Again like a Bat Outta Hell

This week’s Arcade Archives addition is an actual forgotten gem, and sees Hamster attain nicely into the previous to ship Taito’s distinctive and legendary platformer Bonze Journey to PS4 and Nintendo Change.

Initially launched to the arcade market in 1989, earlier than later discovering fame in a profitable PC Engine port, Bonze Journey, (or Jigoku Meguri in its native Japan), sees a Buddist monk enterprise into the bowels of the underworld itself with a view to confront its monarch, King Emma, who has gone a bit bit doolally and has thus misplaced management of Hell’s denizens, that are escaping into the human realm.

Take a look at the motion within the video beneath, from at least Hamster Company itself.

The surprisingly holy journey sees Bonze enterprise by way of Emma’s area, defending himself with powered Buddist “Mala” beads, and heading off an array of demons, monsters, ghosts, spiders, and different creepy enemies and he picks his methods by way of a wide range of glum, however unusually cute, environments. A number of powerups will be gathered, and assistance is sometimes supplied by an arriving Deva. A neat mechanic sees time represented by a sequence of melting candles. Regardless of its success, each in arcades and on the PC Engine, Bonze Journey would fall into relative obscurity, not receiving any sequels.

Bonze Journey is accessible to obtain now on PS4 and Nintendo Change, priced at round $8.