Bonk's Adventure

Last updated
Bonk's Adventure / PC Kid
Bonkadventure.jpg
North American cover
Developer(s) Red Company/Atlus
Factor 5 (Amiga)
A.I Company Ltd. (NES)
Publisher(s)
Composer(s) Tsukasa Masuko
Rudolf Stember (Amiga)
Kunio Komatsu (NES)
Series Bonk
Platform(s) TurboGrafx-16, NES, Game Boy, Amiga, Arcade
Release
  • JP: December 15, 1989
  • NA: April 1990
Genre(s) Platform
Mode(s) Single-player

Bonk's Adventure, known as PC Genjin [lower-alpha 1] in Japan, PC Kid and B.C. Kid in Europe, [1] 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.

Contents

Bonk's Adventure was ported to the NES and Amiga, as well as being released as a coin-operated arcade game, under different titles (FC Genjin and BC Genjin in Japan, and BC Kid in Europe). [1] A completely different game with the same name appeared on the Game Boy (under the title GB Genjin in Japan).

Plot

The game takes place in a fictional prehistoric era. Its protagonist is Bonk, a strong and bald caveboy who battles anthropomorphic dinosaurs and other prehistoric enemies. Bonk's mission is to rescue Princess Za (a small pink Plesiosaur-type reptile) who has been kidnapped by the evil King Drool (a large, green, Tyrannosaurus-type dinosaur). [2] In the arcade version, Bonk is also assisted by a female version of himself. [3]

Gameplay

Screenshot of the original version Bonk's Adventure PCE.png
Screenshot of the original version

Bonk attacks enemies by "bonking" them with his large, invincible forehead. Bonk starts the game with three hearts' worth of health, which are depleted to blue as Bonk takes damage, and three extra lives. Bonk's health can be restored in increments by collecting fruits and vegetables.

Bonk can also collect pieces of meat as power-ups; these lend him special abilities and make him stronger. There are three stages of a power-up: his normal self, a second stage during which he can stun enemies by pounding on the ground, and a third stage where he becomes temporarily invulnerable. Meat can be found in two varieties: big meat and small meat. The effects of meat are additive but wear off over time. A small meat gives Bonk the second stage of meat power, and a large one takes him to stage three. Eating small meat while in stage two will also put Bonk into the third, invincible stage of meat power. When the third stage effect wears off, he returns to the second state and remains there for a while before turning back to the regular Bonk. Eating either size of meat while in the third stage of meat power-up will reset the timer on Bonk's meat power.

Bonk can occasionally collect red heart power-ups that refill an entire heart worth of health, or even more rarely, a large red heart, which restores all of Bonk's missing health. There are also two rare, blue heart power-ups in the game, which will increase Bonk's maximum health by one heart.

Bonking an enemy will typically knock it backward and slightly into the air. Defeating an enemy yields points and also releases a small "smiley" power-up. Bonk's smileys are totaled at the end of each stage after defeating the boss of that stage. The player is given additional points and a caveman-type congratulation based on how many smileys were collected.

The arcade version is much different: at the beginning of the game, the player can choose from one of 28 different levels. Unlike the console versions, the levels are extremely short, and the goal is to get to the end as quickly as possible while trying to get a high score. There are various sports items in the stages, like basketballs and footballs. As long as Bonk continues to dribble these items, the player will get bonus points. There is a goal post at the end of each level, which grants more points if Bonk hits it at its apex. After completing three stages, the player gets to choose from one of seven boss battles. There are no power-ups in this version. Instead, there are smiley faces, which attach themselves to Bonk's head and can be used to absorb enemy projectiles or extend the length of Bonk's attacks. However, if Bonk gets hit once, he will lose all of his smiley faces, and he will have to pick them up again. This version of the game also includes a two-player mode, where player 2 plays as a female Bonk. The game can be set up to dispense tickets, and the ticket payouts can be adjusted by the operator.

