Bonk?
In a shooter? You've got to be kidding me!! Air Zonk is a very interesting
creation, taking a classic side-scrolling adventure and making it
into a shooter. And, to top it all off, this game is made from the
team of Hudson/Red according to the title screen.....could this
be the Red responsible for Gate/Lords
of Thunder?
All the regular Bonk characters are here, from the smiley face bonuses
to those power up puking flowers. But there is no jump button this
time, or head-butt. Now it's shoot and bomb. Air Zonk has that "cartoony"
feel to it, yet at the same time keeps the elements of a serious
shooter.
There are about 5 different weapons you can get throughout the game,
and holding down button II makes Zonk (possibly a relative of Bonk)
drop a huge bomb. You are also accompanied by a "friend", which
functions like a helper adding extra bullets to attack the baddies.
You can pick your friends (but not your friend's nose....), or set
the computer to pick for you, or go it alone. Grabbing two friend
icons combines you with the companion, giving a gracious invincibility
period and a stronger attack until you get hit again.
The music and graphics in Air Zonk are top notch (for the time period),
but the main feature for me was the bosses. Each level features
a midboss and endboss, both huge and detailed. In fact, to me this
game is a big bossfest, as the levels are pretty short and only
good to grab powerups in.
This is a lighthearted shooter, like Parodius, done in the typical
Bonk style. The difficulty level is just right, and even though
the game gives tons of 1ups, by the end of the game you will need
them.