Bonk (series)

Bonk, known as in Japan and as PC Kid or BC Kid in PAL territories, is a video game character and former mascot for NEC's PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 video game console. Three platform games featuring the character appeared on the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16, as well as two spin-offs featuring Air Zonk. The protagonist is a bald caveman named Bonk who attacks using his comically large head.

His Japanese name PC-Genjin is a pun on the PC Engine, with his European name PC Kid similarly referencing the system's name (the console is also called PC Engine in Europe). The "PC" part of his Japanese and European names also stands for " Pithecanthropus Computerurus", a fictitious species name for the character. The American title ''Bonk'' is also not used in the European versions due to the word " bonk" being inappropriate slang in British English.

Konami now owns the rights to the Bonk series as a result of its 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'' in Japan, ''PC Kid'' in Europe) was the first game starring Bonk and was released for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1989. 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 GameCube.

'' Bonk's Revenge'' (''PC-Genjin 2'' in Japan, ''PC Kid 2'' in Europe) 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'' (''Super 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.

''Super 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).

'' 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.

, released on iPhone OS on 2008 in Japan, is part of ''Do the Hudson!!''.

, released on iPhone OS on 2008 in Japan, is part of ''Do the Hudson!!''.

, released on iPhone OS on 2008 in Japan, is part of ''Do the Hudson!!''.

, released on iPhone OS on 2008 in Japan, is part of ''Do the Hudson!!''.

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

A conversion of ''PC Genjin'' titled ''Genjin Show - Tobidase! VB Genjin'' was planned for the Virtual Boy, with a former Hudson Soft employee stating that he played ''Virtual Bomberman'' as reference during development but the adaptation was scrapped due to the commercial and critical failure of the platform. ''PC Alajin'', ''Bonk Strategy'' (''Uesugi Genjin'' in Japan), ''PC Genjin no Te-to-Risu'', ''Bonk IV: The Role-Playing Game/Bonk's Quest'' (''RPG Genjin'' in Japan), ''Ultra Genjin'' and ''Bonk 3D'' were planned for the TurboGrafx-16, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo 3DS respectively, but were never released. ''Ultra Genjin'' eventually became '' Bomberman Hero'' for the Nintendo 64. A new Bonk game developed by Pi Studios, ''Bonk: Brink of Extinction'', had been announced for the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and WiiWare. The title would have included cooperative play but it was cancelled.

Other media

Manga

* ''PC Genjin-kun'' (PC原人くん), was a manga that was released in February 1992 to April 1994, and published by Shogakukan and Author Hikawa Hirokazu.
* The event of ''Bonk's Revenge'', featuring Bonk, was adapted into a manga featuring the Hudson characters titled ''Hudson Makyou'' (ハドソン魔境) by Minori Shobo on 1992.
* In the 2010 manga titled ''High-Score Girl'' (ハイスコアガール ''Haisukoagāru''), Bonk makes a cameo in the cartridge for the PC Engine.

Notes

References

External links

The Bonk Compendium
(Covering all games and references to Bonk)

''The Definitive Bonk''
an article at Hudson Entertainment 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)

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Bonk
Konami franchises
Platform games
Prehistoric people in popular culture
Red Entertainment games
Video games about shapeshifting
Video game franchises
Video game franchises introduced in 1989