Adventure Island II
The adventure continues — and this time Higgins has dinosaurs on his side. Adventure Island II is Hudson Soft's 1991 NES platformer sequel — bigger, with rideable dino friends and a new inventory system — and you can play the full game right here in your browser, free and with no download. Run, jump, and ride your way across eight islands to the rescue. Hit the Play button to start, and read on for the story, gameplay, controls, and tips.
What Is Adventure Island II?
Adventure Island II is a side-scrolling platform game developed by Now Production and published by Hudson Soft for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1991. It's the sequel to the original Adventure Island, and unlike the first game (which adapted Sega's Wonder Boy), Adventure Island II is an entirely original work — as were all the sequels that followed.
The story: Princess Leilani is safe, but her sister Tina has now been kidnapped by the Evil Witch Doctor's followers. Eight perilous islands stand in Master Higgins' way — but four friendly dinosaurs are ready to help anyone brave enough to fight back. Higgins sets off to rescue his sweetheart once more.
What's New
Adventure Island II keeps the core running-and-jumping of the first game but adds real depth:
- Dinosaur friends — collect a playing-card suit from an egg to summon a rideable dino. The blue camptosaurus (heart) attacks with its tail, the red camptosaurus (spade) breathes fire, the pteranodon (clover) flies and drops stones, and the elasmosaurus (diamond) swims through underwater stages.
- Inventory system — before each stage you can choose which rescued dino to bring and whether to pack a stone hammer.
- New stage types — underwater levels and vertical-scrolling stages join the mix.
- Shorter, tougher stages — the checkpoint system is gone, so dying means restarting the stage from the start, but stages are shorter to compensate.
- Hidden eggs & keys — strike hidden eggs for keys that unlock bonus zones, item rooms, or shortcuts to the next island.
Bosses now lurk at a specific stage on each island — but if you lose to one, it relocates, forcing you to clear another stage to reach it again.
How to Play
Getting started is instant. Press the Play button on this page and Adventure Island II loads directly in your browser — free, with nothing to install. Then:
- Pick your loadout — choose a dino friend and a hammer before the stage if you have them.
- Run and jump through each island's hazards.
- Throw hammers to clear enemies and break obstacles.
- Summon and ride dinos to gain their special abilities.
- Find the boss, defeat it, and move on toward rescuing Tina.
Adventure Island II plays great on both desktop and mobile. On a computer you use the keyboard (and any USB or Bluetooth gamepad you connect is detected automatically and maps to the NES layout), while on phones and tablets you get a custom on-screen gamepad styled just like a real NES controller — so running, jumping, and riding feel right wherever you play.
Controls
Here's what each control does, mapped to your keyboard:
| Action | Control |
|---|---|
| Move / Run | Left / Right Arrows |
| Jump | Z (A) |
| Throw Hammer / Move Faster (hold) | X (B) |
| Pause | Enter (Start) |
Higgins jumps higher when running, and holding the B button speeds up his run, swim, or flight. A connected gamepad uses the same button assignments.
Tips for New Players
- Match the dino to the stage. Bring the elasmosaurus to underwater levels (the others are lost in water) and the pteranodon for stages with tricky gaps.
- Pack a hammer in reserve. The inventory lets you carry a spare weapon — keep one banked for tough stretches.
- Stages are short — push forward. With checkpoints gone, dying restarts the stage, but they're brief, so play aggressively and learn the layout.
- Open hidden eggs for keys. Keys unlock bonus zones and shortcuts that can skip you ahead an island.
- Protect your dino. Riding a dinosaur acts as a buffer — losing it is better than losing a life, so use them as a shield through danger.
Why Play It in Your Browser?
Adventure Island II is the sequel that gave the series its signature rideable dinosaurs, and running it right here means no cartridge hunting and no console setup — just press Play and start running. Because it's the genuine NES build, you get all eight islands, the dino friends, the inventory system, and the underwater and vertical stages exactly as Hudson designed them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Adventure Island II free to play here? Yes. Press Play and the full NES game loads in your browser — no cost, no account, no download.
When did Adventure Island II come out? It released in 1991 for the NES, developed by Now Production and published by Hudson Soft. The version here is that NES release.
How do I get the dinosaurs? Collect a playing-card suit hidden inside an egg to summon a matching dino friend — each has a different special ability.
What happened to the checkpoints? Adventure Island II removed the checkpoint system, so dying restarts the stage from the beginning — but the stages are shorter than in the first game.
Can I play it on my phone? Absolutely. It plays great on mobile thanks to a custom on-screen gamepad modeled on the classic NES controller, and just as well on desktop with the keyboard or a connected gamepad.
Ready to ride to the rescue? Press Play and start the adventure.