Donkey Kong

"After years of absence, this is how a comeback is done"

The big news on a lot of minds is the purchase of Rare by Microsoft, and Rare severing its long-time ties with Nintendo. There are plenty of games to remember their days with the Big N by, from Banjo Kazooie to Killer Instinct to the new Star Fox Adventures. But most will remember Rare best for their revitalization of one of Nintendo’s oldest properties with Donkey Kong Country. Before the tie-wearing ape became a platform game star and a company mascot, Donkey Kong was brought back by an in-house team of developers for one last go with his old enemy Mario on the Gameboy, as well as used to herald the arrival of the newest peripheral for the Super Nintendo Entertainment system, the Super Gameboy adapter.

The game follows the same plot as the arcade classic that introduced us all to the plucky Italian plumber with the moustache and overalls. As Mario, you have to climb up the construction area while dealing with barrels, sentient fireballs, bouncing jacks, elevators, conveyer belts, and fresh cement, all in an effort to rescue Pauline. All the levels you remember from the arcade version are here, except shrunken down for the Gameboy’s small screen. Once you beat the fourth level, however, the similarities end.

Donkey Kong turns the tables, takes Pauline into the city, and Mario now has to follow him through that, a forest, a ship, a jungle, an airplane, the Egyptian desert, and more. Each level that doesn’t have you contending with Kong himself will have you searching for a key somewhere to unlock a door so you can continue on the path to Kong and Pauline. Each level has it’s own challenge, and they get deeper and deeper with time. Soon you’ll find yourself building ladders and platforms that last for a short while, pulling levers to open up new paths, and doing acrobatics that would prelude perfectly with what Mario would find himself doing in the 64 bit era.

Of course, some levels put you head to head with the big old ape himself. Every fourth level, in fact, puts you up against the big lug. Some follow the old formula of getting past the obstacles in your way and get to him, but every last level in a setting (IE city, forest etc) has you turning the tables on your adversary and throwing the barrels back at him. In later levels, expect Donkey Kong Jr. to get in on the act as well, and he’ll make your life almost as miserable as his daddy does.

Controlling Mario is a snap. Every move in the game is simple to do and makes some sense to the proceedings as well. Pretty soon, you’ll be doing headstands, super jumps and what not. The puzzles require this sort of ease of maneuvering, however, especially in latter levels where they are downright devious. Apparently to compensate for this, you’ll wind up with plenty of lives to use along the way. The game is very generous in giving them out, not only based on your time at the end of a four level cycle, but also from mini games through grabbing Pauline’s items in each level and by simply grabbing 1-Up hearts. The sheer ease of getting lives is the only thing keeping this game from getting a 10.

Graphically, you can pretty much tell what you’re looking at, at all times. Mario, Donkey Kong, and the other characters all look good for being such tiny images on the Gameboy screen. The sounds held over from the original game are just as you remember them from the arcade, and the new ones fit nicely with the theme. And the music set to each level gives each one it’s own feel. Some are plodding, some have a sense of urgency, and some are more setting themed.

The Super Gameboy makes a few changes to the game, mostly cosmetic. Each level receives it’s own color scheme, for starters. The setting areas are presented in fuller color, as well. And there is a custom background frame mimicking the one found for the arcade version. Finally, Pauline doesn’t simply make a digitized sound that more resembles a cat’s meow than a cry for help. With what sounds like a little Southern twang, she actually says “Help! Help!” Nice touches, Nintendo, and a good way to show what the Super Gameboy can do.

Though old B&W Gameboy games are harder and harder to find these days, if you can find this one, grab it on sight. There is no finer mix of action and puzzle game available on the Gameboy. My only question is what does Peach Toadstool think of Mario going off with Pauline again?

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/26/02, Updated 09/26/02