Bonk (series)
Bald caveman mascot of the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16.
Bonk is a video game character who served as the mascot for NEC's PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 consoles. In Japan, he is called PC-Genjin, while in PAL regions he is known as PC Kid or B.C. Kid. The character is a bald caveman who fights by headbutting enemies with his oversized head. The main series includes three platform games on the PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16, plus two spin-offs starring Air Zonk. Konami acquired the rights to the Bonk series after absorbing Hudson Soft, the original publisher, in 2012.
The character's Japanese name, PC-Genjin, is a wordplay on the PC Engine console, and the European name PC Kid similarly references the system (which is also called PC Engine in Europe). The "PC" in both names also stands for the fictional species "Pithecanthropus Computerurus." The American title "Bonk" was avoided in European releases because the word "bonk" has a sexual connotation in British English.
Bonk originated as a comic character called PC Caveman (Genjin) in a PC Engine magazine, created by Keisuke Abe. According to Hudson Soft's "The Definitive Bonk" article, the character was well-received, leading to discussions about a game. Many readers mistakenly believed he was already a game character before development began, as the magazine often featured comics of upcoming games.
The first game, *Bonk's Adventure* (PC-Genjin in Japan, PC Kid in Europe), launched for the TurboGrafx-16 in North America in 1990. It later appeared on the NES with reduced colors and graphics, and on the Amiga as *BC Kid*. A new arcade version with two-player co-op was released, as was a separate Game Boy game. A remake of the original came out in Japan on PlayStation 2 and GameCube. *Bonk's Revenge* (PC-Genjin 2, PC Kid 2) followed for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1991, with a different Game Boy version; the TurboGrafx-16 version was re-released on Windows in December 2013 and on Wii U Virtual Console in Japan in March 2014. *Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure* (PC-Genjin 3) came in two versions for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1993: a cartridge and a Super CD-ROM with redbook audio. *GB Genjin Land: Viva! Chikkun Kingdom* was a Game Boy mini-game collection. *Super Bonk* (Super Genjin, Super B.C. Kid), the fourth game, released for the Super NES in 1994 and was the first not on the TurboGrafx-16; it later appeared on Virtual Console in Japan in 2010, PAL in December 2010, and North Americ
- First appearance
- 1990
- Platform
- TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine
- Creator
- Keisuke Abe
- Original publisher
- Hudson Soft
- Known for
- Mascot of the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16
- Current rights holder
- Konami
Quick Facts
- Title
- Bonk
- Developer
- Red Company
- Publisher
- Hudson Soft / Konami (currently)
- Genre
- Platformer
- Platforms
- PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16, Arcade, SNES, NES, Game Boy, Amiga, PS2, GameCube, PSN, iOS, Virtual Console, Mobile
- First Release Version
- Bonk's Adventure
- First Release Date
- December 15, 1989
- Latest Release Version
- Bonk's Return
- Latest Release Date
- November 1, 2006
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Bonk was originally created as a comic character, PC Caveman (Genjin), in a magazine for the PC Engine. Many people liked the character and 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. It was created by Keisuke Abe.
The first game, Bonk's Adventure (PC-Genjin in Japan, PC Kid in Europe), was released for the TurboGrafx-16 in North America in 1990. Sequels included Bonk's Revenge (1991) and Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure (1993). The series expanded to other platforms: Super Bonk for the Super NES in 1994, and Super Genjin 2: The New Generations for the Super Famicom in 1995 (not released for the Super NES outside Japan). Several spin-offs and mobile titles were also released. A number of games were planned, including the cancelled Ultra Genjin; while some have speculated that work from that project was later repurposed for Bomberman Hero (1998), this has never been officially confirmed by Hudson Soft or Konami.
Reader's Guide
The Bonk series holds significance as the flagship franchise for NEC's PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 console, serving as its primary mascot during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The character's distinctive design—a bald caveman who attacks with his oversized head—and the series' platforming gameplay helped define the console's identity. The series' naming conventions reflect regional marketing strategies: the Japanese name PC-Genjin puns on the PC Engine, while the European name PC Kid similarly references the system. The American title 'Bonk' was avoided in Europe due to the word's sexual connotation in British English. After Hudson Soft was absorbed by Konami in 2012, Konami acquired the rights to the series. The series' legacy includes multiple ports, remakes, and a cult following among retro gaming enthusiasts, though many planned sequels were cancelled.
Did You Know?
- Bonk was originally created as a comic character called PC Caveman (Genjin) in a magazine for the PC Engine.
- The American title 'Bonk' was not used in European versions because the word 'bonk' connotes having sex in British English.
- A conversion of PC Genjin for the Virtual Boy was planned but scrapped due to the platform's commercial and critical failure.
- Work done on the cancelled Ultra Genjin was later repurposed for Bomberman Hero (1998).
More in Prehistoric people in popular culture 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record