Mr. Bones

Moby ID: 24489
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Description official description

A philosopher named DaGoulian came up with a dubious doctrine: he believes that the only way to ensure the survival of the good is by making the world more evil. He invented a special set of drums using science and alchemy, allowing him to control a power called "skeletism". By using this power, DaGoulian reanimates the dead, raising people's skeletons from their graves and building a fearsome army to fulfill his mad plan. However, one of these skeletons had been a person of a particularly pure heart, and instead of being afflicted with the red (evil) skeletism, he is reanimated with its blue version, allowing him to retain his free will and refuse the madman's orders. DaGoulian orders his minions to get rid of this rebel, who has to fight for his life and eventually figure a way to stop the insanity.

Mr. Bones is an action game that consists of numerous stages. With the exception of a few, each stage has a different goal and introduces unique gameplay style. The stages also vary greatly in length, some being extended platform levels and others consisting of short timed sequences. Many of the stages involve avoiding hazards or enemies, as well as tasks that must be completed within a certain time limit. Mr. Bones, the skeletal protagonist of the game, usually has no offensive arsenal. When damaged, he begins to lose limbs and bones, which affects his manoeuvrability and speed; he may even end up with nothing but a head and a neck hopping on the ground.

Some of the stages are simple one-screen arcade levels, while others may deviate from the action-oriented gameplay (e.g. a stage during which the player has to combine sentences into jokes to get past guards). A few stages involve music exercises, for example a level that requires Mr. Bones to play blues guitar to impress a skeleton crowd. Another stage is a paddle game variant in which a small Mr. Bones bounces off a giant head of himself, trying to collect his own bones. In another level the hero must protect a village of tiny people against enemy assault.

The story is advanced by video cutscenes displayed between the levels. Some of these are computer-generated, while others utilize footage of live actors, or a mixture of both.

Spellings

  • ミスター・ボーンズ - Japanese spelling

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Credits (SEGA Saturn version)

136 People (122 developers, 14 thanks) · View all

Project Leader
Hero/Core/Stage Programmer
Core/Stage Programmer
Stage Programmer
Hero Animator, Game Artist
Game Artist
Supplemental Sptire Artist
Administrative Coordinator
Managing Producer
Game Design
Creative Director
Producer
Cinematic design
Storyboards
Art Director
Animator
Lighting
3D Artist
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 77% (based on 15 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.7 out of 5 (based on 9 ratings with 1 reviews)

I've never seen such cute skeletons!

The Good
A lot of good things.

I love such kind of game - platform action, arcade action. But why is this better than most other such games? Because each level is different. You can't expect what is coming next.

In every level, you first have to understand what the goal is. It's different in every level. For example, in one of the levels you should reflect very fast red shots with your guitar to shoot a wall. But if you shoot too fast, you might build a part of wall instead of destroying it! I was the one who beat this level. My husband didn't expect that!

Guitar solo is also very fun. I'm sure Mr. Bones is a good musician. Just like my husband. Mr. Bones has to play a good solo on the guitar, pressing different buttons. If you don't know how to do that, ask for help from Lawrence Ku!

In another level, the vortex, you are falling into a black hole, you should jump into the middle, avoiding fire and collecting your bones; when you have your legs, it becomes more difficult, because you become longer, and the fire can get to you more easily.

Or, in one level you fight a skeleton dragon! You should jump on his head and then onto another place. I had to find the best place to stand near the dragon to jump on his head.

Generally speaking, when you are hurt, you lose not only health, but also bones! When you jump again, your bones can fall down. Sometimes it's annoying, because when you have low health and you want to jump high, but you only have head! Or sometimes you are looking for bones, but find wrong bones! In one level I always found wrong legs.

The music here is blues! The guitar solos are really good. There are also drum solos. Even if you don't understand music much, you can complete your dream in this game! Play guitar solo and drum solo.

The graphics are amazing for that time. There are also real actors. Like the bad guy, he looks really evil, with the red eyes. He looks a little bit like a jazz drummer I know. And he really plays drums in the game! Maybe it's him?.. Hard to recognize with those vampire teeth. Maybe he left Shanghai for two years to do the animation for this game?..

The Bad
Some of the levels are 3D, it's like a movie, but you have control. It's hard to see where you go. In one of the levels you have to eat blue things, but it's really hard to see where they are.

And not all the levels are so interesting. In one of the levels there are bats who take your bones away. I think it was pretty boring. Or in another level, you fly through church glass. I didn't like this level.

The Bottom Line
I really recommend this game, it's interesting, and the action is every time different. A great fight between a guitarist and a drummer!

SEGA Saturn · by Melody (48) · 2008

Discussion

Subject By Date
This is so cool Unicorn Lynx (181774) Jan 12, 2008

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by quizzley7.

Additional contributors: ケヴィン.

Game added November 23, 2006. Last modified January 21, 2024.