[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mrbones_3459.jpg]]

''Mr. Bones'' is a multi-genre video game released on the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn in 1996. It was developed by Zono Incorporated and was published by Sega. Guitarist Ronnie Montrose composed most of the game's music and appears in one cutscene. Though the game wasn't much of a success during its release, it has since become a CultClassic due in part to its [[SoBadItsGood campy cutscenes,]] great music, and its genuinely fun and inventive gameplay.

The game's plot is about a man named [[BigBad DaGoulian]] who wishes to end the conflict between good and evil by creating a world of pure evil. To do this, he uses energy named Skeletism in order to raise an army of [[DemBones undead skeletons]] that he commands using a set of special drums. However, the title character is re-animated with blue Skeletism rather than red Skeletism, causing him to retain his free will. Being considered an impurity, [=Da=]Goulian orders his minions to eliminate him. After escaping, he finds a blind guitarist in the woods who gives him a guitar to help him. Mr. Bones thus sets out to stop [=DaGoulian=] once and for all.

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!!Mr. Bones contains examples of:

* AutoScrollingLevel: "Grave Escape" and "Rolling Logs" take place in a 2D plane, while "Underwater Ride" and "Hall of Pane" take place in a 3D plane.
* BeardOfEvil: [=DaGoulian=] sports one.
* BigBad: [=DaGoulian=], a vampire who wishes to cleanse the world in evil using a skeletal army of darkness.
* BlueIsHeroic: A minor example, Mr. Bones and any undead who are friendly to him will have blue eyes. This can be {{subverted|Trope}} in the Game Over cutscene where Mr. Bones succumbs to [=DaGoulian=]'s evil and acquires his own [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]].
* BreakingTheFourthWall:
** Mr. Bones addresses the players a couple of times in the ending.
** This also occurs in one of the {{Easter Egg}}s, [[spoiler:where [=DaGoulian=] tells the player to play the game anyway while there's still time left]].
* TheCameo:
** Ronnie Montrose, the game's composer, appears in a cutscene as the blind man in the cabin.
** In the "Glass Shards" stage, the man providing the philosophical rant about what it means to have the blues is none other than the late and blind musician Paul Pena.
* ChekhovsGun: The guitar Mr. Bones is given, which magically disappears on a whim and reappears when he's in a pinch.
* CreepyGood: Mr. Bones, the titular character, is a [[DemBones reanimated skeleton]]. However, he is also a friendly, cool, and heroic guy that is trying to stop [=DaGoulian=] and his plans for world conquest. [[spoiler:Also applies to the Dinosaur Skeleton once he's freed.]]
* CueTheSun: Happens in the ending. [[spoiler:Since [=DaGoulian=] has vampire blood, it kills him.]]
* DemBones: The main character, as well as [=DaGoulian=]'s army.
* DifficultyByRegion: The American version is a lot more unforgiving than the Japanese version (and the latter has English voice acting too).
* EasterEgg: Playing the game in an audio player [[spoiler:reveals two tracks: One where [=DaGoulian=] goes into a coherent MotiveRant, and one with Mr. Bones reminiscing about what he remembers from his past life.]]
* EscapeSequence: "From Beneath The Ice," where Mr. Bones has to outrun the crumbling Icy Lake.
* EvilSoundsDeep: [=DaGoulian=] has a very deep, booming voice.
* TheExile: When Mr. Bones breaks into [=DaGoulian=]'s lair, the stained glass windows depict the vampire's life, showing he was exiled from his village for his scientific research.
* FullMotionVideo: Although the game uses them for cutscenes, [[AutoScrollingLevel Auto-Scrolling Levels]] incorporate using video as backgrounds while placing Mr. Bones' model on them.
* FunPersonified: The affable and easygoing Mr. Bones. For someone who says he's got the blues and for all the weird stuff he goes through, he's always in good spirits and keeps his sense of humor throughout the whole game.
* GameplayRoulette: Almost every stage plays differently, with the sole exceptions being five platformer levels.
* GoodColorsEvilColors: Mr.Bones and the undead friendly to him have blue eyes, while [=DaGoulian=] and his minions have red eyes and a red motif. Of note is the stained glass depicting the villain's life, where he is wearing blue as an innocent child up to the point where he starts his research into necromancy. Also, if you fail at the levels and get a Game Over, you'll get a cutscene of Mr. Bones acquiring his red eyes (meaning that he has succumbed to [=DaGoulian=]'s evil).
* HappilyEverAfter: In the ending, [[spoiler: Mr. Bones summons the portal to Wraith World to (un-)live with the Wraith.]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Mr. Bones:''' Now she has no body, and I have no skin... Hoho! It could work out! [[PunctuatedForEmphasis It! Could! Happen!]] Ha ha ha!]]
