
Nintendo has a long history of delivering memorable gaming experiences. Most people in this country, and possibly even the world, know who Mario is from Super Mario Bros. The Legend of Zelda is so popular that Robin Williams named his daughter after the title character! By the way, guess what character is the most popular plushie in the world? If you thought Pikachu, you’re right, and Kirby is the runner-up! With all of that said, surely everyone has heard of Mike Jones, right? Anyone?“For me, a T-shirt, a pair of shorts, barefoot on a beach and I’m happy.”
-Yanni
Nintendo’s Buried Treasure
Mr. Miyamoto’s company has so many IPs that it is difficult to keep track of all of them. Titles like Steel Diver, Sin and Punishment, and Geist are all Nintendo IPs that received excellent reviews and were adored by fans. For some reason, however, these games received very few, or no sequels. Another IP, which has accrued for itself quite a cult following, received that same treatment. That game was called StarTropics.To Americola With Love
StarTropics was released in North America on December 1, 1990, for the Nintendo Entertainment System. This game received a North American release before all other regions, and that was because it was a Christmas gift to American gamers. That’s right, the developers deliberately designed this game for an American audience, and its content can attest to that.Every sprite and pixel is a testament to American culture. That is, it’s a testament to the way Japanese developers think an American audience will connect to the content. For example, the main character’s name is Mike Jones, and he is a 15-year-old baseball team captain from Seattle! Now that’s American! All of the countries and regions in this game end with the word “cola,” which is a reference to the Americans’ love for Coca-Cola. Mike is actually from a land called Americola.The developers wanted to make this game really special for their American friends, so they drew inspiration from one of America’s favorite movie franchises, Indiana Jones. Using the ideas of exploration and discovery, they crafted a narrative that provided players with all the action and adventure they would want from a Harrison Ford flick. They also knew Americans loved their beaches and tropical locations, so why not make the setting a series of islands in the South Seas? Sounds like a Hawaiian vacation to me!
Villages, Dolphins, and Aliens…Oh My
StarTropics is a very story-driven game. The action is linear in format, being split up into various chapters that separate the events of the game. In each chapter, Mike is tasked with navigating a new over-world map, or island, that each has its own series of villages and dungeons. Much like in The Legend of Zelda, which this game shares many similarities with, our hero can find secret heart containers and other collectibles to help him out on his journey.The story begins as Mike Jones receives a mysterious letter from his uncle, Dr. Steven Jones. He is asking Mike to come to C-Island in the South Seas. The physical letter actually came in the original box for the game, and it could be dipped in water to reveal a secret code that would later be used to activate the submarine in the game itself. The chief of the island reveals that Dr. Jones has gone missing. Of course, it is up to brave Mike Jones to find his uncle and discover the mystery of the islands.
Game Design Griefs
Before looking at some of the better aspects of this game, it is important to note one of the most irritating parts. As with many retro titles, that is the level design. This game has more design flaws than the Death Star, and it shows. Many of these flaws are contained within the various “clutch points” in the dungeons. There are some places that are impassable without a certain item, which is fine, but the game does not allow you to backtrack in order to get said item. Instead, you have to die, thus wasting a life, so that you can go back to the original checkpoint.
Combat Evolved
Despite the game design flaws, the actual core gameplay of StarTropics is its crown jewel. If one were to simply watch someone else controlling Mike, one would think they were watching a Legend of Zelda game. They would not, however, notice that Mike can do something right out of the gate that Link couldn’t do for nearly 30 years. Mike can jump! The jumping mechanic really heightened the gameplay of StarTropics and set it apart from other top-down games of that era. In order to complete certain dungeons, Mike would have to jump onto platforms to reveal buttons or other secrets that also had to be jumped on. This mechanic also allowed Mike to jump over enemies and obstacles. It made the baseball prodigy quite a versatile hero.Another mechanical marvel in this game that is often overlooked is the “soft directional” controls. Let me explain what that means. Let’s say you want Mike to move right. You press right on the gamepad and Mike merely turns to the right, he doesn’t move right. That is soft directional movement in games, as opposed to hard directional movement in which pressing a direction will instantly move the character in that direction. This makes navigating the dungeons in this game more of a strategic endeavor than a hack-and-slash. By simply turning Mike in the direction players want him to move, they can discern the right course of action before they take it.
A Tropical Escape
For me, StarTropics will always be one of the good ones. It is a timeless classic that is meant to feel oddly American. Though it is certainly not a perfect title by any means, it is one that sets itself apart by feeling like a “video game vacation.” The game is not very short, but it is not incredibly long either. It has just the right amount of exploratory content to justify a little jaunt off the beaten path, but not enough to get players chasing endless sidequests. Like Goldilocks eating that lukewarm porridge, it’s just right.I think we all need a little break from time to time, right? We Americans love our tropical vacations, especially to the enchanted islands of Hawaii. It is a place that many have called a paradise, and I can attest to that having been there myself. Regardless of whether it is a tropical beach or a sprawling mountain vista, taking time to appreciate the beauty of exotic places is something that is hardwired into the human experience. It’s good to know that some video games, like StarTropics, have realized that.
PIXEL PERFECT
Recommended
Look forward to more Hawaii-related content this week and don’t forget to help the people of Maui!
