Bonk (series)

Last updated
Bonk / PC-Genjin / B.C. Kid Amiga (Factor 5 website)/Bonk Arcade /Bonk's Adventure NES
Genre(s) Platformer
Developer(s) Red Company
Publisher(s)
Platform(s) PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16, Arcade, SNES, NES, Game Boy, Amiga, PS2, GameCube, PSN, iOS, Virtual Console, Mobile
First release Bonk's Adventure
December 15, 1989
Latest release Bonk's Return
November 1, 2006

Bonk, known as PC-Genjin [a] in Japan and as PC Kid or B.C. Kid in PAL territories, is a video game character and former mascot for NEC's PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 video game console. [1] Three platform games featuring the character appeared on the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16, as well as two spin-offs featuring Air Zonk. The protagonist is a bald caveman named Bonk who attacks using his comically large head.

Contents

His Japanese name PC-Genjin is a pun on the PC Engine, with his European name PC Kid similarly referencing the system's name (the console is also called PC Engine in Europe). The "PC" part of his Japanese and European names also stands for "Pithecanthropus Computerurus", a fictitious species name for the character. The American title Bonk is also not used in the European versions due to the word "bonk" being inappropriate slang in British English. [1]

Konami now owns the rights to the Bonk series as a result of its absorption of the series' publisher Hudson Soft in 2012. [2]

Origin

As stated on Hudson Soft's website, in their "The Definitive Bonk" article, Bonk was originally created as a comic character, PC Caveman (Genjin), in a magazine for the PC Engine. Many people liked the character and there were talks held on giving him a game of his own. In addition to this, many people even mistook him for an upcoming game character even before his game was in development, because the magazine frequently featured comics of upcoming games. [3]

Games

Bonk's Adventure (PC-Genjin in Japan, PC Kid in Europe) was the first game starring Bonk and was released for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1989. A variation of the TG-16 original eventually appeared on the NES with fewer colors and reduced graphic quality. Another variation was released for the Amiga under the name BC Kid. A completely new game, with 2-player co-op, was released for the arcades, [4] while another new game utilizing the same name was released for the Game Boy. A remake of the original was released in Japan many years later on the PlayStation 2 and the GameCube.

Bonk's Revenge (PC-Genjin 2 in Japan, PC Kid 2 in Europe) was released for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1991, while a completely different game using the same name made it to the Game Boy, the TurboGrafx-16 version was re-released for Windows on December 13, 2013, and the Wii U Virtual Console on March 12, 2014, in Japan.

Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure (PC-Genjin 3) was released for the TurboGrafx-16 as 2 versions in 1993: a TurboChip (cartridge) version and a Super CD-ROM version, the latter of which featured an updated redbook audio soundtrack.

Super Bonk (Super Genjin, Super B.C. Kid) was the 4th game in the series and was released for the Super NES in 1994. It was the first entry in the Bonk series to not be released for the TurboGrafx-16. Super Bonk was later re-released for Nintendo's Virtual Console in Japan on November 16, 2010, the PAL region on December 10, and in North America on April 4, 2011. [5]

Super Genjin 2 was the 5th and final console game in the series. It was the follow-up to Super Bonk, and was released in 1995 only in Japan on the Super Famicom (Super NES).

GB Genjin Land: Viva! Chikkun Kingdom was a collection of mini games starring Bonk, released for the Game Boy.

Genjin Collection, a collection of the 3 Game Boy titles, was released for the Game Boy.

Bonk's Return was released for mobile phones. It features gameplay similar to that of the first two Bonk games.

Mekuttepon! (PC Genjin Version) (めくってポン!(PC原人版)), released on iPhone OS on 2008 in Japan, is part of Do the Hudson!!.

Same Game (PC Genjin Version) (鮫亀(PC原人版)), released on iPhone OS on 2008 in Japan, is part of Do the Hudson!!.

Meijin o Sagase!! (PC Genjin Version) (名人をさがせ!!(PC原人版)), released on iPhone OS on 2008 in Japan, is part of Do the Hudson!!.