* HugeHolographicHead: [=DaGoulian=] uses one in the intro.
* InnocentBlueEyes: Mr. Bones' blue eyes signify that he is not evil. The dinosaur skeleton's eyes also turn blue after you complete the "Dry Moat" level and he becomes good. [[spoiler:And intelligent.]] Same goes after Mr. Bones plays a song for [[spoiler:the Wraith]].
* InstantExpert: Mr. Bones goes from not knowing what a guitar is to playing an advanced blues rock solo in seconds. [[spoiler:The aforementioned EasterEgg implies this was probably due to banjo-playing experience in his previous life.]]
* LargeHam: [=DaGoulian=], especially in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7tyMemjwGQ the ending.]]
* {{Lilliputians}}: Mr. Bones encounters a village of these in a cave, which he must protect from being kidnapped by spiders.
* LongevityTreatment: [=DaGoulian=] used vampire blood in order to prolong his life long enough to complete his evil plan.
* LivingShadow: In "Shadow Monster," Mr. Bones is attacked by several of these.
* MadScientist: [=DaGoulian=], who discovered Vampirism after he was exiled for studying alchemy, and discovered Skeletism by combining the two. As the EasterEgg reveals, he comes to the conclusion that science trumps all morality. See WellIntentionedExtremist below.
* NiceGuy: Mr. Bones doesn't have a single [[{{Pun}} bad bone]] in his body, and prefers to fight using ThePowerOfRock and laughter.
* NintendoHard: Mr. Bones only has one life and there are no continues, but fortunately there's a level select available so you can go right back to where you left off. Most stages are unique in their [[GameplayRoulette mechanics, controls and objectives]], but players are dropped in with no explanation to what they are and they will likely be sent back to the title screen before figuring out what they're supposed to do. The Japanese version remedies this by explaining things during the loading screens and toning down the difficulty.
* ThePowerOfRock:
** Mr. Bones' guitar is used to distract an army of skeletons, serenade a wraith, and absorb and redirect the {{Final Boss}}'s attacks.
** [=DaGoulian=] has an evil variant, as he uses drums to control his skeletal army of darkness. Mr. Bones accidentally opens a portal to another world with them.
* ProtagonistTitle: He ''is'' Mr. Bones.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Skeletons reanimated with Skeletism have red eyes, except for the main character. [=DaGoulian=] gets these as well due to his vampirism. The game over sequence shows Mr. Bones succumbing to these.
* RhythmGame: The Guitar Solo stage, where the face buttons play different guitar riffs. As long as they're pressed with the beat, the player can cancel them out and get as creative as they please. The stage ends with many skeletons [[RaisedLighterTribute raising candles]].
* RuleOfThree: Three consecutive platformer stages: "Night of the Bats," "Dawn of the Bats" and "Day of the Bats."
* SaveTheVillain: [[spoiler:Mr. Bones tries and fails with [=DaGoulian=]]].
* SelfDisposingVillain: [[spoiler:[=DaGoulian=]. After Mr. Bones nearly ruins his plans, the vampire goes on a rant about good versus evil, not realizing [[CueTheSun the sun is rising]] behind him. Mr. Bones even tries warning him ''repeatedly'' about his imminent demise, but [=DaGoulian=] ignores him and keeps talking. By the time he notices, it's too late and he burns to a crisp]].
-->'''Mr. Bones:''' [[spoiler:Not much of a listener, was he?]]
* ShockAndAwe: Mr. Bones' main form of attack in standard platforming games is to point forward and shoot out lighting at a short distance.
* ShoutOut:
** When the Little People in the village discover Mr. Bones, one says they should tie him up. Another asks, "Tie him up? What for? [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries He's dead, Jim.]]"
** The manner in which they tie him up (and the Little People in general) are very reminiscent of the Lilliputians from ''Literature/GulliversTravels''.
* SkeletalMusician: A skeletal ''blues'' musician. Our protagonist, Mr. Bones.
* SlippySlideyIceWorld: "The Icy Lake" and "From Beneath The Ice."
* SuddenlyVoiced: [[spoiler:The dinosaur skeleton once he's freed]].
* TokenHeroicOrc: Mr. Bones is the only good skeleton created from skeletism.
* TopDownView: "The Icy Lake" and "Skeletism Generator" stages. Inverted with "From Beneath the Ice."
* UnexpectedShmupLevel: "Skeletism Generator"
* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler:The EasterEgg reveals [=DaGoulian=] to be this. Specifically, his plan is to have evil reign over the world for as long as it takes for the seeds of good to sprout and flourish stronger than ever.]]
** MotiveDecay: [[spoiler:When [=DaGoulian=] suffers a VillainousBreakdown after his plans are ruined, it's clear by this point that he holds nothing but contempt for the very concept of good]].
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