Bonk (video game series)

Bonk
Genres Platform game
Developers Red Entertainment
Publishers Hudson Soft
Platforms Arcade, Turbo-Grafx 16, SNES, NES, Game Boy, Amiga, PS2, Nintendo GameCube, PSN, iOS, Virtual Console, Mobile
First release Bonk's Adventure
December 15, 1989
Latest release Bonk's Return
Q4 2006

Bonk is a video game character from NEC's TurboGrafx-16 console. Known in Japan as "PC-Genjin" (ＰＣ原人, PC-Primitive man, a pun on "PC Engine") and as "BC Kid" in PAL territories, Bonk was a mascot for NEC's console. Three games featured the character appeared on the TurboGrafx-16, as well as two spin-offs featuring Airzonk. The protagonist is a bald caveman named Bonk who attacks using his comically large head. The "PC" part of his Japanese name stands for "Pithecanthropus Computerurus", a fictitious species name for Bonk.

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

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. So many people liked the character that 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.

Games

Bonk's Adventure (PC Genjin) was the first game starring Bonk and was released for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1990. 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,[1] 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 Nintendo GameCube.

Bonk's Revenge (PC Genjin 2) 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 (Chō 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, 2010 and in North America on April 4, 2011.[2]

Chō 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). Chō Genjin 2 is commonly referred to as "Super Bonk 2" in English-speaking countries.

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)), was 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)), was 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)), was 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)), was released on iPhone OS on 2008 in Japan, is part of Do the Hudson!!.[3]

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, 2007 in the United States.

Unreleased Games

RPG Genjin, Ultra Genjin and Bonk 3D were planned for the PC Engine, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo 3DS respectively, but was never released.

A new Bonk game, Bonk: Brink of Extinction, had been announced for the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and WiiWare. The title was exp and would have included cooperative play but it was canceled in North America, Japan, and Europehe game was eventually cancelled.[4]

Other Media

Manga

PC Genjin-kun
PC原人くん
Manga
Written by HIKAWA Hirokazu
Published by Shogakukan
Original run February 1992 – April 1994
Volumes 1

Regional differences

In the original game, the second power-up stage turns Bonk into a caveman, but in the Japanese versions of the second and third games, he becomes a cavewoman. The caveman transformation was re-used for the western entries in the series, as the gender transformation may have been considered inappropriate for the target demographic outside Japan.

In the Japanese version of the second game, the ending sequence opens with karaoke-style theme song subtitles. This song was completely absent from foreign releases. Also, the drawing of Bonk during the credits is completely different between both versions.

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Bonk's Adventure by Kaneko". Electronic Gaming Monthly (53) (EGM Media, LLC). December 1993. p. 80.
  2. ↑ http://press.nintendo.com/articles.jsp?id=28494
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ Bonk to Head-butt PSN