Dokka kawatta? (どっか変わった?(PC原人版)), released on iPhone OS on 2008 in Japan, is part of Do the Hudson!!. [6]

The TurboGrafx-16 version of Bonk's Adventure was released for the Virtual Console service at its launch on November 21, 2006. Bonk's Revenge was released on April 16, 2007, and Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure was released on September 3 in the same year, in the United States.

Unreleased games

A conversion of PC Genjin titled Genjin Show: Tobidase! VB Genjin was planned for the Virtual Boy, with a former Hudson Soft employee stating that he played Virtual Bomberman as reference during development but the adaptation was scrapped due to the commercial and critical failure of the platform. [7] [8] PC Alajin, Bonk Strategy (Uesugi Genjin in Japan), PC Genjin no Te-to-Risu, Bonk IV: The Role-Playing Game/Bonk's Quest [9] (RPG Genjin in Japan), Ultra Genjin and Bonk 3D were planned for the TurboGrafx-16, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo 3DS respectively, but were never released. Ultra Genjin eventually became Bomberman Hero for the Nintendo 64. [10] A new Bonk game developed by Pi Studios, Bonk: Brink of Extinction, was announced for the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, WiiWare and the Nintendo 3DS. [11] The title would have included cooperative play but it was cancelled. [12] [13] [14]

Other media

Manga

  1. ↑ Japanese: ＰＣ原人, lit. "PC-Primitive-Man" or "PC Caveman"

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TurboGrafx-16</span> Fourth-generation home video game console

The TurboGrafx-16, known as the PC Engine outside North America, is a home video game console designed by Hudson Soft and sold by NEC Home Electronics. It was the first console marketed in the fourth generation, commonly known as the 16-bit era, however in actuality, the console has an 8-bit central processing unit (CPU) coupled with a 16-bit graphics processor, effectively making the claim somewhat false advertising. It was released in Japan in 1987 and in North America in 1989. In Europe the Japanese model was unofficially imported and distributed in the United Kingdom and France from 1988. In Japan, the system was launched as a competitor to the Famicom, but the delayed United States release meant that it ended up competing with the Sega Genesis and later the Super NES.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hudson Soft</span> Former Japanese video game development studio and publishing company

Hudson Soft Co., Ltd. was a Japanese video game company that released numerous games for video game consoles, home computers and mobile phones, mainly from the 1980s to the 2000s. It was headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo.

<i>Air Zonk</i> 1992 video game

Air Zonk, known in Japan as PC Denjin, is a horizontally scrolling shooter released for TurboGrafx-16 in 1992. Air Zonk was an attempt to update the company's image via a modern, punkish character called Zonk, who bears a purposeful resemblance to the TurboGrafx-16's caveman mascot, Bonk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TurboDuo</span> Fourth-generation video game console

The TurboDuo is a fourth-generation video game console developed by NEC Home Electronics and Hudson Soft for the North American market. It combines the capabilities of the TurboGrafx-16 and its CD-ROM drive add-on, the TurboGrafx-CD, into a single, redesigned unit. Initially test-marketed in Los Angeles in October 1992 before a nationwide rollout in May 1993, TurboDuo is the localized version of the Japanese PC Engine Duo, which was released in September 1991.

The Virtual Console is a defunct line of downloadable retro video games for Nintendo's Wii and Wii U home video game consoles and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. The Virtual Console lineup consisted of titles originally released on past home and handheld consoles and were run in their original forms through software emulation, therefore remaining mostly unaltered, and could be purchased from the Wii Shop Channel or Nintendo eShop for between 500 and 1200 Wii Points, or using real currency, with prices depending on the system, rarity, and/or demand.

