One of the best action-platformers on NES, from an obscure license. Varied levels, differentiated playable characters, lush visuals. Konami at the peak of its craft. Essential.
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Platformer1 player7+
Description
Action platformer featuring Bucky O'Hare and allies liberating planets from the Toads' grip. Published by Konami, released in Japan in 1992. Four playable characters with distinct abilities in varied planet levels, impressive bosses and high-quality NES visuals. A Konami masterpiece on NES, adapted from the comics.
The Japanese Famicom version of Konami's adaptation of the Bucky O'Hare cartoon. On the home market the source stays more attainable than in PAL, yet the title is still tracked by fans of late-era Famicom Konami shoot-platformers for its demanding level design and roster of swappable allies. The small Famicom cartridge format and original Japanese box make it a coherent piece for a Konami collection built around the NTSC-J run rather than Western scarcity.
An underrated gem
Adapted from a quickly forgotten cartoon, this Konami platformer more than makes up for it with clever level design, four heroes with complementary powers, and a difficulty that pulls no punches. Its obscure license worked against it with the public. Fans of tough, colorful platformers have a neglected little gem on their hands.
Is Bucky O'Hare still worth playing in 2026?
Bucky O'Hare is one of the NES's best action platformers, drawn from an obscure licence Konami turns into pure masterpiece. Varied levels, four playable characters with genuinely distinct abilities, sumptuous visuals and a memorable soundtrack build a title that deserved far greater fame. The difficulty is demanding but fair, and the staging keeps surprising. For Konami at the height of its 8-bit art and lovers of overlooked NES carts, still an absolute must to track down today and revisit with care.
