When Animals Attack
Penguin Wars Review
Genre: Sports
Number of Players: 1-10
Developer: ASCII Corporation
Publisher: NEXOFT
Release Date: March 30, 1990 (JP), July 1990 (US), 1990 (EU)
Platform: Game Boy
Also Available On: Arcade, MSX, Famicom, PC-8801, FM-7, X1, Sharp MZ-2500, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
In the gaming days of yore, there seemed to be no limit to what developers could dream up to help us kill some time. And when they couldn't create a game about humans playing sports, saving the world, or destroying aliens in space, they could always turn to the animal kingdom for inspiration.
In 1985, ASCII Corporation released Penguin-Kun Wars in the arcade—a game featuring animal characters fighting it out, chucking dodgeballs at each other. It was a novel idea as no other game like it had yet existed.
Over the next five years, ASCII released Penguin-Kun Wars on various gaming platforms, including the Famicom and Game Boy. The name was changed to simply Penguin Wars for the Western market, but otherwise, the core gameplay elements remained intact. It wasn't one of the more impressive Game Boy titles, being more of an extension of the original game than a full sequel. No matter, it's hard to deny the fun of cartoonish animals hurling dodge balls at each other.
Given that you have character selections that go well beyond just a penguin, one might expect the game to have a slightly more universal name like "Animal Wars" or something to that effect. However, when considered in the context of Japan’s affinity for penguins and their frequent appearance in Japanese media, the game's title makes total sense.
Aside from the lack of animal representation in the title, Penguin Wars features a modest assortment of challengers battling it out in a game that combines elements of dodgeball, air hockey, and hot potato. Our roster includes:
Penguin — The lovable all-around guy.
Cow — A brute out to prove she ain’t no humdrum heifer.
Bat — His small frame and ability to throw the ball quickly make him a harder target than Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Rabbit — A bushy-tailed bunny with the highest agility of the bunch.
Rat — Name rhymes with “Bat”.
Opponents face off by throwing dodge balls across the table. The main goal is to have the least number of dodgeballs on your side when the timer runs out. Part of the strategy involves stunning your opponent by hitting them with a ball. The game also features a versus mode that allows up to 10 players to compete in tournament matches.
Assuming you successfully barrage your opponent with a few hits, you can unload your arsenal on their side of the table and end the match before the timer reaches zero. If the round lasts long enough, one of several varieties of obstacles will constantly slide across the table, creating a blockade that can deflect the ball(s) in play—adding a somewhat frantic element to the match.
As can be expected, every animal has their strengths and weaknesses. Interestingly, there are no visible stats of the characters within the game itself, but you can determine how strong or weak they are by their size. For example, the rat can move quickly, but is a sitting duck should it get smacked with a ball. On the other hand, the cow can rapidly recover from taking a hit, but has the lowest agility. As the star character, the penguin is the most balanced of all the selectable characters.
Each character can also launch a charged shot by holding the A button for a few seconds when you have a ball in hand (or hoof, wing, paw, or flipper, if you prefer). This will send the ball hurdling across the playfield with considerable force. It’s a nifty strategy for scoring a quick hit on your adversary and possibly depleting your cache of dodgeballs over to their side.
You can also use a power shot to hit other dodgeballs in play on the table, causing them to rebound to your opponent’s side, which could pelt them with a volley of return fire. As a side note, take care not to hold down the A button for too long when winding up for the power shot, lest your character topple over, temporarily stunned.
On the flip side, power shots can also be your worst nightmare if your opponent hits you with a charged ball. It's much easier for them to land a hit than it is for you. Unfortunately, this aspect of the gameplay mechanics is quite flawed. It is especially apparent when starting over after winning the game and then playing the next loop. By this point, your opponents are miraculously able to throw multiple charged shots with deadly precision. If you get hit just once, the chances of recovering quickly enough to tip the battle in your favor are slim to none.
Adding insult to injury, you can inadvertently get hit by a wayward ball rebounding from your end of the table since inbound objects bounce off the invisible wall behind you before coming to a complete stop. So you’re forced to maneuver between the ball thrown at you, as well as any that ricochet behind you. It often becomes nigh impossible, especially if multiple dodgeballs are darting all over the table. I found it downright irritating, as the game's difficulty can quickly become ruthless.
The visual quality in Penguin Wars doesn’t impress much. Like many other early Game Boy titles, it's a graphically downgraded version of the Famicom—though to be fair, you cannot choose characters or lob charged shots like you can in the Game Boy port. Besides the two competing characters, the dodgeballs, and the table they're thrown across, there’s not much to see to make the game look a little more interesting.
It would have been nice if the onlooking spectators in the arcade and Famicom versions could have made it to the Game Boy port. Sure, the characters and playing field would need to be reduced, but adding the crowd would have made the visual presentation a little less bland.
The competing animal characters are well-drawn and look relatively impressive for an early Game Boy title. Some comedic value is added anytime you compete against the rat. If you hit him, the words "Help! Give up!" appear above his head, as if he expects you to have mercy on him. It would have been nice if every character had a personalized quip.
There's not much to write home about regarding the audio aspect either. There are only two main tunes for the game—one for the main matches and one for the bonus rounds. Worse yet, the main song used in most versions of Penguin Wars—a rendition of J-pop singer Hidemi Ishikawa’s “Motto Sekkin Shimasho” (which seems to borrow from Sheila E’s “The Glamorous Life”)—is missing from the Game Boy port. Even so, what’s here works well enough for the game. After all, there are only four matches per game, and they're all relatively short.
While there are far worse Game Boy games out there, Penguin Wars could have used a few improvements before release. After a few lost matches, the lopsided difficulty becomes an irritating thorn in the side. And the barren, clinical look doesn't exactly fit the context of the game’s competitive nature. However, if you’re looking for a straightforward sports game with cuddly creatures, you’ll probably enjoy this one in short bursts.
If you enjoyed this article and would like to support The 8-Bit Perspective, you can buy me a coffee and help keep the lights on around here. Every little bit helps, one sip at a time.