《高橋名人之冒險島4》（Hudson’s Adventure Island IV）是Hudson Soft於1994年為紅白機（Famicom）推出的動作冒險遊戲，也是紅白機平台上最後系列作品。在傳統基礎上進行較大的變革，引入更多冒險和解謎元素，使其成為兼具動作與探索樂趣的經典遊戲。

故事設定與前幾作有所不同，主角高橋名人的冒險不再是單純的拯救女友，而是拯救他的寵物恐龍蛋。在遊戲的開場，高橋名人與他的寵物恐龍正過著平靜的生活，然而某天一顆神秘的黑暗隕石墜落島嶼，帶來混亂與危機。一群怪物突然襲擊並奪走恐龍蛋，島嶼上的其他生物也陷入危險。高橋名人為拯救他的夥伴與家園，展開全新的冒險。

在遊戲系統上進行大幅革新，融合更多類似《薩爾達傳說》的冒險與解謎元素，而不僅僅是傳統的動作平台跳躍遊戲。

1.探索式地圖設計：改採開放式地圖設計，在多個島嶼場景之間來回穿梭，完成各種任務與解謎挑戰。地圖中隱藏著大量的秘密路徑、道具和挑戰區域，探索成為重要的核心。

2.多樣化的道具與裝備：導入道具收集與使用系統，透過完成任務獲得不同的道具，如炸彈、潛水裝、繩索等，這些道具能幫助解開謎題或到達新的區域。此外，武器系統也更加豐富，收集並使用不同類型的投擲武器來對抗敵人。累積心的容器就能增加血格。

3.恐龍夥伴的回歸：系列標誌性的恐龍夥伴系統在本作中得到延續，不同類型的恐龍具備獨特能力，如跳躍、高速奔跑、游泳和飛行，靈活使用恐龍來解決關卡中的問題或對抗強大的敵人。

4.任務與事件系統：NPC角色會提供線索與任務，例如修復橋梁、尋找物品或解救其他生物。這些任務有助於推進劇情，也增加多樣性。

關卡設計延續系列一貫的高難度挑戰，但在開放式地圖的框架下，每個場景都充滿獨特的地形、陷阱和敵人。充分利用武器、道具與恐龍夥伴來克服各種障礙。隨著遊戲進行，挑戰的複雜度逐漸增加，例如需要同時運用多個道具來解決難題，或者在限制時間內完成特定目標。

此外，每個主要場景的最終區域都有一個強大的頭目敵人等待挑戰。這些頭目擁有獨特的攻擊模式與弱點，要觀察其行為模式，並採取適當策略擊敗它們。與前作相比，頭目的設計更加多樣化，對玩家的操作與判斷力提出更高的要求。

當時在紅白機時代的末期推出，憑藉其獨特的玩法與創新的系統，受到玩家和評論家的廣泛好評。與系列前作相比，本作被認為是重要的進化，成功地將傳統的動作玩法與探索冒險相結合，帶來耳目一新的體驗。評論家讚揚非線性關卡設計和豐富的內容，認為這為系列注入更多深度。同時，畫面和音樂也受到好評，尤其是在紅白機硬體性能的限制下，畫面表現和音樂氛圍達到新高度。然而，也有部分玩家認為解謎和探索元素對於習慣於純粹動作遊戲的玩家來說有些過於複雜。此外，由於發行於紅白機的末期，市場關注度受到限制，未能獲得與系列早期作品相同的知名度。

儘管如此，仍然被視為該系列的巔峰之作。在遊戲系統上的革新不僅為當時的玩家提供不同以往的體驗，也為後續同類型遊戲樹立範例，是值得懷念的經典作品。

Hudson's Adventure Island IV, released by Hudson Soft in 1994 for the Famicom (NES), is the final installment of the series on this platform. The game introduced significant changes to its traditional formula, incorporating more adventure and puzzle-solving elements. This combination of action and exploration earned it a reputation as a classic in its genre.

Story

Departing from the previous games' straightforward "rescue the girlfriend" narrative, this story follows Master Takahashi (Takahashi Meijin) on a quest to save his pet dinosaur egg. The game begins with Master Takahashi living a peaceful life with his pet dinosaur until a mysterious dark meteor crashes onto the island, bringing chaos and danger. Monsters attack, stealing the dinosaur egg, and other island creatures face peril. Determined to save his companion and homeland, Master Takahashi sets off on a new adventure.

Gameplay Innovations

Adventure Island IV underwent a major overhaul, blending traditional action-platforming with exploration and puzzle-solving mechanics reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda series.

Exploratory Map Design

The game adopts an open-world design, allowing players to travel freely between multiple island locations.

Tasks include solving puzzles and completing missions, with hidden paths, items, and challenge areas scattered across the map. Exploration becomes a central element of gameplay.

Diverse Items and Equipment

A robust item system enables players to collect and use tools such as bombs, diving gear, and ropes. These items help solve puzzles and access new areas.

The weapon system is also expanded, featuring a variety of throwable weapons for combat. Players can increase their health by collecting heart containers.

Return of Dinosaur Companions

The series' iconic dinosaur companion system returns, with each dinosaur offering unique abilities like jumping, sprinting, swimming, or flying.

Strategic use of these companions helps overcome level challenges and defeat powerful enemies.

Mission and Event System

NPCs provide clues and missions, such as repairing bridges, finding items, or rescuing other creatures. These missions advance the story and diversify gameplay.

Level Design and Challenges

The levels maintain the series' signature high difficulty, but the open-world framework introduces unique terrain, traps, and enemies in each area. Players must cleverly utilize weapons, items, and dinosaur abilities to overcome obstacles.

As the game progresses, challenges grow increasingly complex, often requiring the use of multiple items to solve puzzles or achieve time-sensitive objectives.

Each major area concludes with a boss battle, featuring enemies with distinct attack patterns and vulnerabilities. Compared to earlier entries, the bosses are more varied and demand greater skill and strategy from players.

Reception and Legacy

Released during the twilight of the Famicom era, Adventure Island IV was praised for its innovative gameplay and fresh approach. Critics lauded its departure from pure platforming to a richer blend of action and exploration. The non-linear level design and abundant content added depth to the series.

Graphics and music were also highly praised. Despite the hardware limitations of the Famicom, the game delivered vibrant visuals and an engaging soundtrack that enhanced its adventurous atmosphere.

However, some players found the emphasis on puzzles and exploration to be overly complex, especially for fans accustomed to the series' straightforward action gameplay. Additionally, being released late in the Famicom's lifecycle limited its market visibility, preventing it from achieving the same level of recognition as earlier titles.

Despite these challenges, Adventure Island IV is regarded as the pinnacle of the series. Its innovations not only provided a fresh experience for players but also set a benchmark for similar games to follow. It remains a nostalgic classic and a shining example of creativity in the platforming genre.