Development

The character of Bonk, known in Japan as PC-Genjin (PC原人, in English: PC-Caveman), was created by Kobuta Aoki and first appeared in comics created for the magazine Gekkan PC-Engine, in order to promote the console in Japan. In Japanese, PC-Genjin sounds like PC-Engine, and the PC stands for Pithecanthropus Computerus, a pun on Pithecanthropus erectus . It is generally called PC-Kid in English, as he was meant to be NEC's mascot at the time. Later, when the game was ported (or given different versions) for other platforms, it was renamed accordingly, like FC-Kid (after Family Computer, the original Japanese name for the NES, and the FC stood for Freakthoropus Computerus), GB-Kid (after the Game Boy), or the more generic name BC-Kid in some other versions, including Amiga. In North America, this was scrapped, as the game name is always Bonk's Adventure or something similar.

Reception

Entertainment Weekly picked the game as the #3 greatest game available in 1991, saying that it is much fun to watch and play at the same time. [4] In 1997 Electronic Gaming Monthly editors ranked the TurboGrafx-16 version as number 85 on their "100 Best Games of All Time", citing its imaginative level designs and hilarious player character. [5]

Computer and Video Games reviewed BC Kid for the Amiga and scored it 93% in 1992. Tim Boone praised the original PC Kid for the PC Engine as being among his "all-time fave console games" and said the Amiga port was a faithful conversion, but with a different title. While praising the original PC Engine version, however, the review criticized the American TurboGrafx-16 version for being titled Bonk, which is an inappropriate slang in British English. [1]

Legacy

In 2003, Hudson Soft included a 3D remake of Bonk's Adventure in their Hudson Selection series of games released exclusively in Japan for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube consoles. [6]

Factor 5, developers of the Amiga port, have made the Amiga version of BC-Kid available for free through their company website. [7]

The TurboGrafx-16 version was released for Wii's Virtual Console on November 22, 2006, and according to informal surveys it has been one of the most purchased games. [8] [9]

In March 2008, a version for mobile phones was released in Japan.

Hudson was developing a reboot of the franchise entitled Bonk: Brink of Extinction for WiiWare and PlayStation Network. With the closure of Hudson, the status and future of this title is uncertain.

Bonk's Adventure was released on the Virtual Console for Wii U on July 14, 2016, in its TurboGrafx-16 form. [10] [11] [12] The PC Engine version of the game (fully in Japanese) was included on every regional variant of the TurboGrafx-16 Mini which was released exclusively through Amazon on March 19, 2020.

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: PC原人, lit. "PC Caveman"

Related Research Articles

<i>R-Type</i> 1987 video game

R-Type is a horizontally scrolling shooter arcade video game developed and released by Irem in 1987 and the first game in the R-Type series. The player controls a star ship, the R-9 "Arrowhead", in its efforts to destroy the Bydo, a powerful alien race bent on wiping out all of mankind. The R-9 can acquire a glowing orbicular device called a "Force", protecting it from enemy fire and providing additional firepower. The arcade version was distributed by Nintendo in North America; it is the last arcade title Nintendo distributed.

<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, though the console has an 8-bit central processing unit (CPU) coupled with a 16-bit graphics processor. 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.

<i>Salamander</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Salamander, retitled Life Force in North America and in the Japanese arcade re-release, is a scrolling shooter arcade video game developed and published by Konami. Released in 1986 as a spin-off of Gradius, Salamander introduced a simplified power-up system, two-player cooperative gameplay and both horizontally and vertically scrolling stages. Some of these later became normal for future Gradius games. In Japanese, the title is written using ateji, which are kanji used for spelling foreign words that has been supplanted in everyday use by katakana. Contra, another game by Konami was also given this treatment, with its title written in Japanese as 魂斗羅.

<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.

Bonk, known as PC-Genjin 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. 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.

<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. The TurboDuo was test-marketed in Los Angeles in October 1992, before a nationwide rollout in May 1993. It is the North American version of the Japanese PC Engine Duo game console which was released in September 1991.

