Adventure Island IV

Hudson's final Famicom entry in the Adventure Island series, released exclusively in Japan in 1994. Master Higgins returns to rescue his girlfriend from Mecha Dragon, the mechanical dinosaur king. Departing from the series' traditional linear stage structure, Adventure Island IV adopts a Metroidvania-style open island, allowing players to roam freely between interconnected zones, collect power-ups, and unlock new routes with newly acquired weapons. The shift softens the high-speed action pressure the series was known for, placing the emphasis on map exploration and hidden secrets. The result is the most exploration-focused entry the franchise ever produced.