| Conker's Bad Fur Day | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Rareware |
| Publisher(s) | Rareware, THQ |
| Year released | 2001 |
| System(s) | Nintendo 64 |
| Preceded by | Conker's Pocket Tales |
| Followed by | Conker: Live & Reloaded |
| Series | Conker |
| Genre(s) | Platform |
|---|---|
| Players | 1-4 |
| Modes | Single Player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) |      |
Conker's Bad Fur Day is a controversial Nintendo 64 platformer video game made by Rare that was marketed as an "adult" platform game. The main character is Conker the Squirrel, who had previously appeared in games marketed towards children, such as Diddy Kong Racing for the N64 and Conker's Pocket Tales for the Game Boy Color.
The game was originally conceived as an expansive, child-friendly platformer named Twelve Tales: Conker 64 (initially Conker's Quest), and was developed in conjunction with the similarly-themed Conker's Pocket Tales for the Game Boy Color. After first appearing at E3 1997, the game received criticisms for being too similar in tone to Rare's earlier platformers, such as Banjo-Kazooie. At the suggestion of Chris Seavor, the project's art director-turned-lead (and Conker's voice actor), the game was reworked from 1999 onwards as an adult-oriented adventure to distinguish itself from other platforming offerings, and released in mid-2001 as Conker's Bad Fur Day. The game received critical acclaim, though it underperformed sales-wise due to the game's advertising campaign primarily focusing on male college students and the game releasing during the N64's twilight years as a console. It has gone on to become a major cult classic since.
A GameCube follow-up, Conker's Other Bad Day, began development shortly after the release of Bad Fur Day but was cancelled due to Microsoft's buyout of Rare in 2002. A remake, Conker: Live and Reloaded, was released for the Xbox in June 2005, and a modified version of the N64 original was included as part of the Rare Replay compilation for the Xbox One in August 2015.
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The title screen
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The logo for Twelve Tales: Conker 64
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A promotional poster for Bad Fur Day from the game's official website
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The European box art
Story[edit | edit source]
The story follows Conker-this time a greedy alcoholic-as he aims to return home to his girlfriend, Berri, after a drunken party on his 21st birthday whilst evading the evil Panther King, who seeks to use him as a replacement table leg for his prized milk table. The game features scatological humor, profanity, cartoonish violence, blood, gore and pop-culture referential humor.
Conker had mentally left the conversation. His mind wandered to thoughts of his girlfriend Berri and why she had such a problem with him having fun without her. As he sat contemplating giving her a call, he moved uncomfortably in his chair. His bladder ache had now reached the point where it couldn't be ignored.
"Conker!" Came the cry from the group seated around the table, making Conker jump. "It's your turn."
"Okay, okay. But first I've got to call Berri to let her know I'll be late." He stood unsteadily, then just before staggering off, decided that maybe using the toilet was a more pressing issue.
The evening wore on, and the beer kept flowing. One round became another, and then another, until Conker reached that awful moment of realization:
"Guys, guys. I think I've had too much." He paused for a moment, nearly retching then and there. "I gotta go..."
At the next table a couple of pretty little chipmunks sniggered and whispered something to each other as Conker tottered slightly, then nearly lost his balance completely.
"I don't think he can hold his drink," he overheard the nearest one say.
"No, indeed," her sly-looking friend replied.
Conker toyed with the idea of vomiting on the both of them but decided that perhaps it wasn't such a good idea with their boyfriends sitting opposite. For some reason they were dressed in combat fatigues and engaged in a most heated debate...
"The war! The evil teddy bears have overrun the grey squirrels' homeland! We signed up this morning, and you should probably do the same, Mr. Red Squirrel." At this point, several grey squirrels around the alehouse leveled accusing gazes at Conker. "If you have any sense of decency and honor, that is."
"I think you just hit the nail on the head," Conker replied as he attempted to stand once more. "I'm definitely going now. Good-bye!"
On the way out, two of his old school chums grabbed him by the arm, shouting, "one more for the road, Conker?" And before he knew it...
"Slammers? Oh no, not slammers!" They were lined up in front of him-eight in total. Oh well, tomorrow was another day...