Antarctic Adventure

けっきょく南極大冒険 (Kekkyoku Nankyoku Daibōken)NES, MSX, Other, Wii +51983

  1. JP1983
  2. NA1984
  3. EU1984
  4. RU—

Antarctic Adventure is known in Japan as けっきょく南極大冒険 (Kekkyoku Nankyoku Daibōken), roughly “Actually Antarctic Big Adventure”, though the game screen shows the English name in both the MSX and Famicom versions. We could not confirm any current store or subscription release.

Konami released Antarctic Adventure for the MSX in Japan in December 1983, and the Famicom version followed on 22 April 1985. A penguin races between research stations in Antarctica against the clock, avoiding cracks in the ice and sea lions and catching fish for extra points. There is no ending: after the last station the game starts again at a higher difficulty.

It was the first title in Konami's education series, sold with the slogan “I love 地理” (I love geography), and each station raises its national flag. Development began as a counting game about catching fish from holes in the ice before the theme changed. Every stage plays an arrangement of Émile Waldteufel's The Skaters' Waltz.

The penguin was later named Penta in the 1991 Famicom game Yume Penguin Monogatari and became a Konami mascot, appearing in the Parodius series. A direct sequel, Penguin Adventure, came out for the MSX in 1986.12

Names and releases

RegionTitle on the boxPlatformDatePublisherSrc
NA Antarctic AdventureColecoVision Other 1984 Konami 2
JP けっきょく南極大冒険Kekkyoku Nankyoku Daibōken MSX December 1983 Konami 1
EU Antarctic Adventure MSX 1984 Konami 2
JP けっきょく南極大冒険Kekkyoku Nankyoku DaibōkenFamicom; Japan only NES Apr 22, 1985 Konami 3
JP けっきょく南極大冒険Kekkyoku Nankyoku DaibōkenVirtual Console (Famicom version) Wii Aug 7, 2007 Konami 1
JP けっきょく南極大冒険Kekkyoku Nankyoku DaibōkenVirtual Console (Famicom version) Nintendo 3DS Aug 21, 2013 Konami 1
JP けっきょく南極大冒険Kekkyoku Nankyoku DaibōkenVirtual Console (Famicom version); the MSX version followed on 19 November 2014 Wii U Jun 19, 2014 Konami 1
JP けっきょく南極大冒険Kekkyoku Nankyoku DaibōkenProject EGG (MSX version) Windows Nov 25, 2014 D4 Enterprise 1

Also known as: けっきょく南極大冒険 JP1Kekkyoku Nankyoku Daibōken JP2

Box art by region

  • けっきょく南極大冒険 box art, Japan release
    JP けっきょく南極大冒険

Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: Wikipedia.

Version differences

  • GameplayFamicom

    The Famicom version adds the Pegicopter: grabbing a glowing flag gives the penguin a propeller and lets it fly for a while.1

  • AudioMSXFamicom

    Both versions play an arrangement of The Skaters' Waltz, but in G major on the MSX and E major on the Famicom; the original is in A major.1

  • TitleMSXFamicom

    Despite the Japanese box title, the game screen in both the MSX and Famicom versions shows the English name Antarctic Adventure.1

Reception

Family Computer Magazine (10 May 1991 supplement) found the lack of a continue option tough but called the penguin's jumps over obstacles cute.1

In lists

Sources

  1. 1ja.wikipedia.org
  2. 2en.wikipedia.org
  3. 3tcrf.net

Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13

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