Bonkers is a 1994 platform video game developed by Sun L and published by Capcom. It was released in October 1994, for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).[1][2] It is based on the animated television series Bonkers.
| Bonkers | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Sun L |
| Publisher(s) | Capcom |
| Platform(s) | Super NES |
| Release | October 1994 |
| Genre(s) | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Plot
editThree of Toontown's most precious treasures, the Sorcerer's Hat (from Fantasia), the Mermaid's Voice (The Little Mermaid), and the Magic Lamp (Aladdin), are stolen. After a car accident Lucky Piquel is hospitalized and as such, Bonkers D. Bobcat has to resolve this case alone.
After traveling through places like Wackytoon Studios and the city of Hollywood and facing old enemies like The Collector and Pops Clock, Bonkers manages to recover all the treasures thus concluding the game.
Gameplay
editBonkers is a side-scrolling platform game. As police officer Bonkers D. Bobcat, the player must apprehend a thief who has stolen three precious treasures from the cartoon museum which were: the Sorcerer's Hat, the Mermaid's Voice, and the Magic Lamp. The player has several abilities, including a speed dash, which is used to break through obstacles. To stop enemies, the player can throw bombs at them, jump on their heads, or perform a speed dash. The game has six levels set across Hollywood, including a mansion, downtown, an ocean liner, a sewer, and a movie studio with Old West and science-fiction sets. Boss enemies must be battled at the end of each level.[3][4][5]
There are various objects throughout the game, such as balloons and shields. The player can acquire items by popping balloons open and can carry more bombs for every 10 shields collected. Donuts and cakes restore the player's health meter, and hearts can be collected to expand the meter.[3][4][5]
Reception
edit| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Computer and Video Games | 72/100[6] |
| Mega Fun | 63%[7] |
| Total! | 4/10[8] |
Bonkers received praise for its graphics.[3][4][7][9] GamePro called the game "a great first challenge for novice players".[3] Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the sound, but considered the gameplay too easy.[4]
Paul Dame of Windsor Star wrote that Bonkers would be at the top of his "list of games that really suck" if not for the fact that it "was made as a kids' game". He went on to write that the game's primary problem "is it is way too slow. When you get hit, it takes three to four seconds for him to recover. It may not seem like a lot but, when you're trying to play, it seems like a really longtime".[10] Joe Blenkle of Orangevale News considered it "one of the most enjoyable" games from Capcom "in quite some time", calling it equally fun for adults and children.[9]
In 2018, Hardcore Gaming 101 called it "a game that came and went without making much of an impact on anything", writing further, "It existed, and it was a decent use of the license, but there's so many other, better games of its type".[5]
References
edit- ^ "Super NES Games" (PDF). Nintendo of America. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 20, 2008.
- ^ "Bonkers preview". GameFan. Vol. 2, no. 10. United States. 1994. p. 97.
- ^ a b c d "ProReview: Bonkers". GamePro. No. 64. IDG. November 1994. p. 164.
- ^ a b c d "Review Crew". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 63. United States. October 1994. p. 32, 182.
- ^ a b c "Bonkers (SNES)". Hardcore Gaming 101. March 22, 2018. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
- ^ "Bonkers". Computer & Videogiochi (in Italian). No. 43. Italy. December 1994. p. 134.
- ^ a b "Bonkers". Mega Fun (in German). Germany. January 1995.
- ^ "Bonkers". Total! (in German). Germany. May 1995.
- ^ a b Blenkle, Joe (June 28, 1995). "You'll go Bonkers over this game from Capcom". Orangevale News. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Dame, Paul (April 27, 1995). "Toughman bonkers over contest, ecstatic about magic hockey, too". Windsor Star. Canada. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.