Play Hudson's Adventure Island Online

Hudson's Adventure Island is one of those NES platformers that feels simple at first—you're just running, jumping, and grabbing fruit—but it gets brutal fast. The controls are tight, but the level design doesn't mess around, throwing enemies and pits at you in ways that feel almost unfair until you memorize the patterns.

I remember thinking the first island was easy, just hopping over crabs and tossing axes at owls. Then the second island hits, and suddenly you're dealing with bees, falling rocks, and those damn rolling boulders that come out of nowhere. The game gives you a few hearts, but one wrong move and you're back to the start of the level.

What stands out is how Hudson's Adventure Island keeps you moving. There's a timer ticking down, and if you don't grab fruit, you lose health. It forces you to take risks, which is where most of my deaths happened—rushing for a melon and landing right on an enemy. The music is catchy, though, in that classic NES way that gets stuck in your head.

It's not the deepest game, but there's something satisfying about finally beating a level after a dozen tries. Just don't expect any mercy.