NES - "StarTropics" Trivia Quiz

Answer: the Southern Cross

Celestial events / bodies are a common feature of "StarTropics". In addition to the Southern Cross, the game includes references to meteor showers as portents of events to come.

Answer: 1990

"StarTropics" was released in 1990. Also released for the NES in 1990 were "Super Mario Brothers 3" and "Final Fantasy". These three games do a pretty good job of showcasing just how amazing the NES could be.

While "Mario Brothers" and "Final Fantasy" continue to be vibrant and successful franchises, "StarTropics" had only one sequel.

Answer: Baseball-themed submarine quest across the South Pacific to battle evil aliens

Mike Jones is invited by his uncle Dr. Jones to visit C Island in the South Pacific. When he arrives he is informed by the chief of Coralcola that Dr. J has disappeared. The chief sends Mike through a dangerous tunnel to Dr. J's lab, where Mike discovers his uncle's submarine, Sub-C. Mike then departs on a journey to find his uncle, accompanied by Dr. J's baboon assistant Baboo. On his way, he travels to several islands and solves lots of other peoples' problems, sometimes because he's just a good guy, sometimes because if he doesn't people won't help him.

Eventually, Mike discovers that his uncle was abducted by evil aliens, who were chasing the last remnants of ANOTHER alien race they had almost exterminated. If Mike doesn't defeat the EVIL aliens, his uncle won't be saved, the GOOD aliens will be totally exterminated, AND EARTH WILL BE DESTROYED. So, predictably, Mike fights the aliens.

Answer: star Major League pitcher Mike Jones

Michael Jones is a 15 year old star pitcher from Seattle. His pitching arm presumably comes in handy when yo-yoing enemies, throwing baseballs at them, and other various occasions where he throws useful objects at bad things.

Answer: -cola

The first village is Coralcola. Mike also goes to Shecola (ruled by women!) and Miracola.

Answer: a yo-yo

The Chief of Coralcola (the village on C-Island) gives Mike the yo-yo, or "island star," as the chief calls it. This is Mike's basic weapon for the entire game. Whenever he runs out of slingshot ammo, baseballs, or his life is too low to use any of the other special weapons he obtains, he can turn again to his trusty yo-yo.

Mike does eventually acquire a baseball bat, a laser pistol, and a slingshot, among other things.

Answer: save her baby

The mother dolphin is encountered shortly after leaving C-Island in Sub-C. She sends Mike on a quest to save her son, who is held captive by Octo-the-Huge. The dolphin returns at the end of the game to save Mike from drowning.

Answer: a hidden message on a piece of paper that comes with the game

The original game box came with a tattered letter to the player from Dr. Jones. In addition to being an excellent immersive feature beckoning the player into the game, the letter has invisible ink on it. Dipping this piece of paper into water (which Baboo instructs Mike to do in the game) reveals the secret code '747'. Entering this code into NAV-COM (Sub-Cs navigation computer) activates Dr. J's tracking device, allowing the adventure to continue.

Answer: ferocious bear

Most of the levels, or chapters, in the game feature intimidating end bosses that must be defeated using skill and strategy.

The giant octopus, Octo-the-Huge, is the boss of chapter 2. Mike has to avoid the ink bullets Octo shoots, then use a snowman to freeze him in place when he gets close. Mike then uses his yo-yo to beat the snot out of Octo while he is frozen.

Magma the Fierce is found at the end of Chapter 3. He is a fire monster who lives on tiles in a pool of water. If you jump on the correct secret buttons (make sure to dodge Magma's fire bullets while trying to find them!), Magma will fall into the water and die a horrible hissing death.

Broken Joe is a giant stone head in the vein of Easter Island. If he touches Mike, instant death occurs. When Joe opens his big stone mouth to shoot awful stone snakes at Mike, Mike can throw baseballs into Joe's mouth to kill him.

If there WAS a ferocious bear, Mike would probably find a way to kill it with baseballs, yo-yos, or perhaps a torch.

Answer: Jonah and the whale

After saving the daughter of the chief of Miracola, Mike takes to sea and is promptly swallowed by a whale. Baboo starts a fire to make smoke to make the whale sneeze, and they are ejected form the whale. After they escape the whale, Baboo informs Mike that Dr. J has a tracking device that will help them find him.

If you have not played "StarTropics", you should. Go ahead, pull out the dusty old NES, blow in the cartridges, call in sick for a week and just revel in gamer nostalgia.