Criticisms of Bonk 3

[ParanoiaDragon]

I think the first Super Bonk is the worst of the series.  Super Bonk 2 did improve things, though I hate that it has checkpoints unlike the rest of the series.  The first 2 GB Bonk's are ok, obviously they could use help, but, Super Bonk 1 just...should've been way better then it was.  If there's any Bonk that's boring, it's Super Bonk.  I'd love to remake it on the Turbo(wink, wink, nudge, nudge) someday, & right all the wrongs.  Not just the music & gameplay, but also the color palette & a lot of the tiles are just...boring!

[madboom0522]

The bonk 3 cd game has a battle mode game on it I think. I have not played long enough to try it though. The game is really blah....

[Necromancer]

Why are whining about the smallest, minor details and completely ignoring most everything that's good?

"pipe bonus stage is dumb"  <--- Bitch, please.

[KingDrool]

I agree that it's the weakest of the three, and I used to completely disregard it. However, a couple years ago, I sat down and gave it a chance, playing from start to finish. The game certainly gets better the further you play.

One negative: I don't have the HuCard version, and I hate the music on the CD version. The chip-tunes in the first two games rank among my favorite video game soundtracks ever. So playing the CD version was a disappointment in that regard. But, now that I have it on my Everdrive, I'm going to have to give the game a go with the chip-tune soundtrack.

I'll also agree with the sentiment that Bonk's Adventure is the best in the series. It's maybe not "technically" as good as Revenge, but the simplicity of Adventure, the great bosses and characters - added to the fact that it was the first game I ever became obsessed with - makes it a notch higher in my book.

Also, I love Super Bonk 2 for SNES. It's like Bonk's Revenge crossed with Super Mario World. It's a really unique entry in the series. Not quite as crazy as the arcade game, but different enough to make an impression.

[esteban]

The original Bonk is still the best.  2 had better presentation but not better gameplay and definitely not better bosses.  3 is actually a bad game =[

well it sucks to hear that since bonk 3 goes for so much. I wonder the differences between bonk 3 hucard and bonk 3 cd besides the audio differences? any differences in gameplay? stages? enemies?

I am sure that there is a post/thread documenting the differences, but here is the Executive Summary:

(1) frames of animation in sprites are missing on CD version (limited RAM of system card, fitting all graphic assets on CD can be tricky).

(2) FMV footage of Gilligan's Island on CD version.

Note: only one statement in list is true.

[dallaspattern]

The music in the first Bonk is so iconic!

Never played sb2, must find it!

Because the bad outweighs the good, and that pipe shit is a waste of a bonus level!

Somebody made a good point, maybe they just squirted out an unrefined test cart? After all, it was already over by then and they couldn't have been putting much more money into development. Maybe we were lucky it came out at all.

[ParanoiaDragon]

Never played sb2, must find it!

It's Jp only, so you'll most likely find it under Super Genjin 2, or perhaps Cho Gengin 2. 

As for Bonk 3 CD.  I actually love the music, HOWEVER, it doesn't sound like Bonk music(it doesn't fit the game).  I've often threatened to remake the cd soundtrack, so that it sounds like the first 2 games, although, enhanced due to it being rebook ofcoarse.

[HailingTheThings]

I've often threatened to remake the cd soundtrack, so that it sounds like the first 2 games, although, enhanced due to it being rebook ofcoarse.

That'd be wow.

[DragonmasterDan]

Bonk 3 borrows the core gameplay mechanics from Bonk's Adventure and Bonk's Revenge. It even adds a big and small bonk.

The overall game is solid as it's directly based on two of the best traditional platformers on the TurboGrafx. The reason this game gets so much criticism is for a few reasons.

First off is level design, the level design lacks the variety and fun areas of earlier games. It feels like they phoned the level design in.

Second off is the two player mode. This is a gimmick they simply hacked on, the levels and overall game aren't designed around providing an engaging two player experience.

Thirdly is the failure to properly optimize the design of the game to take advantage of the big and small bonk transformations. This is the biggest new feature of the game, and once again the level design is lacking.

I don't think Bonk 3 is a bad game at all. It plays well and is interesting enough. It just feels like it was lazily designed.

[Necromancer]

.... and that pipe shit is a waste of a bonus level!

I don't get it.  What exactly is so bad about that bonus level?

[neutopia6]

I didn't mind the pipe level, I preferred the bouncing up flowers one, and enjoyed smashing blocks as a means of getting shit loads of one ups.

[dallaspattern]

my hate-on for the pipe bonus exists mostly because the animation is bad and the gameplay slows down quite a bit, killing the pacing of the level.

remake of the bonk soundtrack - do you have garageband? I'm in, let's do it!

[ParanoiaDragon]

my hate-on for the pipe bonus exists mostly because the animation is bad and the gameplay slows down quite a bit, killing the pacing of the level.

remake of the bonk soundtrack - do you have garageband? I'm in, let's do it!

Nah, just my keyboard & MMT-8 sequencer I've been using for homebrew game projects for the past, probably, 10 years now?  Maybe less, depends on what year it was we started on Mysterious Song, as I didn't have the equipment for most of that project, just enhanced it in Sound Forge aside from adding lil bit's n' pieces to it when I finally did get the equipment. 

I've actually already made about 10 Bonk songs for a different project, so I know I'm capable, & I think those in the know about my project agree that it's got that Bonk sound.  However, I haven't worked on it in a couple years due to Jungle Bros. being a priority for awhile, plus, (dare I reveal?), I've been remaking Mega Man 1's ost for Bonknuts CD emulation of Mega Man 1.  Doing my own renditions of Mega Man 1 tunes has been a dream of mine for literally a million years! So, I have a few Robot Master tunes to finish up, as well as the first Dr Wily level.  Then, I should get back to Jungle Bros. & finish that up, (4 songs left IIRC).  After that, I could maybe go back to my Bonk project, but, like any hobby, real life gets in the way, so, we'll see how long it takes to get back to that, & that's not taking Dragon Arm into consideration, which I've only done planning so far for.

I probably could do a basic redo of Bonk 3, with no extra flair, but, knowing me, I'll end up doing extra stuff for it, as I have for Mega Man & Dragon Warrior(another Bonknuts project).....which I also would like to finish someday! 

[Dicer]

Bonk=/=Bonk2>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Bonk3

Bonk is the best, but 2 looks better/play worse 3 is just ugh...

Zonk's followup was abysmal as well, it's like Hudson stopped caring when they reached these 2 games.

[DragonmasterDan]

Bonk=/=Bonk2>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Bonk3

Bonk is the best, but 2 looks better/play worse 3 is just ugh...

Zonk's followup was abysmal as well, it's like Hudson stopped caring when they reached these 2 games.

I don't think Super Air Zonk is abysmal. I think it's simply lazy, kind of like Bonk 3.

I'd even go so far as to say Super Air Zonk is a "good" game. Now when you compare it to Air Zonk, it loses the frantic paced action, ability to pick powerups on a stage by stage basis among other things and is a far inferior game. But compared to most PC Engine shooters, it's still well above average.