Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Release: 03/15/94 Genre: Action-Adventure
Star Tropics is an odd game among Nintendo’s lineup. As a very clear Zelda inspired adventure it was targeted toward the Western audience who might have found that game too intimidating. Although it had flaws it was a solid game overall. There was room for improvement and naturally one would expect that would come on the Super Nintendo. Instead Zoda’s Revenge: Star Tropics II was one of the last NES releases in 1994, relegating it to obscurity. Despite that it improves on many facets of the original and allowed the little grey box to go out with its head held high.
Time has passed since Mike helped save the Argonians from Zoda in the first game. Mike receives a telepathic message from Mika which helps him solve a riddle that had stumped his Uncle Mike for months. Unfortunately in doing so he is sent back in time, beginning time hopping journeys to not only return home but to also collect the Tetrad pieces from the returning Zoda.
The plot is just as weird as the first game. The premise gives the Zoda’s Revenge an excuse to throw in many important figures in history both literal and figurative. Mike meets Cleopatra, Merlin, Sherlock Holmes, Leonardo Da Vinci, and many others along the way. The circumstances around these encounters are also funny. In Egypt Mike needs to pick up Cleopatra’s pizza delivery which is three days late. Not only is it ridiculous that pizza even exists in this period but somehow it is still hot! You get to solve a mystery with Sherlock Holmes and even meet King Arthur as well. The absurdity is part of the reason Zoda’s Revenge is enjoyable and the game revels in it.
By and large the structure of the game has not changed. Zoda’s Revenge has chapters with each taking place in a different era in history. There are towns and hidden areas in each map like the original although the overall maps are smaller. There are fewer puzzles than its predecessor which I will admit I miss. But the rapid fire pace and variety in setting make up for it. That was one of my biggest criticisms of Star Tropics; the island theme did get old fast as there was little variety. Zoda’s Revenge makes up for it in spades and is better for it.
Mechanically the controls are better. Mike has 8-way movement like A Link to the Past and it feels great. The grid based movement is removed and the pace is faster as a result. You have full control when you jump and can change direction which the game takes advantage of constantly. It makes the platforming harder as your movements are not so rigid. The addition of different heights for platforms also makes it more complex. But the controls rise to the challenge. Combat has also received a few changes. Mike has two weapons this time: different throwing swords and a psychic shock wave attack that upgrades throughout the game. The shock wave functions like the weapons in the first game with its strength dependent on your health. Enemies can only be hit by one or the other and with the strength of each the secondary weapons are useless now.
Where the mechanics have improved the dungeons are a little bit simpler. There was a heavy puzzle element in Star Tropics, with secondary items and such for progress. These are gone and all you are left with are switch blocks. The maps are about the same size and they play with things like conveyor belts and disappearing platforms but for the most part they lean too heavily on clearing rooms of enemies. This is my one disappointment with Zoda’s Revenge. They went to such great lengths to add variety in setting and the dungeons are suitably themed. But the lack of unique puzzles to match is a missed opportunity to make the game even greater.
What has not changed is the game’s difficulty. With a tighter focus on combat come stronger enemies. As early as chapter four they become more resilient and able to tear your life bar to shreds in seconds. It took longer to reach that point in Star Tropics and the difference is notable here. You would think having permanently stronger weapons would help but no dice. A few boss battles such as the undead miner and dragon are nearly hair pulling in their challenge and not in a good way. It is certainly manageable but the bump in difficulty despite the better controls and mechanics is still surprising.
In Closing
Is Zoda’s Revenge a better game than its predecessor? That is hard to say. The gameplay is better but there are still aspects of the original I like better. I enjoyed them about the same overall. I will say Zoda’s Revenge turned out far better than most expected for such a late release no one was expecting.
