Remember the days of chunky handhelds and monochrome screens? While the Super Mario Land games often stole the spotlight, the Game Boy library was packed with ports and original titles, including entries from popular console series. One such game was Bonk's Revenge Game Boy, bringing the head-butting cave-kid to Nintendo's portable powerhouse in 1994.
While Bonk was a big deal on the TurboGrafx-16, his Game Boy adventures had a slightly different vibe. Bonk's Revenge on the Game Boy followed up on the first handheld Bonk title, aiming to capture that prehistoric platforming magic on the go. But did it succeed, or did it leave fans wishing they'd stayed in the Stone Age?
Let's take a nostalgic look back at this particular entry in the Bonk saga.
The Basics: What Was Bonk's Revenge on Game Boy All About?
Just like his other outings, Bonk's Revenge on Game Boy saw our hero, Bonk, facing off against his arch-nemesis, King Drool. This time, the dastardly dinosaur king was trying to split the Earth in two, and only Bonk's mighty cranium could stop him across six distinct stages.
The core gameplay loop remained familiar: jump, head-butt enemies (sometimes multiple times!), collect smiley faces for points and health, and navigate platforming challenges. Bonk retained his signature moves, like biting onto walls to climb and spinning in the air to slow his descent.
Power-ups were key, with meat transforming Bonk temporarily. While the TurboGrafx games had distinct meat transformations, the Game Boy version introduced a "meat roulette" leading to forms like Stealth Bonk, Master Bonk, or Hungry Bonk, each with different abilities. Standard power-ups like invincibility and extra lives also made appearances. Finding a flower could even lead to a bonus fight against Mechabonk!
Each stage culminated in a boss battle, testing your head-butting prowess before you could move on. The final stage required beating all previous bosses before the ultimate showdown with King Drool.
Head-butting into Controversy: What Went Wrong?
Despite carrying the popular Bonk name, Bonk's Revenge on Game Boy often receives a mixed, sometimes outright negative, reception among fans and critics compared to its console brethren or even the first Game Boy Bonk game. Why the cold reception?
- Sound Design: This is perhaps the most common complaint. Many found the audio grating and repetitive, lacking the catchy tunes of other Bonk games.
- Visuals & Animation: While Game Boy graphics were limited, some felt Bonk's sprite and animations in this particular game were less charming or expressive than before.
- New Mechanics: The "meat roulette" and the new Bonk types (like the burglar Bonk for accessing secret rooms) were sometimes seen as less intuitive or useful than the previous power-up system. Accessing secret rooms often felt like a gamble with little reward.
- Repetitive Bonus Game: The Mechabonk fight was the only bonus game, lacking the variety of earlier titles. Win, you get lives; lose, you get a "lame" Bonk state.
- Level Design & Bosses: Some levels, particularly later ones with futuristic themes, felt uninspired or flat. Critics often found the new enemies and bosses generic compared to the more creative designs in other Bonk games.
Essentially, many felt the game lacked the charm, polish, and creative spark that defined the series on other platforms. Even the cheerful smiley face icons reportedly looked a bit sad in this installment!
Is Bonk's Revenge Game Boy Still Worth Playing Today?
If you're a die-hard Bonk fan or a collector of the Game Boy library, Bonk's Revenge is certainly a piece of history worth experiencing, if only to see how the series translated (or didn't quite translate) to the handheld. It's a challenging platformer with unique mechanics, even if they weren't universally loved.
For those seeking the peak Bonk experience, the TurboGrafx-16 titles or even the first Game Boy game might be better starting points. However, there's a certain charm in revisiting these less-celebrated entries, flaws and all, through the lens of nostalgia. It's a reminder that not every sequel is a masterpiece, but they all contribute to the rich tapestry of retro gaming.
You can often find physical copies online or explore emulation options (like Archive.org's emulator) to give it a try and form your own opinion on this divisive little platformer.
FAQ
Q: What is the main objective in Bonk's Revenge on Game Boy? A: Bonk must stop King Drool from splitting the Earth in two by head-butting his way through six stages and defeating bosses.
Q: How is the meat power-up different in this Game Boy version? A: Instead of fixed transformations, eating meat triggers a "meat roulette" that randomly grants one of several temporary forms like Stealth, Master, or Hungry Bonk.
Q: Why is Bonk's Revenge Game Boy considered divisive? A: Common criticisms include its repetitive sound design, perceived uninspired visuals, less popular new mechanics (like the meat roulette), and generic level/boss design compared to other Bonk games.
Q: What year was Bonk's Revenge released on Game Boy? A: It was released in 1994.
