Welcome back to Famicom Fridays, where every week we take a bite-sized look at another pixel-perfect piece of 8-bit nostalgia. Today we’re taking a trip to the Stone Age—but with way more attitude and way less accuracy—by highlighting a quirky prehistoric platformer from Hudson Soft: FC原人 (FC Genjin)!
Known in the West as Bonk's Adventure, this caveman’s debut on the Famicom was a wild, brightly-colored spin-off from his more famous PC Engine roots.
🧠 Who (or What) Is FC原人?
FC原人 translates to “Famicom Primitive Man,” but make no mistake—he’s not your average caveman. Originally known as PC原人 (PC Genjin) for the PC Engine, he was Hudson Soft’s prehistoric mascot—a friendly, bald-headed cave-boy who fights dinosaurs with the most powerful weapon known to man: his skull.
In this Famicom adaptation, Hudson Soft reimagined Bonk’s Adventure with 8-bit hardware in mind, tweaking the gameplay to suit the limitations and charm of the system. It's not a direct port but a faithful reinterpretation filled with the same humor, bizarre creatures, and boulder-sized personality.
🕹 Gameplay: Headbutts, Meat, and Madness
In FC Genjin, you guide the ever-grinning cave-boy across a series of side-scrolling prehistoric landscapes—from lava-filled caves to towering cliffside villages—all while smashing foes with your oversized cranium. Here's what to expect:
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Bonk to Win: Your main attack is a jump and a headbutt—literally dive-bombing enemies by flipping in midair or bonking them head-on.
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Power-Ups: Grab giant hunks of meat to power up and temporarily go berserk, making you invincible or giving you fire breath.
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Wall Climbing: Bonk can cling to and scale vertical walls using only his teeth. It’s weird, it’s wild, and it works.
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Boss Battles: Each stage ends with a boss, usually a mutated dino or robotic abomination, requiring pattern memorization and well-timed noggin attacks.
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Collectibles: Shells and fruit boost your score and health; hidden rooms and secrets abound.
While it doesn’t have the graphical muscle of the PC Engine version, FC Genjin compensates with slick level design and that unmistakable Hudson polish.
🎨 Visuals & Sound
Hudson's Famicom output was always charming, and FC原人 is no exception. The character sprites are large and expressive, with comical animations and over-the-top enemy designs. The environments are packed with silly details—like flowers with eyes and giant cartoon volcanoes.
Musically, the soundtrack is light-hearted and bouncy, staying true to the comedic tone of the game. It may not be a chip-tune masterpiece, but it adds to the character and keeps your toes tapping.
📢 Why You Should Play FC原人
If you’re a fan of platformers with a healthy dose of absurdity, FC原人 is a hidden gem. It sits somewhere between Kirby's Adventure and Adventure Island in tone, offering a satisfying blend of action and humor. It’s also part of a bigger franchise that includes games on the PC Engine, Game Boy, and even the Super Famicom—so this is a great place to start.
Plus, its Japan-only release on the Famicom means many retro gamers have never experienced this version of Bonk before. That makes it perfect for a deep-dive Friday session!
🦖 Final Thoughts
Hudson Soft’s FC原人 is the kind of joyful nonsense that defined an entire era of Famicom gaming. It’s colorful, creative, and completely unafraid to be silly. And in an age where grim and gritty dominate, a prehistoric headbutting baby is exactly the kind of hero we need.
So grab your controller, roast some dino meat, and get bonkin’.
Until next time—
✨ Keep it pixelated. ✨
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