This article is for the 1994 Game Boy game. For other uses, see Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong (alternatively titled Donkey Kong '94 during development and often called by fans) is a game for the Game Boy released on June 1994. It starts out as a remake of the original 1981 arcade Donkey Kong, including the original stages from the game, and then becoming a full-fledged game with 97 unique stages.
When played on the Super Game Boy add on for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the border around the Game Boy screen resembles the original arcade cabinet. And because the Super NES has a more superior sound system, some audio enhancements are made, such as Pauline's screaming voice clip. The game is also drastically colored well.
Interestingly, despite being released only a few months before Donkey Kong Country for the SNES (which was released in November of the same year) and this title features Donkey Kong Jr., Donkey Kong is depicted with his trademark red tie for the first time.
In 2011, Donkey Kong has been ported to the Nintendo 3DS as a Virtual Console title.
The Mario vs. Donkey Kong series are seen as spiritual successors of this game.
Story[]
Title screen
Donkey Kong has captured Pauline again. Mario, in an effort to save her, constantly fails as Donkey Kong ends up running away with her again. Eventually, he leaves the construction site and wanders out with Pauline elsewhere. Mario doesn't give up and follows his lead.
At the end, after a final battle on top of the final world's Tower, DK is officially defeated and Mario finally reunites with Pauline again. They are later seen in the Mushroom Kingdom, and she gives Mario a Super Mushroom which causes him to grow, when suddenly DK falls on top of Mario. He however is able to lift him up with super strength, and DK starts crying for help. Donkey Kong Jr. (who also helped Donkey Kong in the game) jumps into the scene, and after that, the four are seen in a photo behind Rocky Valley as the credits roll.
Gameplay[]
Gameplay screenshot
The game begins with the first four stages that are remade versions of the stages from the original arcade game, and are labeled under World 0. Like in Donkey Kong, Mario must climb up the platforms and reach Pauline, while avoiding the barrels thrown by DK and the fireballs coming from the Oil Drums. Mario has several new abilities: he can do a handstand by pressing down and then A, which can protect him from things that fall from above, and a backflip that he can perform by holding left/right on the D-pad, and then pressing A while pressing the opposite direction you're walking. Mario can also dislodge a hammer he's using by pressing B, and it will go flying in the air. Mario can reuse the hammer he was previously using if he quickly jumps on a higher platform and catches it when it falls. This action can make the first stage, 25m, a lot more easier than normally. This version also includes a stage previously cut in the Nintendo Entertainment System (and other home consoles) port of Donkey Kong - 50m, which is the level with the conveyor belts with bowls of cement in them.
Slot Machine game
After the stages are finished, the first official world begins. Mario will have to adventure through nine different worlds, and the main goal of each level is to get the key to unlock the goal door and continue on. Each level also has three of Pauline's belongings, a purse, a hat, and a parasol. Mario can collect these bonus items to get a mini game at the end of the level. One of them is a Slot Machine game, and another one is a Wheel of Fortune game. Both can be played to win extra lives.
Reception[]
| Aggreate Score | |
|---|---|
| Aggreator | Score |
| GameRankings | 85%[1] |
| Review Scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 8.25/10[2] |
| Nintendo Life | 9/10[3] |
| Official Nintendo Magazine | 89% |
| Award | |
| Publication | Award |
| VideoGames & Computer Entertainment | Best Game Boy Game[4] |
In the United Kingdom, it was the top-selling Game Boy game for two months in 1994, from October through November.[5][6]
Since its release, reception of Donkey Kong has been positive, holding an average score of 84.93% at GameRankings based on nine reviews.[1] GamePro described it as both a great killer app for the Super Game Boy and an excellent game in its own right. They particularly praised the nostalgia value of the arcade game levels, the intellectually challenging puzzles of the new levels, and the overall longevity of the game.[7] Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it their "Game of the Month" award, similarly hailing it as an excellent killer app for the Super Game Boy and commenting that it brings back all the best aspects of the arcade, while introducing new concepts.[2]
Nintendo Power praised the game as "challenging and fun" while noting that its control scheme is styled after the arcade games, not Super Mario Bros., and can be confusing at first. The review gave high marks for the games' play control, challenge and theme & fun.[8] AllGame gave the game a four and a half star out of five rating, praising the graphics, sound and challenging gameplay that requires a planning and strategy. The review also applauded Nintendo for not taking the "easy route by simply cranking out a remake of the original".[9]
Accolades[]
Donkey Kong was awarded Best Game Boy Game of 1994 by Electronic Gaming Monthly.[10] In 1997 Electronic Gaming Monthly ranked it number 67 on their "100 Best Games of All Time", lauding it for how it unexpectedly expanded on the gameplay of the original arcade game and offered a steady challenge through its many puzzle-oriented levels.[11] Nintendo Power listed it as the eighth best Game Boy/Game Boy Color video game, praising it as the only true follow-up to the original Donkey Kong arcade game.[12] Official Nintendo Magazine ranked Donkey Kong 89th on their list of the "100 Greatest Nintendo Games".[13] Game Informer's Ben Reeves called it the sixth best Game Boy game.[14] In 2019, PC Magazine included the game in their "The 10 Best Game Boy Games".[15]
Trivia[]
- When the player completes the first four levels based on Donkey Kong, the same ending from the original arcade game plays, but rather than being defeated, Donkey Kong quickly recovers, stomps to destroy the rest of the construction site holding Mario and Pauline, grabs the latter and walks off, resuming the damsel-in-distress situation. At the time of release, this was met by shock by some fans.
- This is the only Donkey Kong/Mario game where Donkey Kong has his red tie before his first redesign.
