Master Higgins rides again!
For any of our Euro / Aussie readers who are patiently waiting for Hudson Soft’s Adventure Island: The Beginning we can gladly tell you that your wait will soon be over. It will be on sale in the Wii Shop at midnight tonight for 1000 Nintendo points (GMT of course!).
This installment of Adventure Island will return gamers back to the good old days of platforming action, with a few modern twists of course. There are even a few minigames included for good measure. This looks all set to be an essential WiiWare purchase. Of course if you are in doubt, just wait for our full review which should be ready sometime during the weekend.
If you want to know more why not check out our exclusive interview with the real life Master Higgins, Takahashi Meijin?














1. xesbeth
23 Apr 2009, 12:04 BST
OH YEAH!
Exceptionally, I forgive nintendo if we don't have Gradius Rebirth tomorrow.
2. RGVEDA
23 Apr 2009, 12:06 BST
Only one game or more?
3. timp29
23 Apr 2009, 12:13 BST
Interesting. This has made my decision even harder. I just got 1200 points from tetris, and now I have to choose between this, majoras or sin & punishment. This looks pretty damn good, can't wait for the reviews.
4. Omega
23 Apr 2009, 12:27 BST
Yikes! It will be first released in Europe? That is a rarity. But before I consider to buy it, I wait for the review. Of course.
5. Sean Aaron
23 Apr 2009, 12:30 BST
Well, it came out in Japan a couple of weeks ago, but it's out before the Norte Americanos get it...
6. Omega
23 Apr 2009, 12:36 BST
Oh, those Japanese. They are always faster than light.
7. Shiryu
23 Apr 2009, 12:38 BST
Guess we wont get "Gradius Rebirth" again... =
8. Sean Aaron
23 Apr 2009, 12:51 BST
Well, that's only one title (unless this is 1 WW/1 VC week...), it could happen!
9. Dazza
23 Apr 2009, 13:01 BST
There had better be some DSiWare this week. I am look at you Dr. Mario Express!!
10. Adam
23 Apr 2009, 13:14 BST
Adventure Island and Bubble Bobble... what next, Europe gets a new Mario game that we don't get?
11. Cheezy
23 Apr 2009, 13:15 BST
Why does the USA always never get the good stuff until forever
12. Digiki
23 Apr 2009, 13:23 BST
I haven't played Adventure Island, but I'll probably get an older version sometime rather than this (unless it's way better) since they aren't ugly.
13. Chicken Brutus
23 Apr 2009, 13:33 BST
Wow, Europe is getting some good stuff that we don't have yet! The jealousy is bubbling up...
If you guys get Cave Story first, there will be a riot.
14. cheese
23 Apr 2009, 14:28 BST
OK, to the Americans here please don't go around saying things like why does the USA always have to wait for games, when you guys know that Europe is behind in released Virtual Console and WiiWare games. Usually Europeans are forced to wait longer for their games (example: SSBB was released in NA on March 9 08, Europeans however got it on June 27 08) and sometimes we don't even get some of the games you guys get (coughs EARTHBOUND). But for Australians the situations is much worse, not only do we pay a lot more for our games and our gaming consoles and deal with crappy release dates but we don't even get some games (looks at every single C64 game on the VC) that other regions get. It's a rare occasion for the Euro/Aus gamers to recieve their games before the North Americans so please don't ruin it for us.
Sorry about the rant, thank you and goodnight.
Cheese
15. SuperSonic1990
23 Apr 2009, 14:52 BST
Why are we Americans seem to be getting games last here lately? First Majora's Mask,and now this. Oh well at least we are possibly going to get Super Smash Bros. first.
16. warioswoods
23 Apr 2009, 14:59 BST
Those screenshots look hideous. Not just the art direction and the models, as these shots also certainly give the impression that the level design is greatly lacking as well. I might just not understand this series since I've never seen an Adventure Island game with even passable level design (although I know I haven't played many iterations), but maybe someone can explain the appeal of this to me. I feel as if we'd all be calling this shovelware in a heartbeat if those screenshots were shown under some other title.
EDIT: I finally watched the video, and the animation is even worse! Honestly, the level design looks like an even more monotonous version of Yoshi's Story, but with graphics that have zero charm and stiff animation. As a platforming fan, I just don't get it.
17. quakster
23 Apr 2009, 15:12 BST
@warioswoods: The appeal of the games is in the gameplay, and if you don't like it, well, different strokes for different folks.
The graphics in this one look pretty bad because the size limit on WiiWare is really strict.
18. Supermarioman
23 Apr 2009, 15:13 BST
Wow, yet another "Rebirth" of an game series Europe gets first. Once again I don't care because I perfer originals (Mega Man 9 does get that category of being an original) and Majora's Mask I have on the Gamecube with little problems.
19. NintendoPurist
23 Apr 2009, 15:14 BST
"It will be on sale in the Wii Shop at midnight tonight for 1000 Nintendo points."
That's actually midnight tonight in Europe, which is 9AM to 10AM Aussie time (usually around 9:30 where I am now) tomorrow (Friday). Still, we DO technically get our VC and WiiWare at the same time as Europe...oops...I went off topic...
