Conker's Bad Fur Day

Conker's Bad Fur Day
8/10ths of the cover consist of a black background. Imposed onto it is the text "Conker's Bad Fur Day" in the middle (with "Conker" in chalk form and "Bad Fur Day" in a comic 3D font), with an angsty brown squirrel in a blue shirt drinking beer and a gray anthropomorphic chipmunk with yellow ponytail hair in purple tights and a bra standing and sitting beside the text. On the top left is a blue 3D rectangle with a yellow stylish R and the text "Rareware" on it, with white text "Provided by" above the rectangle. Below the squirrel and the chipmunk is a horizontal white rectangle with black text in all caps: "ADVISORY: THIS GAME IS NOT FOR ANYONE UNDER 17". On the right is a tall, red rectangle with its top peeled to show a cubed, colourful N shape below text saying "Nintendo 64," both imposed onto a white box within a yellow background and next to a paper peel with the red text "Only on ↑" on it. Below the peeled graphic is white-lined symbols of a Rumble Pak and an Nintendo 64 controller, with white text below each indicating the name of the object, and a square mostly made up by a slanted, bolded black "M" letter, with the text "ESRB" below it.
Developer(s)Rare
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Chris Seavor
Designer(s)Chris Seavor
Artist(s)Don Murphy
Writer(s)Robin Beanland
Chris Seavor
Composer(s)Robin Beanland
SeriesConker
Platform(s)Nintendo 64
Release
  • NA: 5 March 2001
  • EU: 6 April 2001
Genre(s)Platform, action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Conker's Bad Fur Day is a 2001 platform game developed and published by Rare for the Nintendo 64. The game follows Conker, a greedy, hard-drinking red squirrel who must return home to his girlfriend after binge drinking. Most of the game requires the player to complete a linear sequence of challenges that involve jumping over obstacles, solving puzzles, and fighting enemies. A multiplayer mode in which up to four players can compete against each other in seven different game types is also included. It is the second installment in the Conker series, after Conker's Pocket Tales (1999).

Although visually similar to Rare's previous games, such as Donkey Kong 64 (1999) and Banjo-Kazooie (1998), Conker's Bad Fur Day was designed for mature audiences and features graphic violence, alcohol and tobacco use, profanity, vulgar humour, fourth wall breaks and pop culture references. Development lasted four years, with concepts originating during the development of Killer Instinct Gold in 1996. The game, intended for a family audience, was initially titled Twelve Tales: Conker 64 and was set for release in late 1998, but by the time it received criticism for its kid-friendly tone and resemblance to Banjo-Kazooie during E3 1998, the game was transformed into an adult-oriented version of that product.

Conker's Bad Fur Day was released in March 2001, following an advertising campaign that targeted male college students. It received critical acclaim, with praise directed at its humour, sound, visuals, and gameplay. However, the game sold well below expectations due to limited advertising and a release towards the end of the Nintendo 64's life cycle, but has since developed a cult following. A remake, Conker: Live & Reloaded, was released for the Xbox in 2005, while the original version was included as part of the Rare Replay compilation for Xbox One in 2015.