A Christmas Story
| Saturday Supercade episode | |
|---|---|
| "A Christmas Story" | |
| |
| Segment | Donkey Kong Jr. |
| Season | 1 |
| Episode | 10 |
| Airdate |  November 19, 1983[?] |
| Writer(s) | Matt Uitz Michael Maurer |
| << List of episodes >> | |
"A Christmas Story" is the tenth episode of Saturday Supercade's Donkey Kong Jr. segment. The title is a reference to the Christmas comedy film of the same name.
Plot synopsis[edit]
As he hauls their frozen motorcycle through heavy snow on Christmas Eve, Donkey Kong Jr. laments that he has to spend another Christmas without his father, but Bones is quick to reassure him. They soon enter a town, where they see a young girl point to the house of one Mr. Anderson, and overhear her stating that he is a remote helper for Santa Claus. Donkey Kong Jr. then asks the girl where they can fix their motorcycle, to which she refers them to Mr. Anderson. When she mentions a "magic machine that makes toys", this catches the attention of two brothers, Buzz and Waldo, eavesdropping on the conversation, who decide to peek through Mr. Anderson's window to confirm it.
Donkey Kong Jr. asks Mr. Anderson how he makes many of his toys, to which he shows them his toy-making machine, and demonstrates it by having it print a working set of windup toy soldiers, impressing the onlookers. After Donkey Kong Jr. and Mr. Anderson leave to get the motorcycle repaired, Bones uses the machine to print a set of model planes, which swarm him and cause him to fall into the pocket of a stuffed kangaroo. Buzz and Waldo take the opportunity to steal the machine, prompting Donkey Kong Jr. to give chase with Bones.
As the brothers escape in their pickup truck, Donkey Kong Jr. decides to go "cross-country", and uses two boards of a wooden fence as skis for himself and Bones. Bones then accidentally encases himself in a snowman that he plows into, giving Donkey Kong Jr. an idea. He cuts down a tree to block Buzz and Waldo's path, after which he and Bones approach them as snowmen in order to knock them into the hollowed out ends of the downed tree. However, Bones accidentally slips and falls in Donkey Kong Jr.'s direction, causing him to snap the downed tree in two and allowing Buzz and Waldo to escape.
Pursuing the brothers to a nearby city, Donkey Kong Jr. spots their truck, after which they notice the brothers with the machine. Believing the brothers intend to sell the machine, Donkey Kong Jr. has Bones don a Santa costume to approach them. However, two children mistake Bones for Santa, stalling him for a moment. The brothers attempt to present the machine to a toy vendor, but the machine malfunctions during their demonstration, causing the unimpressed vendor to dismiss them. After the two children leave, Bones drags Buzz to his lap and presents Donkey Kong Jr. as his own "toy", allowing Donkey Kong Jr. to encircle him and place a drum case on his head. Bones then pulls his Santa hat over the head of Waldo, then attempts to place the two brothers inside boxes; while Donkey Kong Jr. successfully lures Buzz inside the box, Bones fails to get Waldo inside the box and falls in instead, causing Donkey Kong Jr. to inadvertently wrap him instead. After Donkey Kong Jr. realizes his mistake, Waldo uses a cart to escape with the machine and the box containing his brother, where they both hide in trash cans to throw their pursuers off their trail. They then decide to instead open up their own store to tap into the machine's potential.
As Buzz and Waldo take over a curbside toy vendor's stall, Donkey Kong Jr. and Bones climb up a large Christmas tree and manage to find them. Buzz and Waldo then produce a teddy bear for a young boy, who suggests they use the machine to mass-produce toys for the apartment building where he lives. Donkey Kong Jr. and Bones use some ornaments to zip down an electric cable, but lose track of Buzz and Waldo. The vendor in the area tells them the brothers went into the nearby apartment building. After Buzz and Waldo are kicked out by a security guard, they climb some stairs and knock on a nearby window, to which a young girl answers. Waldo attempts to use the machine to generate another teddy bear, but it malfunctions again, prompting them to head up to the complex roof. Donkey Kong Jr. and Bones then corner them and demand that they hand over the machine. The two refuse, only for them to fall off the roof with the machine in tow. Donkey Kong uses a wreath and some spare wire to lasso the falling brothers, then sends Bones to catch the machine. Buzz and Waldo thank Donkey Kong Jr. for saving them, after which he talks them into returning to Mr. Anderson's residence to wrap presents.
Later, the group piles up their wrapped presents for Santa to collect, after which midnight arrives. Although Buzz is ecstatic to see Santa, Waldo remains skeptical, as he was denied a specific toy fire truck when he was younger. Buzz returns with the gifts Santa gave to the group, and much to Waldo's pleasant surprise, he is gifted the very same toy fire truck. The five then head outside, where they notice Santa himself on his sleigh, causing Bones to realize Mr. Anderson's claim of being Santa's helper being true. Santa then wishes the group a merry Christmas.
Gallery[edit]
Title card
Animation and continuity errors[edit]
- As Buzz and Waldo eavesdrop on Bones, Donkey Kong Jr., and Mr. Anderson as Mr. Anderson demonstrates his toy-making machine, the latter can be seen clipping through the window.
- When the toy soldiers march out of the toy-making machine, the first soldier appears out of thin air.
- When Bones first appears in his Santa Claus disguise, the ring on his cap is the same color as the rest of the cap.
- When a boy uses the toy-making machine, he disappears for a few frames.
- When Donkey Kong Jr. gets off his ornament, his hand clips through the ornament.
- As the rope holding the wreath capturing Buzz and Waldo falls to the ground, it disappears into thin air.
The animation error
Bones's miscolored cap
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galician | Una historia de Nadal[1] | A Christmas story |
Trivia[edit]
- Some of the background music consists of renditions of "Jingle Bells."
