The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight NES box art

Nintendo Entertainment System · RPG

The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight

Deep cut

SystemNintendo Entertainment System
Released1992 (originally 1986)
GenreRPG
DeveloperInterplay
PublisherElectronic Arts
Players1 player
CommitmentEpic journey (20+ hours of adventure)
SeriesThe Bard's Tale
LegacyDeep cut · legacy score 2

The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight is a role-playing game released in 1992 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, developed by Interplay and published by Electronic Arts. This NES release is a port or adaptation of a game that first appeared in 1986.

It landed about 7 years into the NES's life. Other notable NES releases from 1992 include Mega Man 4, Mega Man 5 and Yoshi's Cookie.

It is part of the The Bard's Tale series; on the NES you can also try The Bard's Tale. The series also appears on other systems with The Bard's Tale (C64) and The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight (C64). Interplay also made The Adventures of Rad Gravity, Star Trek: 25th Anniversary and Total Recall for the NES.

This is a solo experience: one player, no waiting on anyone else.

Pick it if…

  • you want to get lost in a long quest
  • you have time for an epic journey (20+ hours of adventure)
  • you've played the NES hits and want something less obvious

Maybe skip it if…

  • you want instant action rather than menus, story and grinding
  • you are looking for something to play with friends
  • you only have a few minutes at a time

What playing The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight is like

Role-playing games trade reflexes for strategy and story. You build a party, level up, manage equipment and travel across a large world, usually through menu-based battles.

Tip for newcomers: Retro RPGs can require some level grinding and rarely tell you exactly where to go next. Talk to every townsperson, save often and use a guide if you get stuck: there is no shame in it.

The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight gameplay screenshot on NES
In-game screenshot (NES)

The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight walkthroughs & guides

Stuck, or want to go deeper? These trusted sites have full walkthroughs, completion times and more for The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight.

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Playing NES games today

NES games are short on paper but often famously tough, so expect to replay levels and learn patterns. Many first-party titles are available through Nintendo Switch Online, original cartridges remain easy to find, and you can play backups of games you own in an emulator such as Rec0m88.

The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight FAQ

When did The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight come out on the NES?

The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992; the original game dates back to 1986.

Who made The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight?

It was developed by Interplay and published by Electronic Arts.

Is The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight multiplayer?

No. The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight is a single-player game.

How long does The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight take to play?

As a role-playing game, The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight typically falls into the "Epic journey" category: 20+ hours of adventure. Your time will vary with skill and how much you explore.

Read more about The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight on Wikipedia. Facts on this page are compiled from the open libretro database and Wikidata; "legacy score" reflects how widely a game is documented across Wikipedia's language editions. Spotted an error? Let us know.

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