Donkey Kong Review

Congratulations on making it this far :)



Chances are not many would ever get past the title and read this review. Why? because as you know Donkey Kong is a very old game (1981). There are no modern fancy graphics to match the likes of Call of Duty Modern Warfare. This game is from the embryonic stages of the video games industry; as such with simple colours, sound effects and graphics. Indeed, all very rudimentary. Yet this game is a legend in its own right. What makes this game so great?
Its simply a collection of gameplay, simplistic sound effects and the insanely hard levels. I dare anyone to complete this game without cheats. There are only 4 or 5 levels seems easy enough right. Wrongrofl.

Donkey Kong is a classic platformer game and has 4 screens or levels. In all the levels Jumpman who is a carpenter (later renamed to Mario by Nintendo and made as a plumber) must rescue the lady. The lady is perched high on a set or girders having been kidnapped by Donkey Kong who is Jumpmans pet. Level one has a series of angled girders to negotiate. Once you make it to the lady Donkey kong kidnaps her to the next screen.

As you rise in the level of girders on screen you'll notice the anticipation and excitement rising. Once you make it to the top and rescue the lady ...well it's almost like a climax :)



This first level is difficult enough. Not many can make it past this first level but with a bit of practice, patience and determination a gamer should be able to make it to the second screen. Many a player die when they get to the top layer just before the rescue the princess because there's not much distance between Donkey Kong's onslaught of barrels and you!



In the second screen jumpman needs to walk over the rivets such that all rivets disappear. When this happens the girders will fall down along with donkey kong.




This third screen will catch out the average gamer. It's fairly difficult and requires precision timing and positioning. Most gamers never make it past this level.



The final level has a few tricky bits. On the first layer of girders is a horizontal elevator with pies on! Careful hand eye coordination is required to survive long enough to make it to the second layer. Nevermind completing the level :) Be carefull more elevators above you!


In 1982 Billy Mitchell scored 874,300 points, a record that many thought would never be beaten. Over 20 years later, in 2003 Steve Wieb was unemployed by Boeing and set out to beat that record, which he did with over 1,000,000 points. A figure thought to be impossible. Billy Mitchell returned with a score of 1,050,200 a perfect score as its 100%. This is currently the highest score.

There is an ongoing championship on this game. The current rankings can be found here:
http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22π=2&gi=3852&vi=22


The battle between Billy and Steve is captured in an excellent documentary. The king of kong: a fistfull of quarters (2007)



What would happen if these two top gamers Billy and Steve came to Entropia Universe? He he


Another interesting side bit is the killscreen on these classic games:

The actual arcade cabinet game is fairly difficult to find. Luckily you can play this game online over the internet. However, most websites that have this game will only have the first screen. We managed to find one website that appears to have the whole game. If you feel like a challenge give it a try here:

http://www.1980-games.com/us/old-games/java-games/donkeykong-arcade.php



Who knows another 20 years and we may see Donkey Kong number one in the games Charts


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Monkey Kong....nah doesn't have the same ring to it ;)

I think that mistake worked in their favour. People associate donkey kong with king kong, anyhow.

 

I deliberated for a while whether I should do a review on such an old game. I decided for it in the end because there is a lot to be said for old games. The gameplay is very different from modern games. So I'd say they don't make'em like they used to :)

For example I've played the arcade games on this forum and though I may not get many high scores like some other people on there those games are very much enjoyable. Time to jump back into the arcade and try to get a top score ;)