We must admit, it was a sad day when Hudson Soft (HS) was absorbed by good ole Konami (Digital Entertainment) almost a decade ago. However, before the company with the cute bumble bee logo was bought, they produced some iconic games on a multitude of systems from the early 1980s all the way through to the 2000s!
We look back fondly at a few Hudson Soft developed titles you should definitely play again, because they are still darn awesome! Before anyone says Bomberman, yes, that makes the list of course, but there were plenty of others too. This curated list of HS’ developed video games spans some 4 decades, so surely there will be one or a few games that will induce some nostalgia for you.
Here we go!
Stop The Express (ZX Spectrum, 1983)
Who would have thought that Hudson developed games for the ZX Speccy! Stop the Express was one of the best action games on the micro, so check it out!
Hudson’s Adventure Island (Famicom/NES, 1986)
Before you say it, yep, Adventure Island is an adaptation of Wonder Boy. Nevertheless, this game is a superb side-scrolling platformer, filled with 32 stages for Mr Higgins to traverse through to save Princess Tina from the clutches of the Evil Witch Doctor.
Star Soldier (Famicom/NES, 1986)
Hudson’s distinguished shoot’em up was a refinement of Tecmo’s Star Force, which they had ported for them in 1985. With that said, Star Soldier was impressively superior on all levels, which Hudson then went on to create awesome sequels, many of them appearing in their ‘Caravan’ competitions.
Bonk’s Adventure (PC Engine, 1989)
Bonk (aka: BC Kid or PC Genjin) was Hudson’s answer to Nintendo’s Super Mario. The caveman theme with cool set-pieces was a refreshing take on the platform genre, with Bonk becoming a much loved defacto mascot for the PC-Engine / TurboGrafx-16.
Soldier Blade (PC Engine, 1992)
The fourth and last game in the Star Soldier series for the PC Engine, Solider Blade amps up and polishes the vertical shmup action to gold standard. The pace is ultra fast and the action is relentless, making Soldier Blade one of Hudson’s greatest ever games. This is a must for any shoot’em up fan!
Saturn Bomberman (Saturn, 1996)
Let’s face it, we could have picked a dozen Bomberman titles, but the wise choice here is its 32-bit version on Sega’s Saturn. Its 10 x multiplayer mode is insanely fun, with a plethora of power-ups to pick up. Grab a multi-tap for your Saturn and blast 9 of your friends!
DoReMi Fantasy (Super Famicom, 1996)
This highly collectable platformer for the SuFami has the perfect mix of fun, charm, colour and run and jump action to keep you coming back again and again.
Vertical Force (Virtual Boy, 1995)
We know what you are thinking, WHAT THE HECK is this doing on the list? When it comes to shoot’em ups, Hudson Soft has a gold standard pedigree, with Vertical Force being a brilliant Star Solder like game on Nintendo’s ill-fated Virtual Boy.
Ninja Five-O (GBA, 2003)
Ninja Five-O is another obscure Hudson release for the GBA which nowadays is highly sough after and extremely expensive. The hack and slash ninja action is reminiscent of Ninja Gaiden, which isn’t a bad thing at all.
Lost In Shadow (Wii, 2010)
Shortly before Hudson was shuttered and swallowed up by Konami, they developed one last darn cool and innovative platformer for the Wii – Lost In Shadow. The Wii had a ton of shovelware titles, but this one was not one of them. If you manage to find Hudson Soft’s last great video game, give it a go!
If the above Hudson Soft titles didn’t tickle your nostalgic nerve, then hopefully these honourable mentions will:
- Victory Run (PC Engine, 1987)
- Neutopia (PC Engine, 1989)
- Military Madness (PC Engine, 1989)
- Final Soldier (PC Engine, 1991)
- Mario Party 3 (N64, 2000)
Well, there you have it peeps, Hudson Soft may no longer be with us, but their legacy is forever etched in video gaming history with their iconic titles. Go play some now!
image sources supplied