Donkey Kong

"Kong Revisited"

Donkey Kong is a classic game that just about everyone has played in one form or another over the past few years and it just doesn’t seem to stop. After I replayed the Atari version, it is the first version of the game that I played on the home systems that seems to keep my attention drawn to it no matter how many times I play. The game actually doesn’t have much to it and I found that after revisiting it a couple of times, there are only a couple of stages and a lack of animation for the most part. Where I went wrong the first time was I actually remembered the Arcade version rather than what this one had to offer and sent in the wrong review.

The further you get into the game and the mechanics involved really make the game one of those timeless classics that just doesn’t get boring, no matter what it is that you do. Featuring the small character that would later become Mario and the huge, overbearing creature of Donkey Kong, you must get from one end of the stage and up to the top without getting run over by the constant flow of barrels that are being thrown your way. Simplistic game play such as this is a staple of the 2600 games and it really shows in the earliest version of Donkey Kong. Other various points of interest that the game has to offer is the first showing of Mario before his amazing run on the Nintendo system

-The Game Play-

Mindlessly simple and to the point, Donkey Kong gives the gamer something to do while trying to save the blond chick who is being held captive by the giant ape. Through this, you'll be able to pick up a hammer and smash the incoming barrels to save yourself from getting run over. In other stages, you'll be forced to jump from moving platform to moving platform and try not to smash your head on the way down. As the earliest form of the game {and the first review that I did was from pure memory, sorry Retro} this version doesn’t offer you more than a couple of stages and no bonuses to collect.

The difficulty of the game is only set by your ability to avoid what Kong is throwing at you. You’ll find that if you time the jumps just right, you can make it from the bottom of the stage to the top without getting yourself killed in the process and by grabbing the hammer, you can bash the barrels in your way. Now, the true trick to the game is to get up the ladders without having the barrels fall down on your head, but if you’re holding the hammer, then you can only move left to right until the hammer wears off. Most of the time, you’ll be able to simply dodge the barrels by jumping and using the ladders, but you have to be aware of the barrels that roll down the ladders at certain points to trick you.

Using the hammer against the barrels will allow you to continue on in a straight path while wasting any of the barrels or even flames that may get in your way! There isn't anything that requires you to do advanced maneuvers, so the simplicity of the control that Donkey Kong has to offer is pretty much limited to what the control will allow you to do. With the two different stages, you’ll have to learn how to time your jumps with the Atari control and effectively avoid getting yourself killed. However, the control is so easy to master, that anyone of any age and skill level will be able to pick the game up and go with it without having too much difficulty!

-The Visuals-

The two stages that you have in the 2600 version are actually comprised of a separate layout to include jumping over pegs in the floor or climbing up ladders. Really you'll find that the visuals are simple with Donkey Kong being the biggest thing on the screen. The barrels roll quickly, and the fire creatures in the second stage that seem to do a small dance when they move. The special effects are limited to the disappearance of barrels when you smash them, unlike the other versions of this title.

The hammer effect is pretty cool, but it looks like the hammer has simply appeared from the forehead and is on some sort of constant lever and smashes downward. Donkey Kong doesn’t move all the much and rather does what looks to me a frustrating dance when you’re making your approach to the top of the screen. Now these small limitations might seem like a big deal, but actually it brings out the simple gaming pleasure of the system and doesn’t try to impress with overdone visuals.

-The Audio-

The music of Donkey Kong is limited to the beginning of the stage, and then it takes on this droning tone that can get on your nerves after a few minutes. Mainly composed of sound effects, you'll hear a lot of jumping, and even the chiming of smashing the barrels for points. Really, it sounds a lot like Pac Man is just about every way with the way that the audio track is pushed way back to the edge of the game and the sound effects come forward more often than not. Possibly the best thing that Atari could have done was spare us from creating MIDI music that would grate on the nerves and cause headaches. Aside from that, where the sound effects do come in, they tend to lend the game at least something that you can listen to that highlights events such as picking up the hammer and getting smashed by a barrel.

-The Verdict-

While not the most innovative of games, Donkey Kong is a classic that is worth playing a couple of times if you're a fan or not. The featuring of Donkey Kong in his simple glory of throwing barrels is enough to make anyone stop and take a look, especially if there is a fan base for old games. Depending on what you like, you may find yourself playing through several different times, and you're restricted to a set number of lives that doesn't allow you to continue. If you like this sort of action game, you'll find that the wish to play will flow freely, so it really depends on your tastes in action gaming and general Donkey Kong mayhem!

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 10/01/02, Updated 10/03/02