<i>Bonks Revenge</i> 1991 video game

Bonk's Revenge, known as PC-Genjin 2 in Japan and PC Kid 2 in Europe, is a 2D platformer set in prehistory, originally for the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 console, created in 1991 by the Red Company for Hudson Soft, and licensed by NEC. This is the second title in the Bonk series, and was re-released for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1992 on the Gate of Thunder 4-in-1 game CD-ROM. A completely different game with the same name appeared on the Game Boy, whereas the original version was re-released for Wii Virtual Console and on the Japanese PlayStation Store. It was also released in Japan on Windows Store on December 13, 2013, and on Wii U Virtual Console on March 12, 2014. The title is also playable on the Turbografx-16/PC Engine Mini Console.

<i>Bonks Adventure</i> 1989 video game

Bonk's Adventure, known as PC Genjin in Japan, PC Kid and B.C. Kid in Europe, is a scrolling platform game developed by Red Company and Atlus and released in 1989 in Japan and 1990 in North America for the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16. The Japanese title PC Genjin is a play on the system's original name, PC Engine, with the European title PC Kid similarly referencing the system's name. The first game in the Bonk series, it was followed by two more games for the TurboGrafx-16 before branching out to other platforms.

<i>Neutopia II</i> 1991 video game

Neutopia II is a 1991 action-adventure/action role-playing video game developed and published in Japan by Hudson Soft and in North America by Turbo Technologies for the TurboGrafx-16. It is the sequel to Neutopia, which was released earlier in 1989. In the game, the player takes control of Jazeta's son, who embarks on a quest to both save his father and defeat the returning evil demon Dirth.

<i>Bomberman 94</i> 1993 video game

Bomberman '94 is a video game from the Bomberman series which was developed and published by Hudson Soft for the PC Engine and released on December 10, 1993, in Japan. It was later re-developed by Westone and re-published by Sega as Mega Bomberman on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1994 in other areas. The PC Engine Bomberman '94 was later released outside Japan through the Virtual Console and the PlayStation Network.

<i>Blazing Lazers</i> 1989 Japanese-American video game

Gunhed, known as Blazing Lazers in North America, is a vertically scrolling shooter game by Hudson Soft and Compile, based on the Japanese film Gunhed. The title was released in 1989, for the PC Engine in Japan and re-skinned for the TurboGrafx-16 in North America, with Gunhed unofficially imported for the PC Engine in Europe. In the game, a fictional galaxy is under attack by an enemy space armada called the Dark Squadron, and this galaxy's only chance for survival is the Gunhed Advanced Star Fighter, who must destroy the Dark Squadron and its Super Weapons. The gameplay features fast vertical scrolling and a wide array of weapons for the player to use.

<i>Bomberman 93</i> 1992 video game

Bomberman '93 is a video game in the Bomberman series. It was released on the PC Engine on December 11, 1992 in Japan, with western TurboGrafx-16 releases following in 1993. The game was also re-released for PCs in 2002 alongside the TurboGrafx-16 version of Bomberman and Bomberman World as part of a compilation disc titled Bomberman Collection. The game was re-released for the Virtual Console, with full multiplayer capability intact, for Wii on November 21, 2006 in North America, December 8, 2006 in Europe, and July 6, 2007 in Australia. The game was re-released for the Wii U on December 28, 2016 in Japan, November 30, 2017 in North America and December 14, 2017 in Europe. Bomberman '93 later spawned a sequel titled Bomberman '94.

Star Soldier is a series of scrolling shooters mainly developed by Hudson Soft. Konami has owned the rights to the series since their absorption of Hudson Soft in 2012. The first game, named Star Soldier, appeared on the MSX and NES in 1986, and the series has continued on various gaming systems. Star Soldier itself was released with little change in a compilation for the Super Famicom in 1995, received enhanced remakes for both the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in 2003, and a different remake for the PlayStation Portable in 2005, while the latest installment of the series was released on the Wii as a WiiWare game in 2008. In addition, Super Star Soldier, Final Soldier, Soldier Blade and Star Parodier have been re-released on the Wii's Virtual Console and on the Japanese PC Engine's Best Collection lineup for the PSP. The Star Soldier games are best known for their distinctive music, unique weapon power-ups, and a special time attack high score mode called "Caravan Mode".

<i>Chew Man Fu</i> 1990 video game

Chew Man Fu is a 1990 action video game developed by Now Production and published in Japan by Hudson Soft and in North America by NEC for the TurboGrafx-16.

