Alfred Chicken (Japan)

Alfred Chicken stands as one of the most distinctive retro games from the early 1990s gaming era, offering players a unique platforming adventure on the Game Boy. Developed by Twilight and published by Mindscape in 1993, this eccentric title features a brave chicken protagonist navigating through bizarre worlds filled with cheese, balloons, and peculiar enemies. Alfred Chicken combines responsive controls with challenging gameplay that makes it a standout among Game Boy retro games. The objective is simple yet engaging - Alfred must find and peck all balloons in each level to progress, while avoiding hazards like snails and wind-up mice that can defeat our feathered hero in a single hit.

What sets Alfred Chicken apart from other retro games of its time is its unconventional level design and mechanics. Unlike typical platformers, Alfred can perform a unique dive-bomb move to defeat enemies or bounce off springs to reach higher platforms. This distinctive mechanic adds depth to the gameplay, allowing for creative problem-solving as players navigate through increasingly challenging stages. Alfred Chicken also features several power-ups, including a pot of jam that grants bomb-firing abilities and a can of worms that creates a protective shield. With its charming visuals, quirky soundtrack, and challenging one-hit death system, Alfred Chicken remains a memorable entry in the Game Boy library of retro games.

Alfred Chicken began its journey on the Game Boy before being ported to multiple platforms including the Amiga, NES, and SNES. The game gained particular popularity in Europe, even inspiring a political publicity stunt where the game's product manager ran as the 'Alfred Chicken Party' candidate in a 1993 UK by-election. This bizarre marketing approach perfectly matched the game's quirky nature and helped cement Alfred Chicken's place in retro games history. Later versions included a Super Game Boy enhanced release with a level select feature, and eventually a complete remake for Game Boy Color called Alfred's Adventure in 2000, solidifying this peculiar chicken's place in gaming history.