Play Startropics 2 - Zoda's Revenge Online

Startropics 2 - Zoda's Revenge is a time-hopping NES action-adventure where you play as Mike Jones, jumping between different eras to stop the villain Zoda. The first thing you notice is how much more polished it feels than the first game—the controls are tighter, the sprites cleaner.

You start on a tropical island, but soon you're warping to feudal Japan, the Wild West, even prehistoric times. Each era has its own weapons and enemies, which keeps things fresh. The time travel gimmick works better than you'd expect for an NES game.

Some of the platforming can be frustrating—there are spots where you'll miss a jump and fall into pits over and over. And the time travel mechanic, while cool, sometimes makes the story feel disjointed. But the boss fights are creative, and the music sticks with you.

If you liked the first Startropics but wanted more variety, Zoda's Revenge delivers. It's not perfect, but it's a solid sequel that tries some interesting things.