Classic NES Series: Donkey Kong

"Yes, it's nostalgic. But it just isn't a good version of DK."

Donkey Kong was probably the most popular arcade game of it's day. 4 levels of girder-climbing mayhem, lots of strategy, the first appearance of Mario, and lots more. Donkey Kong for NES was a smart marketing tool for Nintendo during the early years of the NES because it brought DROVES of people who'd been obsessed with the arcade game to buy the NES so they wouldn't waste any more quarters. But something happened that the consumer's did not expect: Donkey Kong was missing the best level in the game. It was just..... gone. True Donkey Kong fans will remember the incredibly cool pie factory level. This level wasn't in the NES version of DK. And, true to form, it isn't in the NES classics version of Donkey Kong. While NES purists would quickly point out "It wouldn't be a NES classic if it had the pie factory level", it is undeniable that only three levels of girder climbing is just not enough.

Graphics
Donkey Kong has retained all of his graphical goodness, and of all the NES Classics, Donkey Kong is probably ported the best. Some of this is because the graphic system utilizes a LOT of black, which resolution scrunching can't show as a graphical error. Whatever the case, it looks like it did back in the "day".

The only problem is, there's absolutely no variety in this game without the pie level. Everything looks the same. The first two levels are the same girder-type design, and the third does something risky by turning -gasp- blue. Yay.

Sound
The classic "Mario Farting" running noise is still there, and the music is as classic as ever. The GBA perfectly emulates the NES's sound capabilities.

Gameplay
Run to the top of the level and rescue Pauline. Don't get hit by barrels. This is the formula for one of the most popular games of all time, and the NES Classics port retains this formula. With the absence of the pie level, though, the game loses 1/4th of it's length. But, as a "NES" classic, it IS a perfect port. Yes, it is pretty fun the first couple times through (it gets harder every time you beat it). After a while, though, you still have to ask yourself, "Why did I buy this for 20 bucks?". There are many better versions of this game out there (Donkey Kong 64's arcade version, Donkey Kong for Gameboy, Animal Crossing's Donkey Kong) though this is the only portable version of the NES DK (the Gameboy version adds a lot of new features, but isn't in color).

Value
For NES lovers, this game is worth the price of admission. It's got everything that made the NES a great system when it first came out. For Donkey Kong lovers, this just isn't the version you'd appreciate.

FINAL RATING: 6/10

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 06/16/04