Overview
Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics (known in Europe as Joe & Mac 3: Lost in the Tropics, and known in Japan as Tatakae Genshijin 3: Shuyaku wa Yappari Joe & Mac, which is loosely translated to "Caveman Combat 3: The Protagonists Are Still Joe & Mac") is a side-scrolling platformer developed and published by Data East for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan on February 18, 1994, in North America on April 1994, and in Europe on November 1995.
The third installment of the Joe & Mac series (and a follow-up to Congo's Caper), Lost in the Tropics puts players back in control of series protagonists Joe & Mac as they set out from their village to retrieve the village's gold crown, which was stolen from the caveman Gork. In order to reach Gork's hideout, they must find seven rainbow stones scattered throughout the land to summon a rainbow bridge.
As the game switches from the changes made in Congo's Caper back to the original Joe & Mac (hence the misnumbering in the North American release), the game now features a less-linear overworld and a currency system (stone wheels) used for both buying healing items and for progressing through the optional romance system (where each of the two cavemen can woo a girlfriend and start a family). The original game's weapon power-up system is also revamped, with players instead able to temporarily upgrade their club to launch shockwaves, spit projectiles after eating food (such as seeds from fruit, bones from meat, fireballs from hot peppers, and water blasts after drinking water), and ride friendly dinosaurs as mounts.
It was later digitally re-released for the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online service as a launch title on September 5, 2019.
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