Whatever happened to this series?
Basically it's a Mario knockoff. Speedwise, it falls between Mario and Sonic. You play as Master Higgins, a stout little guy wearing nothing but a ball cap and grass skirt. He's off to save his girlfriend from an evil witch doctor. Basically the game is all about running and jumping, finding power ups and even riding a skateboard. There are items to collect and secrets to find.
But this game can be very very hard. Back in the day, we didn't have the benefit of saving progress. You either wrote down huge passwords, or played for eight hour sessions knowing if you turned off the NES you had to start over again and with a total of of 32 stages, you were in for a long haul. Later stages, if you die and have to start over, you'll find yourself trying to dodge enemies until you find an egg with a weapon. It can be extremely frustrating and can lead to cheap deaths. If this sounds too hard for you, then spend the extra points for the TG version which lets you continue endlessly.
If you're an old skool gamer looking for a challenge, then give it a try. Let's hope Adventure Island II comes out soon. Master Higgins was riding dinosaurs way back before Mario.