StarTropics (1990). Play online

Summary

StarTropics drops you into the sandals of Mike Jones, a teenage baseball ace from Seattle who’s headed to a tropical island to visit his famous archaeologist uncle. When the uncle vanishes under mysterious circumstances, Mike is thrust into a multi‑chapter adventure that feels part action‑game, part light RPG.

One of the game’s quirkiest touches was the physical letter bundled with the original cartridge – you actually had to wet it to reveal the secret code “747” that unlocks the next segment of the story. The inclusion turned a boxed NES title into an early form of “meta‑puzzle” that still surprises collectors.

Play unfolds from a 2‑D top‑down view as you wander villages, chat with locals, and hunt for the source of strange calamities. When you enter a dungeon the camera flips to a closer perspective, and your primary weapon – a yo‑yo that later became known as the “star” – can be swapped for baseball‑inspired gadgets and other unlockable tools.

Developed and directed by Genyo Takeda, the title never saw a Japanese release and was only launched in North America and Europe. Its odd blend of American sports motifs and island lore earned a sequel, Zoda’s Revenge: StarTropics II, in 1994.

Storyline

Mike Jones, a 15‑year‑old Seattle teen and captain of his high‑school baseball team, flies to C‑Island to visit his uncle, archaeologist Dr. Steven Jones. When he reaches the tropical village of Coralcola his uncle has vanished, and the village chief hands Mike a yo‑yo for protection while his robot Nav‑Com grants access to a submarine.

Exploring nearby isles, Mike discovers a bottle warning that aliens abducted his uncle. He battles monsters, befriends a talkative parrot and a mother dolphin, and is swallowed by a whale that houses Jones’s assistant. The assistant confirms the abduction, then gives Mike a code that lets Nav‑Com locate the missing scientist.

The signal leads to alien ruins containing an Argonian escape pod and three magic cubes. After infiltrating the alien ship, Mike defeats the leader Zoda, recovers the cubes and escapes as the vessel self‑destructs. Back on C‑Island the cubes summon a group of children led by Mica, the last Argonian. The chief invites them to stay in Coralcola. This adventure is the plot of StarTropics, the classic NES title.