Donkey Kong

It doesn't get much more old school than Donkey Kong.

"If you do not get this amazing new generation of Donkey Kong madness, you are stupid! Yes, I know. That's insulting, but it's also true!" -George "NAViGaTR" Wood (Gaming in the Clinton Years, Donkey Kong Country review)

Donkey Kong is a flash version of the popular Nintendo Arcade title of the early 80's. You play as Mario (or Jumpman depending on who you ask) as he attempts to rescue Pauline from the clutches of the titular ape. This version of the game contains only one repeated stage, and no power-ups.

Since a few days after being uploaded, ChaosD1 has held the high score on this game with a score of 80200.

How to Play

From the title screen, press the space bar to start the game. Move Mario up the scaffolding by climbing ladders, and avoiding barrels. You complete the stage by reaching Pauline on the top platform. You earn points by jumping barrels or completing the stage. Once the stage is completed, it starts over again. You have three lives and cannot earn any more. You will lose lives by being hit with barrels, or having the timer run out. The game is over when you lose all three lives and your score is submitted automatically.

Control

Press left and right on the arrow keys to move left and right.

Press up or down to climb ladders.

Press the space bar to jump.

Tips

Unlike the original Donkey Kong, this game is simultaneously easier and harder. Here's a few major differences.

• There are no flames to contend with. The timer is the only thing keeping you from backtracking, or waiting in the same area.
• There are no hammers. You'll have to climb the entire tower without any power-ups.
• Barrels do not fall of the edge of the scaffold, and will only head down ladders, so there are a few places where you can stay still and never worry about being hit.
• Donkey Kong will not toss a barrel directly down the stage.
• The game will not get progressively harder as you go on. It's as tough in the first round as it is in the tenth. This makes the game more of an endurance trial than an obstacle.

Even though you'll lose a few bonus points, it's best to wait for an opportunity than to attempt a risky ladder climb.

Try to stick to the inside ladders when you can. The third tier of the scaffold is the hardest, so if you can reach it before Donkey's had the chance to toss too many barrels, the easier it will be to reach a safe spot and the next tier.

Never walk under a ladder when a barrel is above you. Barrels can travel down broken and functional ladders alike.

Bugs

Control of Mario is much more stiff then in the NES/Arcade versions. His jump is much more vertical, so leaping over barrels will take some getting used to. The hit detection seems spotty, too.

It's possible to get "caught" on a ladder. You'll need to be completely off of one before you can move left or right. Even if Mario seems to be off the ladder, this is still possible.

Occasionally, a barrel might not "despawn" after a death, and will continue down the scaffold when you respawn at the bottom. If you're really unlucky, a barrel might end up getting stuck right where Mario respawns, and will drain your remaining lives with no way to avoid it.

If your mouse at any time clicks outside of the playscreen area, you will NOT be able to move Mario until you click on the area again.

ChaosD1 22:06, 12 May 2009 (UTC)