Hebereke series
Encyclopedia
is a video game series developed by Sunsoft that was released primarily in Japan
, with a few releases in Europe
and one release in North America
. It was one of the company's main franchises during the 1990s. Hebe, the main character of the series, became Sunsoft's main mascot during this period, appearing on the company's logo in several games and commercials. The series features a comical, yet surreal setting and characters. The title of the series comes from a Japanese colloquialism for drunkenness. The series covers several different genres from platforming to puzzle, though they are all set in the same fictional universe.
The first Hebereke game for the Nintendo Entertainment System
was released in the PAL region
under the title of Ufouria: The Saga, which changed the names of the main characters, while two of them had their looks changed. A later set of games for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
were also released under the Hebereke title, which retained the original names and looks from the Japanese version.
, Super Famicom
, Sega Saturn
, PlayStation
, coin operated arcades
and mobile phones.
A game titled Hebereke's Pair Pair Wars was developed to be released on Neo-Geo MVS-1 Formatted Arcade machines in 1996, but the prototype was never fully completed.
in the Japanese magazine Family Computer Magazine (also known as "Famimaga" for short). During publication, the strip had its title changed to Pemopemo, only to be changed back to Hebereke. The first two years' worth of strips were reprinted in a collection titled Hebereke no Hon, but the remaining strips were never republished. The comic was canceled in 1998, after the magazine changed its name to Famimaga 64.
(known in Scandinavia
as Mr. Gimmick). The soundtrack was composed by Naoki Kodaka, Phaseout & MuteC, Masashi Kageyama and arranged by Hitoshi Sakimoto
. It was published by DATAM Polystar
and released on June 25, 1994.
, The New Zealand Story, Kirby
and particularly Hello Kitty
. The series primarily involves a cast of four main characters and four minor characters.
O-Chan (Freeon-Leon in Ufouria)
Sukezaemon (Shades in Ufouria)
Jennifer (Gil in Ufouria)
Pen
Utsu
Unyo
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, with a few releases in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and one release in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It was one of the company's main franchises during the 1990s. Hebe, the main character of the series, became Sunsoft's main mascot during this period, appearing on the company's logo in several games and commercials. The series features a comical, yet surreal setting and characters. The title of the series comes from a Japanese colloquialism for drunkenness. The series covers several different genres from platforming to puzzle, though they are all set in the same fictional universe.
The first Hebereke game for the Nintendo Entertainment System
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...
was released in the PAL region
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
under the title of Ufouria: The Saga, which changed the names of the main characters, while two of them had their looks changed. A later set of games for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
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...
were also released under the Hebereke title, which retained the original names and looks from the Japanese version.
List of games
Developer Sunsoft used the characters and world featured in Hebereke in a series of games for Family ComputerNintendo 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...
, 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...
, Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
, coin operated arcades
Video arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
and mobile phones.
- Hebereke (NES/Family ComputerNintendo Entertainment SystemThe 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...
) (1991)
- Ufouria: The Saga (EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
/AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) (character changes) - Re-released on Sunsoft Memorial Vol.5Memorial SeriesThe is a series of re-released Famicom video game titles for the Sony PlayStation game console by Japanese developer Sunsoft. Each volume cost 1575 yen .Even Volume 3 is delivered in the game archives as of September 27, 2007.- SunSoft Vol...
with Raf WorldJourney to SiliusJourney to Silius, released in Japan as , is a side-scrolling action shooting game co-developed by Sunsoft and Tokai Engineering that was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in .-Plot:...
(PlayStation) - Ufouria was originally intended to be released in North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. In 2010, the game was released on the WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual ConsoleVirtual consoleA 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...
service in both the PAL region and North America, marking the first Hebereke release in the latter region.- Hebereke no Popoon (SNES/Super FamicomSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe 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...
) (1993)
- Hebereke no Popoon (SNES/Super Famicom
- Hebereke's Popoon (Europe) (1994)
- Hebereke no Popoon (ArcadeArcade gameAn 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...
) (1994)- Hashire Hebereke (Super FamicomSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe 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...
) (1994) - Hebereke no Oishii Puzzle (Super FamicomSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe 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...
) (1994) - Sugoi Hebereke (Super FamicomSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe 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...
) (1994)
- Hashire Hebereke (Super Famicom
- Four-player 2D fighting game; similar in nature to the Super Smash Bros. series and Sonic BattleSonic BattleSonic Battle is a fighting game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega and THQ for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. It is the second fighting game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, the first game being Sonic the Fighters...
.- Popoitto Hebereke (SNES/Super FamicomSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe 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...
, Sega SaturnSega SaturnThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
) (1995)
- Popoitto Hebereke (SNES/Super Famicom
- Hebereke's Popoitto (1995) (Europe)
- O-Chan no Oekaki Logic (Super Famicom, Sony Playstation, Sega SaturnSega SaturnThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, Bandai WonderswanWonderSwanwas a line of handheld game consoles produced in Japan by Bandai between 1999 and 2003. It was developed by the late Gunpei Yokoi's company Koto and Bandai...
) (1995)
- O-Chan no Oekaki Logic (Super Famicom, Sony Playstation, Sega Saturn
- O-Chan no Oekaki Logic 2 (Sony PlayStation) (1996)
- O-Chan no Oekaki Logic 3 (Value 1500) (Sony PlayStation) (2001)
- Hebereke Station Popoitto (PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
) (1996)
- Hebereke Station Popoitto (PlayStation
- Hebereke's Popoitto (1996) (Europe)
- Hebereke Station Popoitto (SunKore Best) (1999)
- Hebereke Station Popoitto (Value 1500) (2001)
A game titled Hebereke's Pair Pair Wars was developed to be released on Neo-Geo MVS-1 Formatted Arcade machines in 1996, but the prototype was never fully completed.
