Donkey Kong
| System | Arcade, Famicom / NES, Famicom Disk System, Game Boy Advance Card-e Reader, Game Boy Advance, Wii Virtual Console |
|---|---|
| Developer | Nintendo |
| Genre | 2D Platformer |
| Series | Donkey Kong Series |
| Arcade | |
|---|---|
 |
1981 |
 |
1981 |
 |
1981 |
| Famicom / NES | |
|
15th July 1983 |
|
June 1986 |
|
15th October 1986 |
| Famicom Disk System | |
|
8th April 1988 |
| Game Boy Advance (e-Reader) | |
|
11th November 2002 |
| Game Boy Advance (Famicom Mini) | |
|
14th February 2004 |
|
7th June 2004 |
|
10th July 2004 |
| Wii (Virtual Console) | |
|
2nd December 2006 |
|
19th November 2006 |
|
8th December 2006 |
Information
Enraged at being mistreated by his master, Mario, the great ape Donkey Kong escapes. He kidnaps Mario's girlfriend, Pauline, and climbs onto a construction site. If Mario is to rescue his beloved, he must chase Donkey Kong to the top of the skyscraper.
The aim of the game is to help Mario jump and climb his way to the top of the four levels of the construction site. Each stage presents a different layout of platforms and different enemies that Mario must get through.
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Stage 1 - 25m
Donkey Kong throws barrels from the top of the screen that roll down the slanted girders. Mario must climb the ladders to the top, but some ladders are broken. Barrels will occasionally roll down ladders. There are two hammers you can grab on the way to break the barrels. If a blue barrels goes into the Oil Drum, then a Fireball will appear and start climbing up the stage.
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Stage 2 - 50m
There are two conveyor belts carrying cement pies that you must avoid. The bottom belt changes direction, the second leads into a flaming barrel. Donkey Kong is also on a moving platform at the top of the screen, with moving ladders that move up and down. This stage only appears in the arcade version.
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Stage 3 - 75m
This stage is made up of many short platforms with two moving platforms. You can't touch the bottom platform. Jacks appear from near Donkey Kong in a steady rhythm, and you can move under them as they bounce into the air.
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Stage 4 -100m
On this stage you don't have to climb to the top. Instead, you have to remove the rivets from the platforms by running over them. Removing all of the rivets causes Donkey Kong to fall and the stage to be beaten. You then repeat from the first stage on a higher difficulty level (depending on the version you are playing).
How fast you clear each stage determines the Bonus score you receive. Appearing in the top right of the screen, the Bonus slowly ticks down to zero. You can also collect Pauline's accessories for extra points.
Those used to how Mario moves in his later games may find him overly restricted here. He can't fall far (less than twice his height) without losing a life. He is less manoueverable in the air, and there is a slight delay to his jumps.
Version Differences
The Japanese and American arcade releases feature different stage sequences. In the Japanese version you play through all four stages every time, but in the American version you play stage 1 and stage 4, and then an extra stage is added each round.
The Famicom/NES version is missing the second stage with the conveyor belts due to limitations with the first set of Famicom carts (Donkey Kong was a launch title on the Famicom). It is also missing the animated opening sequence and between stage screens, and has less variation in sprites (blue barrels are just regular barrels, and only two of Pauline's accessories appear, rather than three). The music when you rescue Pauline is also different. As this is the version that is most ported, many of these elements of the original are unknown to many who have played the game.
Characters
Mario (Jumpman)
A plucky little carpenter. His girlfriend, Pauline, has been kidnapped by his pet ape Donkey Kong. Now he has to climb the construction site to rescue her. Mario can jump and climb ladders, or grab a Hammer to break his way through the obstacles.
Mario's original name, Jumpman, was only used in the original Japanese release. He was renamed for the full U.S. release as Mario (although some early U.S. cabinets still refer to him as Jumpman).
Pauline
Mario's girlfriend. She has been kidnapped by Donkey Kong and carried up a construction site. She calls for help from the top of the screen, and it is your goal to reach her.
Enemies & Traps
Donkey Kong
Mario's pet gorilla. Donkey Kong is a foul-tempered and stubborn beast, and when he became tired of being Mario's pet, he kidnapped Pauline and climbed up a construction site.
In every level he stands at the top of the screen, taunting Mario. On the 25M stage, he throws barrels down the stage and on the 75M stage, he throws Jacks.
Barrel
The main obstacle at 25M. Donkey Kong throws them from the top of the stage. They roll down the girders and ladders. Mario has to jump over them or break them with a Hammer to pass them.
If a blue Barrel (marked with a skull on the side) reaches the Oil Drum, it will turn into a Fireball. The blue Barrel doesn't appear in all ports of the game.
Oil Drum
On the 25M stage, the Oil Drum sits behind Mario. If a blue Barrel hits it, it spits out a Fireball. On the 50M stage, an Oil Drum sits in the center of the conveyor belts and collects the Pies.
Fireball (1)
A wandering little Fireball that appears at 25M, 50M and 75M. It will wander across the girders and climb ladders. If Mario touches it, he loses a life.
Pie
The main obstacle on the 50M stage. Pies are carried around on the conveyor belts and Mario has to jump over them.
Jack
The main obstacle on the 75M stage. Jacks bounce along the top of the screen and then drop down between the platforms Mario has to climb.
Fireball (2)
A different kind of Fireball that appears on the 100M stage. They move much faster than the first kind, and up to 5 of them can appear on the stage at one time.
Items
Hammer
Mario's only weapon against the obstacles in his way. Grab the Hammer and Mario will wave it around quickly, smashing anything in his path for a short time. While holding the Hammer, Mario is unable to climb ladders.
Bag, Hat & Parasol
Pauline's accessories are scattered around the stage. Collect them for 300-800 bonus points.
Related Games
- Donkey Kong (G&W)
- Donkey Kong (GB)
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