Was the NES game Adventure Island set in the Philippines?

Was the NES game Adventure Island set in the Philippines? The team behind the YouTube channel The Game Theorists thinks so.

Despite the game maker Hudson’s statement that the game is set somewhere in the South Pacific, The Game Theorists posits that a number of factors suggests otherwise.

They claim that a close analysis of Adventure Island, coupled with some know-how on history, geography, and local flora, leads one to the conclusion that the game is set in the Philippines.

The following are what The Game Theorists consider to be clues:

The fruits

Coconuts and bananas are abundant in the game, as they are in the Philippines, which is one of the top island countries in the world where both of these tropical fruits are found.

The Game Theorists also posits that the green netted fruit in the game is the honeydew melon, which is found in the country.

Carrots, which are produced in upland farms, likewise make an appearance, as do what are believed to be the manzanita and the star apple.

The animals

Adventure Island comes with a number of dangerous animals that kill the protagonist, Master Higgins, on contact. Among these are red and blue octopuses, which are both found in the local waters. Then there is a long fish that is believed to be the barracuda, which thrives in the country, as well. Also in the game is a fire-spitting cobra which The Game Theorists notes is very similar with the Philippine cobra, right down to its ability to spit venom.

Master Higgins

Master Higgins, as described by The Game Theorists, is the picture of the stereotypical American, with his love of trophy women (called Lailani or Tina in the game, which incidentally are both common names for Filipinas) and his use of a baseball cap. What ties him to the local Philippine setting is the Philippine-American war during the early 1900s. Master Higgins, according to the theory, is possibly inspired by the American plantation owners who, in the early part of the twentieth century, had Filipinos working for them in the fields.

The video is worth well watching as it provides a refreshing perspective on a game that formed part of the childhood of many Filipinos. While there may be no way of knowing whether the theory is correct, it may be fun to think about the possibility.

Click here to view the video.