<i>Bonk 3: Bonks Big Adventure</i> 1993 video game

Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure is an action video game released for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1993, the third game in the Bonk video game series.

<i>Gate of Thunder</i> 1992 video game

Gate of Thunder is a 1992 scrolling shooter video game developed by Red Company and published by Hudson Soft for the TurboGrafx-CD. It was the first game released in North America to support the Super CD-ROM² format and served as one of the pack-in games for the TurboDuo, a two-in-one system which runs both TurboGrafx-CD and TurboGrafx-16 titles, where it was bundled with Bonk's Adventure, Bonk's Revenge and Bomberman on the same disc. In the game, the player controls the Hunting Dog space fighter craft, piloted by space cop Hawk. Alongside his ally Esty, piloting the Wild Cat support ship, Hawk must stop General Don Jingi and his Obellon armada from obtaining the powerful "Starlight" energy source from planet Aries.

Super Air Zonk: Rockabilly-Paradise, released in Japan as CD Denjin: Rockabilly Tengoku, is a horizontally scrolling shooter developed by Dual and published by Hudson Soft. It was released for the TurboGrafx-CD/TurboDuo in 1993, and was released on the Wii's Virtual Console on November 19, 2007 in North America, and on January 29, 2008 in Japan.

<i>Star Parodier</i> 1992 video game

Star Parodier is a vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up video game developed by Kaneko and published by Hudson Soft for the PC Engine CD-ROM² in 1992. It is a spin-off of the Star Soldier series and was localized for North America as Fantasy Star Soldier, but this version was never released. The game was released for the Wii Virtual Console on March 7, 2008 in Japan, March 16 in Europe and later in North America on August 11. The title is also playable on the Turbografx-16/PC Engine Mini Console.

<i>Star Soldier</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Star Soldier is a shoot 'em up video game developed and published by Hudson Soft for the Nintendo Entertainment System and the MSX. It is the first game in the Star Soldier series. The player pilots the starship "Caesar", traveling through space stations occupied by powerful supercomputers known as "Starbrains" who threaten the galactic empire. Star Soldier greatly resembles the earlier arcade game Star Force.

References

  1. 1 2 Anglin, Paul; Rand, Paul; Boone, Tim (15 August 1992). "4 Page Review: BC Kid (Amiga)" (PDF). Computer and Video Games . No. 130 (September 1992). pp. 22–5.
  2. ↑ "5 Hudson Soft Games Nintendo Should Buy from Konami". 28 April 2015. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  3. ↑ "The Definitive Bonk", Hudson Entertainment, retrieved 12 July 2022.
  4. ↑ "Bonk's Adventure by Kaneko". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 53. EGM Media, LLC. December 1993. p. 80.
  5. ↑ "Welcome to Nintendo of America's Media Site". Archived from the original on 2011-04-10. Retrieved 2011-04-04.
  6. ↑ "IPhone / IPod touch通信(6) do the Hudson!! - ハドソンの楽しいコンテンツが満載". 7 April 2008.
  7. ↑ "Genjin Show – Tobidase! VB Genjin". 15 March 2024.
  8. ↑ "Never-Before-Seen Documents for Abandoned Virtual Boy 'Bonk' Project Surface Online". 14 November 2022.
  9. ↑ "Fact File: Bonk IV: The Role-Playing Game/Bonk's Quest". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 35. Sendai Publishing. June 1992. p. 166.
  10. ↑ Bomberman Hero (Ultra Genjin) (N64 – Test Map)
  11. ↑ "Bomberman and Bonk Cancelled for 3DS". 23 March 2011.
  12. ↑ Bonk to Head-butt PSN
  13. ↑ "Bonk: Brink of Extinction Hands-on". IGN. 6 November 2009. Retrieved 2010-01-07.
  14. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (March 22, 2011). "Hudson cancels Upcoming titles - IGN". IGN . Retrieved May 20, 2018.
Bonk
Air Zonk
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.