Bonk (video game)
Encyclopedia
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, though some Bonk games eventually saw releases on other consoles as well. A large-headed, bald caveman
, his favored form of attack is the headbutt
. The "PC" part of his Japanese name stands for "Pithecanthropus Computer
urus", a fictitious species
name for Bonk.
(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
, 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
.
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 console entry in the Bonk series not to see a release on the TurboGrafx-16 platform. 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.
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
.
RPG Genjin was planned for the PC Engine, but was never released.
Bonk's Return, a Bonk game released for Mobile phones, plays a lot like the first two Bonk games but offers very little diversity in the level design.
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.
A new Bonk game, Bonk: Brink of Extinction
, had been announced for the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade
, and WiiWare
. The title was expected to arrive sometime in 2011 and would have included cooperative play but it was canceled.
in Japan and by NEC Electronics
in the United States , and developed by Atlus Software
and Red Company
. The game was a side-scrolling platformer
, a genre that was very popular at the time, especially for mascots (Sonic The Hedgehog
and Mario
both vaulted to mascot status via this genre). Bonk's Adventure was very well received by critics outside of Japan, winning several awards in 1990: "Turbografx-16 Game of the Year" by Game Player’s Magazine, "Most Exciting New Theme of 1990" by Electronic Gaming Monthly
Magazine, "Special Achievement Award" from OMNI Magazine, and "Best Action Video Game of 1990" by Video Games & Computer Entertainment Magazine. Despite this, the TurboGrafx suffered from poor sales, and the Bonk mascot was eventually retired in 1992 (with the launch of TTi's new TurboDuo console), replaced by Air Zonk
(the official mascot of the DUO). Not surprisingly, Zonk—a "future descendant of Bonk", according to the mythos—bears a strong likeness to his predecessor, Bonk. Zonk, who was featured prominently in all of TTi's branding efforts, was the only mascot for the TurboDuo.
When NEC's TurboDuo
console was sold in 1992, it included a CD-ROM
containing Bonk's Adventure, Bonk's Revenge and Gate of Thunder, packaged with merely a slipcover and manuals.
Kaneko published an arcade
version of Bonk's Adventure (released as B.C. Kid in Europe) in 1994. This version offered more enemies per screen than the standard Bonk game and included a variety of other strange tasks for the player to accomplish. Other unique features included two-player simultaneous play and the only female Bonk in the series.
Bonk also appeared in the Sega Saturn game "Saturn Bomberman" as a playable character in multiplayer mode. This was his only appearance ever on a SEGA console.
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.
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. Known in Japan as "PC-Genjin" (ＰＣ原人, PC-Primitive man, a pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
on "PC Engine") and as "BC Kid" in PAL territories, Bonk was a mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
for NEC's console, though some Bonk games eventually saw releases on other consoles as well. A large-headed, bald caveman
Caveman
A caveman or troglodyte is a stock character based upon widespread concepts of the way in which early prehistoric humans may have looked and behaved...
, his favored form of attack is the headbutt
Headbutt
A headbutt is a strike with the head, typically involving the use of robust parts of the cranium as areas of impact. Effective headbutting revolves around striking a sensitive area with a less sensitive area, such as striking the nose of an opponent with the forehead...
. The "PC" part of his Japanese name stands for "Pithecanthropus Computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
urus", a fictitious species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
name for Bonk.
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. Some reputable sources confirm that this character was based on an individual named Tasos; specifically due to the large nature of his head in comparison to the rest of his body.Games
Bonk's AdventureBonk's Adventure
Bonk's Adventure is a 2D platform video game developed by Red Company and Atlus and released in 1990 for the TurboGrafx-16. In Japan it was released as PC Genjin in 1989, a play on the Japanese name for the system, 'PC Engine'. The game was re-released for the TurboGrafx-16 in the U.S. in 1992 on...
(PC Genjin) was the first game starring Bonk and was released for the TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
in 1990. A variation of the TG-16 original eventually appeared on the NES
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
with fewer colors and reduced graphic quality. Another variation was released for the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
under the name BC Kid. A completely new game, with 2 player co-op, was released for the arcades
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
, while another new game utilizing the same name was released for the Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
. A remake of the original was released in Japan many years later on the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
.
Bonk's Revenge
Bonk's Revenge
Bonk's Revenge is a 2D platformer originally for the TurboGrafx 16 console, created in 1991 by the Red Company for Hudson and Turbo Technologies, and licensed by NEC. The game was re-released for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1992 on the Gate of Thunder 4-in-1 game CD-ROM...