External links[]
| Donkey Kong (Game Boy) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characters | Characters | Donkey Kong • Donkey Kong Jr. • Mario • Pauline |
| Levels | Construction Site | Stage 0-1 • Stage 0-2 • Stage 0-3 • Stage 0-4 |
| Big-City | Stage 1-1 • Stage 1-2 • Stage 1-3 • Stage 1-4 • Stage 1-5 • Stage 1-6 • Stage 1-7 • Stage 1-8 | |
| Forest | Stage 2-1 • Stage 2-2 • Stage 2-3 • Stage 2-4 • Stage 2-5 • Stage 2-6 • Stage 2-7 • Stage 2-8 • Stage 2-9 • Stage 2-10 • Stage 2-11 • Stage 2-12 | |
| Ship | Stage 3-1 • Stage 3-2 • Stage 3-3 • Stage 3-4 • Stage 3-5 • Stage 3-6 • Stage 3-7 • Stage 3-8 | |
| Jungle | Stage 4-1 • Stage 4-2 • Stage 4-3 • Stage 4-4 • Stage 4-5 • Stage 4-6 • Stage 4-7 • Stage 4-8 • Stage 4-9 • Stage 4-10 • Stage 4-11 • Stage 4-12 | |
| Desert | Stage 5-1 • Stage 5-2 • Stage 5-3 • Stage 5-4 • Stage 5-5 • Stage 5-6 • Stage 5-7 • Stage 5-8 • Stage 5-9 • Stage 5-10 • Stage 5-11 • Stage 5-12 | |
| Airplane | Stage 6-1 • Stage 6-2 • Stage 6-3 • Stage 6-4 • Stage 6-5 • Stage 6-6 • Stage 6-7 • Stage 6-8 | |
| Iceberg | Stage 7-1 • Stage 7-2 • Stage 7-3 • Stage 7-4 • Stage 7-5 • Stage 7-6 • Stage 7-7 • Stage 7-8 • Stage 7-9 • Stage 7-10 • Stage 7-11 • Stage 7-12 | |
| Rocky-Valley | Stage 8-1 • Stage 8-2 • Stage 8-3 • Stage 8-4 • Stage 8-5 • Stage 8-6 • Stage 8-7 • Stage 8-8 • Stage 8-9 • Stage 8-10 • Stage 8-11 • Stage 8-12 • Stage 8-13 • Stage 8-14 • Stage 8-15 • Stage 8-16 | |
| Tower | Stage 9-1 • Stage 9-2 • Stage 9-3 • Stage 9-4 • Stage 9-5 • Stage 9-6 • Stage 9-7 • Stage 9-8 • Stage 9-9 | |
| Allies | Allies | Jumper • Monkikki |
| Abilities | Abilities | Crouch • Handstand / Handstand Jump • Backflip • Wire Spin • Roll |
| Items and objects | Items and objects | 1 UP Heart • Bolt • Conveyor Belt • Door • Girder • Hammer • Ice Block • Jump Stand • Key • Ladder • Lift • Parasol, Hat & Bag • Road • Rope • Super Hammer • Switch • Trash Can |
| Enemies and obstacles | Enemies and obstacles | Armadillo • Aqua Man • Barrel • Bat • Bird (Donkey Kong Jr.) • Bird (Donkey Kong for Game Boy) • Bowbow • Cannon • Cement tub • Chunk • Crab • Dotty • Driver • Fire • Fireball • Fish • Giant Donkey Kong • Golem • Hawks • Hedgehog • Icicle • Jack • Lilly • Mouse • Mummy • Nitpicker • Octopus • Oil • Oil Drum • Penguin • Pharaoh Head • Plant • Rappy • Robo NO.1 • Rock • Scorpion • Seal • Sir Shovalot • Skeleton • Skullmask • Snapjaw • Sniper • Spark • Spider • Squid • Trash Can • Walking Block • Walking Flame • Walrus • Wire Trap |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Donkey Kong". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Review Crew: Donkey Kong". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 61. Sendai Publishing. August 1994. p. 28.
- ↑ "Donkey Kong". Nintendo Life. December 15, 2014. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ "VideoGames Best of '94". VideoGames - The Ultimate Gaming Magazine. No. 74 (March 1995). February 1995. pp. 44–7.
- ↑ "Chart Attack with HMV" (PDF). Computer & Video Games. No. 157 (December 1994). Future plc. November 15, 1994. p. 145. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ↑ "Chart Attack with HMV" (PDF). Computer & Video Games. No. 158 (January 1995). Future plc. January 1995. p. 115. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ↑ "Donkey Kong". GamePro. No. 62. IDG. September 1994. p. 132.
- ↑ "Now Playing". Nintendo Power. Vol. 61. Nintendo of America Inc. June 1994. p. 106.
Graphics and Sound: 3.8 / 5, Play Control: 4.1 / 5, Challenge: 4.2/5, Theme and Fun: 4.3/5
- ↑ Weiss, Brett Alan. "Donkey Kong". AllGame. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Sendai Publishing. 1995. p. 14.
- ↑ "100 Best Games of All Time". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 100. Ziff Davis. November 1997. p. 116. Note: Contrary to the title, the intro to the article explicitly states that the list covers console video games only, meaning PC games and arcade games were not eligible.
- ↑ "Nintendo Power - The 20th Anniversary Issue!". Nintendo Power. No. 231. San Francisco, California: Future US. August 2008. p. 72.
- ↑ East, Tom (2009-03-02). Feature: 100 Best Nintendo Games. Archived February 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Official Nintendo Magazine. Retrieved on 2009-03-18
- ↑ Reeves, Ben (April 21, 2014). "The 25 Best Game Boy Games Of All Time". Game Informer. Archived from the original on April 21, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
- ↑ Edwards, Benj (October 17, 2019). "The 10 Best Game Boy Games". PCMAG. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.