(SFC) Super Adventure Island

Chronologically set between episode 2 and 3 on Famicom, Super Adventure was released in 1992.
The player controls Meijin (Higgins in the west) in his journey to defeat Dark Cloak who turned his girlfriend Tina into a stone statue.
The gameplay is a side scrolling platform with some new features, Meijin can use two weapons, the original axe and a boomerang, which can be shoot in 4 directions; he also can crouch but not running as in the previous games.
Super Adventure Island was well received and acclaimed for the improved graphics and soundtrack.