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Hudson Hawk

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Eddie Hawkins, a.k.a. The Hudson Hawk, is called the world's greatest cat burglar, but he's called it quits. Some others, though, aren't ready for the Hawk to retire. They blackmail him into stealing priceless works by Leonardo da Vinci from a heavily guarded auction house and from the Vatican it...

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Developer
Ocean Software

Released on
1991

Size
1 Player

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Action

Publisher
Sony Imagesoft

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Eddie Hawkins, a.k.a. The Hudson Hawk, is called the world’s greatest cat burglar, but he’s called it quits. Some others, though, aren’t ready for the Hawk to retire. They blackmail him into stealing priceless works by Leonardo da Vinci from a heavily guarded auction house and from the Vatican itself! The job has Hawk dodging bullets and guard dogs, thwarting sophisticated security systems, dangling from rooftops and crawling through booby-trapped ventilation shafts. And if Hawk makes it out alive? Well maybe he can turn the tables on his blackmailers. Because they aren’t just art collectors, they have a plot to rule the world! But if Hawk can break into their lair, he just might be able to steal the one object that can stop them. The Hudson Hawk? Saving the world? It’s a dirty job, but hey, somebody’s got to do it!

Hudson Hawk

Overview & History

Released by Ocean Software in 1992, Hudson Hawk for the Nintendo Entertainment System adapts the eccentric, star-studded Bruce Willis action-comedy film into a side-scrolling platformer. The storyline follows Eddie "Hudson" Hawk, a master cat burglar freshly paroled from prison, who is immediately blackmailed by the eccentric Darwinian conglomerate, the Mayflower Corporation. Players must guide Hawk through bizarre European locations—from prison yards and opulent museums to the Vatican itself—to steal the priceless Da Vinci artifacts needed to complete an alchemical gold-making machine. Unlike typical run-and-gun titles of the 8-bit era, the game leans heavily into stealth-adjacent acrobatics, quirky slapstick violence, and the protagonist's signature affinity for swinging time with his pal Tommy Five-Tone.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The gameplay diverges from standard NES action by integrating timing-based thievery and rhythm mechanics. Eddie utilizes a varied arsenal that goes beyond basic punching; players must disarm guards, snatch loot bags off unsuspecting guards, and navigate hazardous environmental traps using vaulting and hanging animations. A unique rhythm meter challenges players to defeat bosses or progress through specific musical cues while humming along to keep time. The level design rewards careful platforming, demanding precise jumps across swinging ropes and precarious chandeliers. Health is managed through a traditional meter, but progress is unforgiving, requiring mastery of Hawk's momentum-based movement to dodge projectiles, security dogs, and heavily armed corporate mercenaries.