Format: HuCard
Genre: 2d platformer
Developer: Red Company
Publisher: NEC

Bonk's visuals are difficult to judge; on the face of things they look childishly amateur, what with the sprites which look like they were drawn in MS Paint set to solid color backgrounds. But at the same time, they have a super distinct charm to them that becomes memorable almost immediately, and have proven themselves to be quite iconic over time-- and used to great effect in the several Bonk sequels.

Tsukasa Masuko, known for his work on probably two dozen Famicom and PC Engine titles, delivers music that matches the same idiosyncratic nature as the graphics; some of the songs, such as the one in the first level, are somewhat grating and repetitive. But later tunes, such as the Desert, Jungle, and Cave songs are sophisticated and catchy. Sound effects have a lot of character, particular the sounds that play when Bonk eats a piece of meat.

Whereas most platformers teach the player to land on enemies, Bonk emphasizes the opposite-- hitting enemies from below is what damages them. And when the player does attack from above, he'd better hit the attack button to make sure that Bonk lands on the enemy, head-first, nose-dive style. It's a peculiar setup with a fantastic amount of depth, especially when combined with the nuanced in-air physics, and the levels, which use these mechanics to great effect.

Like all of the great platformers of yore-- Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, Crash Bandicoot-- Bonk has strongly themed levels, nuanced physics, and startlingly memorable aesthetic characteristics. What makes Bonk's Adventure stand out the most, perhaps, is how the whole is so, so much more than the sum of its parts; despite taking over an hour to complete, it's easy to find oneself sitting down to back to back playthroughs, such is the game's appealing nature.