except float up. If you avoid them 
and keep flailing at his head, you'll do fine. The bird will transport 
you to Round 3-1.

Round 3-1
---------
By the time you figure out that you're supposed to go up the tree, 
you'll probably have lost a few health points. Fruit is not hard to get 
to but it is few and far between. Fortunately, when you do find it, 
it's cluttered together in little groups. Also try throwing your 
boomerang at background leaves. It can reveal hidden fruit that can 
really help you out if you're running out of health (or time?). Really, 
the way to beat this, obviously, is making your way up the tree. All 
the boomerangs will be on the right side of the tree. The star is in 
the upper left-hand corner of the level.

Round 3-2
---------
The foggy forest is somewhat intimidating, but not THAT scary in 
retrospect. A new enemy you'll see here is a ghost lizard with a gaping 
maw ready to eat you. The skateboard will provide a quick thrill, but 
odds are you'll lose it sooner or later. If you want to get, you can 
get through the level just that much faster. The voodoo men are 
everywhere here, so be sure to duck their death lances. Most of the 
fruit in this level can't be reached through conventional jumping - 
good to know. The cave at the end suggests the environment of the next 
level.

Round 3-3
---------
What a fun level! You get to ride in stray mine carts! At some points 
getting the hammer is unavoidable, but it is shortly replaced by the 
far superior boomerang. When you jump out of a mine cart, as you will 
have to when one comes to a pit, you'll make a huge leap that's fun to 
watch. Kill all enemies from below when possible, because most of your 
opponents are the ever-annoying black blobs. At the end of this level 
after getting the star, you'll face a mechanical dragon.

Following a long fall, the mechanical dragon will reveal himself. Hit 
him in the head, which is, like both of the other bosses to this point, 
his weak spot. His body curves much like the block platform from Super 
Mario World, if you get that reference. You can pass through most of 
his body and jump onto it to keep up with him. Watch out for the lava 
that flows out of the background. It's there as a way to get you 
farther behind the dragon's head. Once you hit it a few times, he 
starts to move faster. Mercilessly bash his face in with the boomerang 
until you win.

Round 4-1
---------
Similar to the movie "I'll Be Home For Christmas," you're out in the 
middle of nowhere and you've got to get home to your loved one. Unlike 
that movie, however, you're not glued into a Santa suit. With that, 
proceed to journey through the searing desert. This level almost feels 
more linear than any other in the game so far. All you have to do is 
walk forward and kill the usual suspects. It might be interesting to 
note that your life bar runs out a little faster in this level. Super-
jumping plays more into the mix here, making you reach that little 
extra to replenish your life. Hit all flying enemies from below until 
you find the skateboard. It's near the very end of the level, so the 
ride will be short.

Round 4-2
---------
Another one where the level's path leads up instead of right. While the 
skull helmet guys may not look like much, they have unrivaled jumping 
capabilities. Get rid of them with the hammer or the boomerang before 
they can pounce on you. Both weapons are stocked in plentiful supply 
here. Fruit is usually arranged in columns or rows, so if you need to 
step to the side or take a fall to get some, that's fine. Most falls do 
not require a long trip back to your original position.
 
Remember to watch your timing as you proceed up the cliffs. Several of 
the parachuting dinos are here to make your life miserable, and the 
circularly-flying bugs are a nuisance as well. Once at the top of the 
mountain, make a stretching jump to the right to get the star. If you 
need assurance, go down a few rows and make a super-jump.

After this level, Master Higgins will make a big belly-flop into a lake 
below.

Round 4-3
---------
Don't you just love how swimming levels are the easiest? All you have 
to do is swim your butt off and then fight a boss! Actually, it would 
probably make it easier if you killed everyone in sight here, 
especially the eels. If you don't get them off your tail, they will 
start to seriously gain up on you, and you really don't need five or 
six of them chasing you shooting bolts of electricity. Keep them off 
your back with either the boomerang or the hammer, which you should try 
to avoid during the course of this stage. The boss will be a lot easier 
with the boomerang.

Once you've gotten the star and the game has tallied up your bonus 
points, you'll be taken to a cave where you'll fight a giant skeleton 
knight with a rinky-dink early-16-bit era lightsaber, which the next-
gen games of today more than put to shame. Go up him so that he swings 
at you, then quickly back away and super-jump, throwing the boomerang 
so that it hits the top of his head. You'll know you've scored a 
successful salvo when he crumbles to pieces on the ground. He will 
quickly regenerate and come back for more. Three hits (three!) will do 
him in for good. It's sad, really. You'd think somebody like him would 
be really tough, but what is he? A steaming pile of crap, that's what. 
Boy, I tell you...

Round 5-1
---------
Here's the first level with any actual element of challenge to it. The 
slippery ice is hard to walk on, and even more so when traversing 
hills. Finally the penguins are in a place where they belong, and 
they're not afraid to charge at you if you make eye contact with them. 
Don't even bother with the skateboard located at the level's midpoint. 
You'll lose it in a matter of seconds thanks to a well-placed penguin. 
The voodoo guys are usually located at the top of hills, so if you were 
forced into obtaining a hammer, take them out with it. The end of this 
one is located near a glimmering, frozen-over castle.