This actually looks like something I'd pick up
20. Alfred ENG
23 Apr 2009, 15:53 BST
I also have 1200 points from Tetris. Are we only getting this?. I want Gradius Rebirth now!.
21. WhoKnew
23 Apr 2009, 16:06 BST
First its Majoras Mask and now THIS?!?! I think I need a european wii...
22. Mik
23 Apr 2009, 17:00 BST
@Cheese, I 100% agree with you. I'm from South Africa (in 2001 I moved to England) and in South Africa, they only got a Wii at the end of 2007, a full year after it's launch!
23. Sean Aaron
23 Apr 2009, 17:12 BST
@WhoKnew: could be a sound investment, but don't forget to confirm your TV can display PAL colour!
24. warioswoods
23 Apr 2009, 17:22 BST
@Sean Aaron
Pfft, any TV can do that, it only requires misspelling it with a 'u'
25. Wiiloveit
23 Apr 2009, 17:24 BST
Can't wait to give it a try, although I must admit that it's one of my least anticipated WiiWare games from Hudson in a while, but that doesn't mean to say that I don't think it will be good. If we get Bit.Trip with this, I will be amazingly happy.
26. Vendetta
23 Apr 2009, 17:25 BST
@3 & 20: What does it mean, getting 1200pts from Tetris?
27. Adam
23 Apr 2009, 17:31 BST
@17
Quakster! From the Jumper / Helix forums? I didn't know you were a member here, too.
I agree though, the graphics shouldn't be held to too high a standard on WiiWare.
28. quakster
23 Apr 2009, 17:50 BST
@Adam: I'm a member on every existing forum on every imaginable plane. But enough about me, let's talk about the game.
It doesn't have dinosaurs, therefore it's automatically inferior to the NES games.
29. warioswoods
23 Apr 2009, 17:56 BST
I still disagree strongly; I'm not just talking about the graphics in terms of complexity, I'm primarily saying that the art direction (and I include character animations under this) looks absolutely awful to me. I don't see the download size limitations or other hardware limitations as a factor in the fact that it just looks like it was put together with minimal effort.
2.5D can be done relatively well (NSMB), but if the developers failed to put any work into it, it really shows. It's sort of like watching one of those cheap 3D-rendered children's television series, which rely on the 3D effect to hide the fact that they are actually far cheaper, take less effort, and look far worse than even mediocre 2D animation.
LostWinds is the opposite end of the spectrum as far I'm concerned, as the great attention to detail and art design attained a level that leaves these screenshots looking miserable by comparison.
30. KDR_11k
23 Apr 2009, 18:00 BST
Hm, I hope it's not the only WiiWare release (2-3 games are likely since they seem to have a lot of stuff lined up that wants to be released so 1 game weeks would be a bit out of place). There's an interview with Ronimo on the Nintendo Channel, I wonder if that means anything about Swords and Soldiers coming soon.
But for Australians the situations is much worse, not only do we pay a lot more for our games
http://www.google.com/search?q=100+AUD+in+EUR
Can't reach the Aussie Amazon to check but 100 AUD seems to be the normal price for (HD console?) games down under.
31. Adam
23 Apr 2009, 19:30 BST
@Wariowoods
Haha, I thought I was commenting on the Icarian thread when I posted. I just edited out that nonsense. I otherwise wouldn't compare the two at all. The graphics for Lost Winds were pretty good, but it was also a very short game. Coincidence? I don't think so. I'd rather take lesser graphics for more game play.
And I agree with Quakster: Without dinosaurs, I don't expect much.
32. Alfred ENG
23 Apr 2009, 20:13 BST
I won 1200 Wii points in a Tetris tournament. I finished 125th in PAL EU/AUS NZ. I won 1200 before that to and on the 30th of this month i will win 1200 more points |()
33. Bahamut ZERO
23 Apr 2009, 20:21 BST
Well well, look at Europe and their "Worse than those stupid American" updates
34. Digiki
23 Apr 2009, 21:44 BST
The graphics in this one look pretty bad because the size limit on WiiWare is really strict.
No the graphics look terrible because they are. Last I checked, not all Wiiware games looked terrible. They could've gone with 16-bit graphics and had them look great, and take up less space.
35. Viral
23 Apr 2009, 22:51 BST
I'm not sure if this is going to be a purchase soon...
36. SuperDel
23 Apr 2009, 22:53 BST
Praying for some DSi Ware stuff today. Is it just me, or is anyone else praying for Virtual Console on DSi?
37. MarkyVigoroth
23 Apr 2009, 22:53 BST
Commence super-cheers from Europe!
38. timp29
23 Apr 2009, 23:10 BST
@Vendetta: Tetris party has these tournaments. One in USA/Japan, one in europe/aus/nz. If you finish in the top 100 (or 500 - depends on the tournament) you get 1,200 points. So far tetris has given me 2,400 points. Best wiiware game I ever bought. I need to get off my butt and get into the next tournament. Its only got like 10 days left :/
39. cheese
24 Apr 2009, 02:36 BST
@Mik Thanks I'm glad at least someone agrees with me.
40. Objection_Blaster
24 Apr 2009, 02:47 BST
The graphics look only okay. Hopefully the gameplay will make up for it.
41. Sean Aaron
24 Apr 2009, 04:43 BST
Damn I didn't know you could win points in the tournaments; I'll definitely not miss the next one!
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