The series is a Cute 'em Up with a transformation gimmick. Zonk can merge with one of his teammates (or a small robot, depending on what game you're playing) to use unique weapons
The 1993 sequel was titled Super Air Zonk: Rockabilly Paradise (CD Denjin: Rockabilly Paradise in Japan).
Not to be confused with the trope Zonk, named after the deliberately shoddy prizes you could 'win' on Let's Make a Deal.
The Air Zonk series contains examples of:
- American Kirby Is Hardcore: The Japanese version had PC-Denjin flying past the PC-Genjin logo before landing and revealing his squad and logo. The US version has Zonk standing on a building (resembling Bonk moreso then usual), using his sunglasses to transform into his cyborg form and fly off.
- Big Bad: King Drool/Sandrovich, the decendant of the King Drool from the Bonk series.
- Bowdlerise
- When Zonk fused with Moo Moo in the original Japanese version, he gained Fake Boobs that shot milk at the enemies. This was changed into Zonk shooting it from milk bottle arms in all other releases.
- Most of the Toilet Humor was removed from the US version of Air Zonk, in addition to a Drag Queen moment from King Drool.
- Cool Shades - Possibly the Trope Codifier. Zonk, his team, the Floras, and even his missiles he can crap out all wear sunglasses.
- Dastardly Whiplash - The Zonk version of King Drool.
- Darker and Edgier - Compared to the previous Bonk games, Zonk was an attempt to re-invert the franchise both design and gameplay-wise.
- The Dragon - Two deformed clones of Zonk, one with antennas and a butt-shaped head and the other with a Mohawk-like growth on his head.
- Dub Name Change - The Big Bad of the Zonk series was called King Tamagoden (King Eggbowl) in Japan. While the first game used the English name of his Bonk counterpart (King Drool), Super Air Zonk calls him Sandrovich.
- Fusion Dance - Zonk can fuse with any of his teammates to power up, resulting in bizarre forms.
- Game-Over Man - King Drool and his Zonk clones appear at the game over screen of the first game, performing a victory dance over your loss.
- Idiosyncratic Difficulty Levels:
- Sweet Mode (5 lives)
- Spicy Mode (3 lives)
- Bitter Mode (1 life)
- Nostalgia Level - Subverted. Halfway into the final level, the player enters what appears to be a recreation of the first level of Bonk's Adventure, complete with enemies from the original game. After a few minutes, the background falls apart to reveal machinery and all the enemies are shown to be robotic.
- Also, the music that plays when Zonk fuses with one of his partners is a upbeat remix of the Invincibility theme from Bonk's Adventure and Bonk's Revenge.
- Similar Squad - Zonk and some of his teammates are future counterparts to Bonk and his friends from the first game.
- To be specific, Spike Lee and Astra are future versions of Kongo Zilla and Princess Za, respectively.
- Most of the enemies count too. The Hatchets are bucket-helmeted lizards in the future, and the Florets wear sunglasses and float.
- Take That, Audience!: In Air Zonk, Drool and his two cyborg minions taunt you on the Game Over screen with their song (if the lyrics are anything to go by). Celebrating their victory, as well as your defeat.