Cameo appearances and related releases
- The Hebereke characters made a cameo appearance in Sunsoft's Mega Drive port of Lemmings, appearing in level 18 of the "Sunsoft" setting.
- O-Chan appears on one of the courts in Yeh Yeh Tennis (Wai Wai Tennis 2 in Japan) for the PlayStation.
- Hebereke was listed in the credits of Journey To Silius in 1990.
- The Hebereke characters also made an appearance in Barcode WorldBarcode Worldis a video game developed by Epoch and published by Sunsoft.-Summary:This video game was released exclusively in Japan on December 18, 1992 for the Nintendo Family Computer...
, along with other Sunsoft characters, but only as cards that come with the game. - Hebe appears as a random encounter (by far the highest experience-granting enemy in the game) in Benkei Gaiden: Suna no Shou.
Comic strip
Uchimich "Ucchii" Ryoji, the series' character designer, drew a series of four-panel strips based on the games that were serialized by Tokuma ShotenTokuma Shoten
is a publisher in Japan, that was established in 1954.The company was also the parent company for the film studio Daiei Motion Pictures, bought in 1974, and the record label Tokuma Japan Communications, bought in 1972, until both were sold off when Yasuyoshi Tokuma, who established this company,...
in the Japanese magazine Family Computer Magazine (also known as "Famimaga" for short). During publication, the strip had its title changed to Pemopemo, only to be changed back to Hebereke. The first two years' worth of strips were reprinted in a collection titled Hebereke no Hon, but the remaining strips were never republished. The comic was canceled in 1998, after the magazine changed its name to Famimaga 64.
Original soundtrack
A soundtrack titled Takusan Hebereke was released that features original versions of the music from the first three Hebereke games: Hebereke, Hebereke no Popoon and Sugoi Hebereke. The soundtrack also includes original versions of songs from another Sunsoft game, Gimmick!Gimmick!
is a 1992 platform game developed by Authentic Entertainment and published by Sunsoft for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was retitled Mr. Gimmick when it was released in Scandinavia.-Story:...
(known in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
as Mr. Gimmick). The soundtrack was composed by Naoki Kodaka, Phaseout & MuteC, Masashi Kageyama and arranged by Hitoshi Sakimoto
Hitoshi Sakimoto
is a Japanese video game composer and arranger. He is best known for scoring the games Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy XII, though he has composed soundtracks for over 70 games and arranged music for more than 40 others. He began playing music and video games in elementary school, and began...
. It was published by DATAM Polystar
Datam Polystar
is a Japanese media company headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.-Super Famicom:* Cacoma Knight * Makeruna Makendou * Makeruna Makendou 2...
and released on June 25, 1994.
Characters
The series sports characters and graphics that are typically Japanese cuteness in design, done in the style of BombermanBomberman
Bomberman is a strategic, maze-based computer and video game franchise originally developed by Hudson Soft. The original game was published in 1983 and new games in the series are still being published to this day. Today, the commercially successful Bomberman is featured in over 70 different games...
, The New Zealand Story, Kirby
Kirby (Nintendo)
is the main protagonist of Nintendo's Kirby video game series created by Masahiro Sakurai and developed by HAL Laboratory. The Kirby series is one of Nintendo's many well-known game franchises, spanning nearly twenty games since 1992...
and particularly Hello Kitty
Hello Kitty
is a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio, first designed by Yuko Shimizu. She is portrayed as a female white Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow. The character's first appearance on an item, a vinyl coin purse, was introduced in Japan in 1974 and brought to the United States...
. The series primarily involves a cast of four main characters and four minor characters.
Major characters
Hebe (sometimes referred to as "Hebereke", Bop-Louie in Ufouria)- Gender: Male
- Species: Small white penguin (Little boy in Ufouria)
- Voice actor: Megumi HayashibaraMegumi Hayashibarais a Japanese voice actress, singer, radio personality, and lyricist from Tokyo. She is currently affiliated with Aksent. Her nicknames include: Megu-san, Megu-nee, Bara-san, Kakka, and Daijin...
O-Chan (Freeon-Leon in Ufouria)
- Gender: Female (Male in Ufouria)
- Species: Cat/Little girl wearing a cat suit (Lizard in Ufouria)
- Voice actor: Mika KanaiMika Kanaiis a Japanese voice actress and singer from Tokyo. She is currently attached to Ken Production. Her pet name is . She is best known for her roles in Idol Tenshi Yōkoso Yōko , Tanoshii Mūmin Ikka , Goldfish Warning! , Soreike! Anpanman , Yadamon , After War Gundam X , Tokyo...
Sukezaemon (Shades in Ufouria)
- Gender: Male
- Species: Ghost
- Voice actor: Norio WakamotoNorio Wakamotois a veteran male seiyū and budō expert affiliated with Sigma Seven. He was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and was raised in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. He graduated from Waseda University...
Jennifer (Gil in Ufouria)
- Gender: Male
- Species: Frog
- Voice actor: Shigeru ChibaShigeru Chibais an actor and voice actor. He has also worked as a sound effects director and music director. He is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce....
Minor characters
Boo- Gender: Female
- Species: Purple birdBirdBirds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
- Voice actor: Shigeru Chiba
Pen
- Gender: Male
- Species: Penguin/Little boy wearing a penguin suit
- Voice actor: Megumi Hayashibara
Utsu
- Gender: Male
- Species: Cat-like alien/Cat wearing an alien suit
- Voice actor: Norio Wakamoto
Unyo
- Gender: Male
- Species: Alien (wearing a helmet)
- Voice actor: Norio Wakamoto