<i>Splatterhouse</i> 1988 video game

Splatterhouse is a beat 'em up arcade game developed and published by Namco in 1988. It was the first in a series of games released in home console and personal computer formats. This game would later spawn the parody Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti, the sequels Splatterhouse 2, Splatterhouse 3, and the 2010 remake Splatterhouse, with the classic games being added to Namco Museum since 2017.

<i>Dragon Spirit</i> 1987 video game

Dragon Spirit is a 1987 vertical-scrolling shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco. In North America, it was distributed by Atari Games. Controlling the dragon Amur, the player must complete each of the game's nine areas to rescue the princess Alicia from the demon Zawell. Similar to Namco's own Xevious, Amur has a projectile weapon for destroying air-based enemies and a bomb for destroying ground enemies. It ran on the Namco System 1 arcade board.

<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>Forgotten Worlds</i> 1988 video game

Forgotten Worlds, titled Lost Worlds in Japan, is a side-scrolling shooter video game by Capcom, originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1988. It is notable for being the first title released by Capcom for their CP System arcade game hardware.

<i>Mr. Heli</i> 1987 video game

Mr. Heli, fully titled in Japan as Mr. HELI no Daibōken is a multidirectional scrolling shooter developed and published in arcades in 1987 by Irem. It was released in North America as Battle Chopper.

<i>Ninja Spirit</i> 1988 video game

Ninja Spirit, known in Japan as Saigo no Nindou, is a 1988 platform game developed and released in arcades by Irem. Although praised by gamers for detailed graphics, serious themes, solid controls and gameplay, the game also was criticized for its harsh difficulty.

<i>China Warrior</i> 1987 video game

China Warrior, known as The Kung Fu in Japan, is a beat 'em up video game created in 1987 by Hudson Soft for the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16. The game received mixed reviews upon release, with praise for its large sprite graphics but criticism towards its gameplay.

<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>Vigilante</i> (video game) 1988 video game

Vigilante (ビジランテ) is a 1988 beat 'em up arcade video game developed and published by Irem in Japan and Europe, and published in North America by Data East. It is considered as a spiritual sequel to Irem's earlier Kung-Fu Master (1984).

<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.

<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>Liquid Kids</i> 1990 video game

Liquid Kids is a 1990 platform arcade video game developed and published by Taito. Starring the hippopotamus Hipopo, players travel through the land of Woody-Lake throwing water bombs, jumping on and off platforms to navigate level obstacles while dodging and defeating monsters in order to rescue Tamasun from her captor, the Fire Demon. The game was ported to the PC Engine and Sega Saturn. Home computer versions were in development but none were officially released to the public.

<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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 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. ↑ "Bonk's Adventure". The Bonk Compendium. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
  3. ↑ "Bonk's Adventure - Arcade Version". The Bonk Compendium. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
  4. ↑ Strauss, Bob (November 22, 1991). "Video Games Guide". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  5. ↑ "100 Best Games of All Time". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 100. Ziff Davis. November 1997. p. 107. Note: Contrary to the title, the intro to the article explicitly states that the list covers console video games only, meaning PC games and arcade games were not eligible.
  6. ↑ Shoemaker, Brad (2003-09-27). "TGS 2003: Bonk's Adventure Impressions". GameSpot . CNet . Retrieved 2006-12-20.
  7. ↑ "Factor 5 Classics page" . Retrieved 2008-01-05.
  8. ↑ "Nintendo - Official Site - Video Game Consoles, Games".
  9. ↑ Snow, Blake (2006-12-06). "TurboGrafx the most downloaded Virtual Console games? (sic)". Joystiq . Weblogs, Inc. Archived from the original on 2006-12-19. Retrieved 2006-12-20.
  10. ↑ Doolan, Liam (October 19, 2015). "Bonk's Adventure Has Been Rated By The ESRB For Wii U" . Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  11. ↑ ESRB (October 19, 2015). "ESRB Rating (Bonk's Adventure)" . Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  12. ↑ "Headbutt Your Way to Victory!". Nintendo.com. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
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.