Play Adventure Island 4 Online

Game Overview

Adventure Island 4 is that weird, late-era NES game where Hudson just said, "You know what? Dinosaurs." And somehow, it works. You're still playing as Master Higgins, that tiny dude who runs around smashing fruit and avoiding bees, but now you can ride dinosaurs—like, actual fire-breathing pterodactyls and speedy little compies that make platforming feel way less punishing than the earlier games.

The levels are packed with hidden paths and alternate routes, and switching between dinos keeps things interesting—some can fly, some can smash rocks, and one just runs really fast before faceplanting into a pit if you're not careful. It's got that classic Adventure Island charm but with way more surprises. Kinda feels like if someone mashed up Mario and Jurassic Park, then made it slightly unhinged.

It never left Japan back in the day, which is a shame because it's easily the most creative entry in the series. If you're into retro platformers that don't take themselves too seriously, this one's a blast.