As part of its continuing line of classic remakes for GameCube and PS2, Hudson has released a fancy new version of the classic Bonk’s Adventure, also known as PC Genjin in Japan. (The “PC" stands for “Pithecanthropus Computerurus", according to the box.) Bonk was one of the few notable games on NEC’s TurboGrafx-16 system, but versions were also released on NES and other platforms back in the day. The newly re-mastered version contains more or less the same gameplay, but with new 3D character models and other enhanced features. And, I’m happy to report, the game is still fun after all these years.

Bonk’s Adventure is a traditional platforming action game starring a demented little caveman who battles enemies with his gigantic head. This mechanic is what sets Bonk apart from characters like Mario, though otherwise the game is very similar to Nintendo’s platformers from that era. Bonk runs and jumps through levels, attacking enemies head-on (cough) with a basic standing head butt and a more powerful jump attack. The latter is simply Bonk jumping into the air and coming down head-first, and it is how most of the harder enemies and bosses have to be attacked. An interesting touch is that another press of the button will turn Bonk right-side-up again and insert a slight pause into the animation, so you can jump and repeatedly press B to spin around as a kind of limited hover move. Bonk’s only other moves are the ability to climb certain walls or swim up waterfalls, both of which are done by rapidly pressing the A button. His walking/running is completely digital and can be controlled with either the main joystick or the D-pad. The simple button layout makes this game perfect for the Hori Digital Controller, although my trusty WaveBird worked fine too.

The levels are designed to offer an equal mix of enemy bashing and platforming. There are few truly difficult jumps once you get the hang of “hovering", but the platforming is interesting and consistently challenging. Fighting enemies is surprisingly varied and tough, even late in the game. Due to a diverse set of baddies and the clever level design, you are forced to approach enemies from various angles, thereby nullifying one or more attacks in Bonk’s arsenal. The bosses all require different strategies, and there’s even one which you fight a pseudo-boxing match with.

There’s no doubt that Bonk’s quest is fun and well designed. It will appeal strongly to any fan of the old Mario and Sonic platformers. The game’s only real flaw is that it’s quite short. There are a few dozen levels, but they tend to be short and easy. Playing on the default difficulty level, I beat the game all the way through, with only one continue. This was my first time to ever play Bonk. The bosses are usually easy after figuring out their patterns and weak points, but you’ll die many times before figuring them out. That’s how the many easy-to-earn extra lives will be burned up, though you can also continue when those run out, losing your points but retaining progress through the game.

As a remake, Bonk’s Adventure sports a modest graphical upgrade and includes a few special features not in the original game. Although the stages are all 2D and have a hand-drawn look to them, the characters and items are 3D models with a slight cel-shaded effect. Bonk himself looks great, mainly by virtue of his hilarious and plentiful animations. It’s impossible not to laugh the first time you see him climb a wall with his teeth or transform into a monkey, especially with the absurd comic-book-style onomatopoeia which erupts from his loins with each chomp or jump or bash.

It’s not a huge or long game, but Bonk’s Adventure is a great platformer that can be played again and again, especially if you want to find the secret items and unlock bonus features. It’s also budget-priced and friendly to importers, so I can easily recommend it to fans of the original game or of action platformers in general. The game is not likely to be released outside of Japan, so head to Video Game Depot if you’re interested.