Alfred Chicken

Twilight

Industry	Video game development
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Alfred Chicken

Alfred Chicken is a platform video game created by Twilight and distributed by Mindscape. It was initially released in 1993 and early 1994 for platforms including Amiga, Amiga CD32, Game Boy, NES, and Super NES across Europe and North America. In June 2000, a remake exclusive to Europe, titled Alfred's Adventure, was developed by Möbius Entertainment and published by SCi for the Game Boy Color. Another remake named Alfred Chicken was produced by King Monkey, a subdivision of Möbius, and launched by Sony Computer Entertainment on the PlayStation in 2002. Although Möbius was later acquired by Rockstar Games, the intellectual property rights remained with the original creator, Jason McGann.

Gameplay

Players assume control of Alfred, a chicken who traverses bizarre levels populated with items such as balloons, telephones, cheese, and other eccentric objects. Alfred’s abilities include walking, jumping, and pecking at balloons or ground-based switches. While airborne, he can perform dive attacks to eliminate enemies or springs that propel him higher to access elevated areas. Failing to hit either results in Alfred becoming momentarily trapped.

To complete each level, all balloons must be pecked; the final balloon initiates a boss encounter. Upon losing a life, Alfred reappears as an egg at the most recently pecked balloon. In the Super NES edition, finding a large balloon concludes the level.

Various power-ups enrich the gameplay: answering telephones hidden within secret zones summons Mr. Pekles, who provides jam enabling Alfred to launch bouncing bombs that damage foes and gather collectibles. Another enhancement involves acquiring a can of worms that releases a worm circling Alfred and destroying enemies upon contact.

Release

The original Game Boy version saw two iterations: the initial monochrome release and a Super Game Boy edition featuring a level select option, developed by Hookstone and published by Sunsoft in Japan. This title was later reissued for the Game Boy Color as Alfred's Adventure in 2000.

The Amiga version resembles the Game Boy iteration but boasts color visuals and higher resolution. The NES adaptation is a pared-down port containing only five levels from the Game Boy version.

The SNES release, titled Super Alfred Chicken, maintains fundamental gameplay mechanics while introducing new level designs as a sequel; it garnered mixed reviews.

In 2002, a 2.5D action game developed by Möbius Entertainment and published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe was launched exclusively in the PAL region for the original PlayStation. This entry represented a new creation rather than a direct port.

An incomplete version for the Sega Genesis was obtained by Piko Interactive in 2016 with intentions to finalize it for a 2017 launch. However, ongoing disputes regarding rights to the Alfred Chicken character have prevented its release so far.

Marketing

Karl Fitzhugh, serving as Product Manager for the Amiga edition, ran under the banner of the Alfred Chicken Party during the 1993 Christchurch by-election as part of a promotional campaign for the game’s launch. He finished near the bottom of the results with 18 votes.

This promotional tactic influenced stricter nomination regulations by increasing signature requirements after parliamentary discussions cited frivolous or commercial candidates like Fitzhugh.

Following its release in the United States, a toll-free number was made available where callers could hear Alfred himself advertising the game directly.

Reception

The Super NES edition received a score of 6.6 out of 10 from Electronic Gaming Monthly, which characterized it as "a deliberately paced title that demands strategic thinking beyond simple running, jumping, and item collection," noting that players may need time to fully engage with the gameplay. The NES version earned a 5 out of 10 from the same publication, commended for its expansive levels and responsive controls but criticized for its comparatively inferior graphics and audio quality. GamePro praised the NES iteration for its demanding gameplay, vibrant "cartoon-style" visuals, captivating sound design, and precise control scheme, recommending it as an essential purchase for NES enthusiasts given the scarcity of new releases. The Game Boy adaptation was rated 22 out of 40 by Famicom Tsūshin. Meanwhile, Nintendo Power awarded the NES version a 3 out of 5, acknowledging its sizable levels and occasional humorous graphical elements but ultimately categorizing it as a standard platformer experience.