Metroid II: Return of Samus is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. The first Metroid game for a handheld game console, it was released in North America in November 1991 and in Japan and Europe in 1992. The game follows bounty hunter Samus Aran on her assigned mission to wholly eradicate the Metroids from their home planet, SR388, before the Space Pirates can obtain them. Players must find and exterminate the Metroids in varying developmental stages to progress. Like the original Metroid released in 1986 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Metroid II was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1 and produced by Gunpei Yokoi. The game introduced several features that would become staples of the series, including Samus's round-shouldered Varia Suit, the Space Jump, Spazer Beam, and Spider Ball. Metroid II received positive reviews, with praise for its story, setting, and improved gameplay over the original, but was criticized for its primitive graphics and audio. By late 2003, it had sold 1.72 million copies worldwide. The game was also re-released on the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console service in 2011. A sequel, Super Metroid, was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994. An enhanced remake of Metroid II, Metroid: Samus Returns, was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2017.