Play Aretha II (Japan) Online

Aretha II is a Japan-exclusive Game Boy RPG from 1993, developed by Yanoman and published by I'Max. It arrived during a period when handheld RPGs were still finding their footing, offering a dense, traditional experience that felt substantial for the hardware. The game builds on its predecessor with a deeper story and more refined mechanics, though it never saw an official English release.

You control a young hero navigating an overworld and separate battle screens, engaging in turn-based combat with a variety of monsters. Your main goal involves exploring towns, talking to NPCs, and delving into dungeons to advance the story and gather key items. Signature mechanics include a magic system where spells are learned from found or purchased books, and an enemy encounter style that shifts between random battles and visible overworld foes. The pacing is deliberate, and the difficulty can be steep if you avoid grinding. Playing it feels like slowly unraveling a complex, rewarding puzzle with every successful fight and discovery.