Retro Game of the Day! Bonanza Bros
Bonanza Bros by Sega, released in the arcade in 1990 and ported to the usual bevy of systems shortly afterward.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tqo92TTvH8NWchhvRxdKi2lJ5eRlxkjJgdKdt3fuT1eJOUFwuD2hpfJRNRw6CIWVZv6r1Jl5ktqAS5fipuFvHLQ5yDw8J70XkKBSPYQdpiSvAUR3fmtxNOiE8i71sKPYdxig=s0-d)
Good old Sega, they never disappoint (well.....) During their heydey much as now, they'd always see fit to put out the usual stream of franchises, though with a fair helping of unusual IPs as well. Bonanza Bros was one of those "out of nowhere" titles that just appeared with little fanfare, though it was a solid game (if a little strangely designed).
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sy7a0iK7ntINEWw2ISRiVGfnJzGkHR8aYbV4Q14v0s019wekIkEVBpuSUm2shIdnZ8vCYHkTd1_0YP0OVSVt42aoWMGf78022RnvY856mhE7HHpZapZ2UIxcx32usg_7C6ww=s0-d)
This was basically a side-scrolling platformer, and it reminded me of a mix of a couple of different existing games for a few reasons: Taito's older side-view action title
Elevator Action in which you must break into different buildings, loot them, and then make your escape; and Sega's own
Crack Down, a split-screen two-player affair (somewhat reminiscent of
Gauntlet, itself) with part of the screen showing an overall map of the full level, tasking both players with completing a mission and finding the exit before the timer runs out.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tR3tLUSmfiS7WUxHcYQ7bOq3nZvIhQ34kANIgH09KwwH-zo4wXwu2Oom2chQEtswt7mfSUe-XW0Lu3VaSN4VwmtnJSuwGZ5ff9dTsyMLM0nZy3MM3Fjoud8-lz3kMhCCtl4Q=s0-d)
Of course, unlike either of those game, Bonanza Bros was much lighter in tone (using a distinctive "early-80s' 3D render style" which felt very cutesy-cartoony) and there was a good deal of slapstick featured. Derivative, sure, but BB was it's own thing, and stood out from the pack when it showed up.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vmNKyCRzTVLznREWVBkbcVoBNJJuE00NX9MVSI3-0kaiS6svE8CUVB3BKP48EDCCplxMs5-N80V-UaKn6kATl28RFKd1fmqRt1w8KReIkxJ-q8NI2jK6q7Ptk7Y5bjH6q0TVM=s0-d)
The game never left a very lasting impression; the home ports were probably a bit too cramped-looking for their own good, and the gameplay was criticized by the media for being rather flat, old-school, and bland; yet for what it's worth, the game was (and still is) a fun little title which is enjoyable with a friend, and stands as another example of Sega putting in the time and effort to craft a unique, interesting game which can stand on its own. The Genesis console version is probably the easiest to locate, and it is not a bad port; but for the deluxe experience, try to track down the TurboGrafx-16 CD-Rom version, the entire presentation is much punchier.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vSQdVGgqatJhnTsmtJ62-EgUBHnOuH44Okh6sqtVUcOiT-zqdYWixcD17uDIXY-PrMGSfi5OQzNLNvAQ6KXhm_0jJV9E4cDHfzS2sngApdaLs0v0-3g55n_Q=s0-d)
Help us vote to get our iPhone game 180 featured for FREE on freeAppCalender.com! Even if you voted yesterday, today's vote counts too so please -
vote now to help us get some visibility for our excellent little iPhone game!
No comments:
Post a Comment