(PC Genjin 2) was released for the TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
in 1991, while a completely different game using the same name made it to the Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
.
Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure
Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure
is an action video game developed by Red Company and published for the TurboGrafx-16 and TurboDuo in 1993, in the Bonk video game series. It was released for the Wii Virtual Console in Europe on August 31, 2007 and in North America on September 3, 2007, it was also released on the Japanese...
(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
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
in 1994. It was the first console entry in the Bonk series not to see a release on the TurboGrafx-16 platform. Super Bonk was later re-released for Nintendo's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
in Japan on November 16, 2010, the PAL region on December 10, 2010 and in North America on April 4, 2011.
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 Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
(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
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
.
Genjin Collection, a collection of the 3 Game Boy titles, was released for the Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
.
RPG Genjin was planned for the PC Engine, but was never released.
Bonk's Return, a Bonk game released for Mobile phones, plays a lot like the first two Bonk games but offers very little diversity in the level design.
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.
A new Bonk game, Bonk: Brink of Extinction
Bonk: Brink of Extinction
Bonk: Brink of Extinction is a cancelled platform-adventure game continuing the Bonk franchise. It was planned to be made available on WiiWare, PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live Arcade. It was to have online and local cooperation modes...
, had been announced for the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
, and WiiWare
WiiWare
WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...
. The title was expected to arrive sometime in 2011 and would have included cooperative play but it was canceled.
History
His first game, Bonk's Adventure, was released in 1990/1989, published by Hudson SoftHudson Soft
, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
in Japan and by NEC Electronics
NEC
, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
in the United States , and developed by Atlus Software
Atlus
is a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the console role-playing game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of...
and Red Company
Red Entertainment
is a video game developer based in Japan. Formerly known as since is foundation in 1976 , it was reorganized under its current moniker on December 4, 2000...
. The game was a side-scrolling platformer
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
, a genre that was very popular at the time, especially for mascots (Sonic The Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (character)
, trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...
and Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
both vaulted to mascot status via this genre). Bonk's Adventure was very well received by critics outside of Japan, winning several awards in 1990: "Turbografx-16 Game of the Year" by Game Player’s Magazine, "Most Exciting New Theme of 1990" by Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
Magazine, "Special Achievement Award" from OMNI Magazine, and "Best Action Video Game of 1990" by Video Games & Computer Entertainment Magazine. Despite this, the TurboGrafx suffered from poor sales, and the Bonk mascot was eventually retired in 1992 (with the launch of TTi's new TurboDuo console), replaced by Air Zonk
Air Zonk
Air Zonk is a side-scrolling shooter released for the PC Engine/TurboGrafx 16 video game consoles in 1992 and was developed by Red Company and published by Hudson Soft...
(the official mascot of the DUO). Not surprisingly, Zonk—a "future descendant of Bonk", according to the mythos—bears a strong likeness to his predecessor, Bonk. Zonk, who was featured prominently in all of TTi's branding efforts, was the only mascot for the TurboDuo.
When NEC's TurboDuo
TurboDuo
The TurboDuo was a video game console released in the United States. It was released on October 10, 1992 by 'Turbo Technologies Incorporated', a Los Angeles-based corporation consisting of NEC and Hudson Soft employees, established to market NEC consoles in North America after NEC Home Electronics...
console was sold in 1992, it included a CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
containing Bonk's Adventure, Bonk's Revenge and Gate of Thunder, packaged with merely a slipcover and manuals.
Kaneko published an arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
version of Bonk's Adventure (released as B.C. Kid in Europe) in 1994. This version offered more enemies per screen than the standard Bonk game and included a variety of other strange tasks for the player to accomplish. Other unique features included two-player simultaneous play and the only female Bonk in the series.
Bonk also appeared in the Sega Saturn game "Saturn Bomberman" as a playable character in multiplayer mode. This was his only appearance ever on a SEGA console.
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.http://www.pcengine.co.uk/HTML_Games/PC_Kid_3.htm 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
- The Bonk Compendium (Covering all games and references to Bonk)
- The Definitive Bonk, an article at Hudson EntertainmentHudson Soft, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
on the history of Bonk and his various appearances, spin-offs, and names. - Hudson Selection Vol. 3: PC Genjin (Bonk's Adventure remake for Nintendo GameCube and Sony PlayStation 2)