Round 5-2
---------
Forcing you to go slow by making the joint dark was a good move on 
Hudson Soft's part. This level requires both lots of patience and good 
vision to see the vague outlines of stuff ahead of you. It's not a bad 
idea to fire your weapon constantly in case some enemy lies ahead of 
you. Look all around for faint traces of fruit. There isn't much in 
this level, and what you do find you need to grab, because if you 
proceed too cautiously and your health meter starts to get low, you're 
going to panic, and that will cause you to die. 

Take your time over the spike pits. Make each jump thorough, and know 
where you're going to land. Be confident, even if your confidence lands 
you in a bed of spikes. Each one is only four spikes in length and can 
be seen in the dim light ahead of you, so try to look ahead. If your 
vision is bad, this level may give you heartache for hours to come.

Round 5-3
---------
To get your worry glands going for this level, those freakin' annoying 
black blob guys are EVERYWHERE. Don't get the hammer at the start, 
because the control that the boomerang provides makes it a much more 
capable companion at this point. Proceed to the right. You'll meet 
familiar enemies like the walking candles and the freaky ghost lizards. 
When you get to the wall and have to super-jump up to the brown ledges, 
get on the left side of the second one and jump. A star should appear 
that will lead you to a bonus level. Let's take a time-out, shall we?

In the bonus level, you will bounce on springs to collect stars for 
points. These lead to 1-ups, as the stars are worth massive points. 
Each spring can only be used once, so the little break from reality (so 
to speak) keeps you on your toes. If you get all the items, you'll 
collect a 1-up for that as well. When you get back, go to the wall to 
the right and fire the boomerang up to locate some hidden fruit.

When you proceed to the left, almost all of the ledges move up and down 
or left and right. Several hidden fruits lie in this one-way path to 
the boss, so keep firing whatever you have to reveal them. Your 
problems should be few as long as you're super-jumping to ledges 
instead of making a normal leap to each one. Most enemies will attack 
you from above, so fire in that direction if you're looking for safety 
from the unfamiliar.

The boss is ... wait a second! It's none other than the little scamp 
who turned your sweetheart into a statue! All he does is dash around 
like a loser. Just fire your weapon at him a lot and jump when he comes 
at you. To all outward appearances, it seems you're not doing a blessed 
thing to him, but this will be evidenced once he floats up to heaven. 
Wait a minute though ... is he ... is he ... he is! He just turned into 
this fat floating thing - that you can't hit! Mwa ha ha!

The secret here is to let Mr. Fattypants Pink Thing crush the bridge 
under his own weight, since he's obviously using his butt to try and 
make you die of shock, apparently. Take note of the color change when 
he hits certain bricks. After one hit, they turn yellow. After two, 
red. Finally, on the third hit, they will cease to be. What you don't 
want to do is get yourself cornered. That will only lead to death by 
butt. You want to find a little special area that you want him to land 
on and eventually crash through a la Bowser from SMB3 for NES. Walk 
around in a small six-block space so that he's aware of your presence 
there, but stay to the left or right of it, depending on which 
direction provides a quick escape from the corner. When it looks like 
he's about to squish you, move. It can be very hard to get him to land 
where you want him to.

Have two or three potential spots for him to crash through. Each time 
he hits one, go to another. When you have six red blocks lined up, lead 
him to that one area and no other. Once he crashes on it, he will 
realize his folly and go up in flames. That was the hardest part of the 
game right there, and you just beat it. Go, you!

Afterward, Higgins gets treated to more than a little lovin' on the 
beach. Just goes to show you, the fat guy gets the girl in the end. 
Always. Where would Mario be if that weren't true?

Congratulations on beating Super Adventure Island!


CREDITS AND COPYRIGHTS
======================
First of all, this is probably the fastest I've ever beaten a game I 
did for a walkthrough. No wait, that was Addams Family for Game Boy. My 
bad.

Okay, back to what's really important: the people who made this 
possible.

** My cousin Chris. His computer rocks!

** ZSNES. Without emulators, writing these would actually be work!

** Pizza rolls and Dr Pepper, my sustenance that I ate and drank while
   writing this.

** Anyone who has helped develop/encourage my writing talent.

** Any sites that post.

** Hudson Soft for making the game, however easy it is.

This version of this walkthrough (1.5+) is (C) March 17, 2002 by Snow 
Dragon. Now: the real legal talk: I don't want this sold for profit. It 
can be distributed freely, I have no beef with that, but please don't 
make money by selling this to all your friends. That's wrong because I 
said it is. Also, if you are going to put this on your website, you 
must do so without changing the text at all. Leave it in its original 
form. I do understand, however, if you wish to modify the STRUCTURE of 
this guide (i.e. adding your own screenshots for display on your site). 
You will have to ask me first, though I usually allow this.

Don't link directly to this FAQ. Only link to the site that it is on.

Above all, do not plagiarize this walkthrough. I spent my time on it 
and it is a completely original product of my own doing. If you take 
this from me, I will not like you at all. Do remember that the latest 
version of this walkthrough is always to be found at the ever-helpful 
GameFAQs. Contact me at <eubanks1084@hotmail.com> if you have any 
questions regarding this or any of my other guides.

Other than that, have a nice day, and have fun playing Super Adventure 
Island!