Back in the spring of 2007, like many Nintendo fans around the world, I was yearning to get my own Wii. This was intensely magnified after a friend came over during the holidays and brought his Wii over for me and my family to play. The appeal of Wii Sports combined with the charm of Miis, the very enchanting family experience, and the accessibility of the Wii Remote made it a much-desired console, especially for a Nintendo nerd like me.

One day, I went to the post office as part of my daily chores. I got a surprise package from a friend of mine overseas. I opened it to reveal…A WII!!!

*Insert Zelda chime here

I was very touched and surprised to learn that my friend had spent an entire night trying to secure a system. This was back when the Wii was so popular you had to wait in line hours before the store opened to get one, as well as investigate which store was getting new units. It was a great day, I finally owned the system and was humbled to know that a friend went through great trials just to get me one.

But enough with the cheesy sentimentalism. What does any of this have to do with Bonk’s Adventure? Well, on the first day that I got my Wii I could only afford one Nintendo Points card, so I bought one and decided to download three Virtual Console games: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES), Sim City (SNES), and Bonk’s Adventure (TurboGrafx-16). While I had previous experience with Link and Sim City, Bonk was completely new to me. I didn’t even know the TurboGrafx-16 existed during my youth, so the fact that the Virtual Console allowed gamers to download its games was very appealing to me. I could finally see what the fuss was about, all thanks to Wii’s Virtual Console.

Bonk’s Adventure is a platforming game in which you control Bonk, a tiny caveman with a big head. Make all the jokes you want, but Bonk knows how to work his skull to his advantage. With his large cranium he can attack enemies, and when he eats meat he becomes a growling savage who destroys anything in his path.

Gameplay-wise, Bonk’s Adventure is a somewhat basic affair, especially when compared to Mario’s games at the time (most notably Super Mario Bros. 3). And yet, it’s this streamlined design that keeps me coming back to it time and time again. You don''t have to worry about overly complicated stages, and the enemies aren’t placed in inconvenient places. All that is required is a little head-butting action and the day is saved.

One great trick I learned while playing Bonk’s Adventure was how to use the turbo button effectively. The original TurboGrafx-16 had a controller with turbo switches. The Wii Remote emulates this with the B button. When pressed, Bonk twirls around the screen endlessly, causing him to briefly hover after a jump. This allows for some neat strategy, as you can beat a stage by jumping on enemies and juggling in the air until you get to the end. This also nets you extra points, which in turn yields extra lives. This was one of the most satisfying things I had ever done in a video game.

This was also the first game that got me into the whole “Speed Run” fad. While I never posted a video about it, every time I played I would try to see if I could beat the game in one sitting in the shortest time possible, using the turbo button trick to do so. The trick allowed me to beat bosses faster, thus shortening my completion time.

In terms of character, Bonk is a tiny guy with A LOT of personality, even rivaling Mario at several points. Whether he''s turning into Super Bonk or getting hit by an enemy, Bonk has priceless expressions that complete the whole experience. It''s the same deal with the enemies themselves. Many of them are simple, Goomba-like characters, but a great deal of them are cleverly designed to leave a deep impression on players, especially when you are done with them.

After I had experienced the game, I decided to buy the sequels as soon as they became available on Virtual Console. Weird thing, though: despite the sequels being better in nearly every aspect, I still prefer the first game over them. I just couldn’t get into them; I still don''t know exactly why.

Looking back, I now realize why. Bonk’s Adventure is tightly tied to my first Wii experience. It is one of those experiences that happen only once and it is hard to emulate. Technically, Bonk’s Adventure is a very simple affair, but one that makes it very easy to jump into. It’s no wonder the game has gained such a cult following. It may lack the technical and design achievements of Mario and, hell, even Sonic the Hedgehog. But Bonk’s Adventure has a lot of character and heart and remains very satisfying to play.

Dare I say it, that it is a very heartwarming experience.