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
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"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

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 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 bear. The Hobo brothers 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 the Hobo brothers' 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 the Hobo brothers 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 the slim Hobo brother 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 the other Hobo brother, then attempts to place the two brothers inside boxes; while Donkey Kong Jr. successfully lures the slim one inside the box, Bones fails to get the heavyweight one inside the box and falls in instead, causing Donkey Kong Jr. to inadvertently wrap him instead. After Donkey Kong Jr. realizes his mistake, the heavyweight Hobo brother 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 the Hobo brothers take over a curbside toy vendor's stall, Donkey Kong Jr. and Bones climb up a large Christmas tree and manage to find them. The Hobo brothers 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 the Hobo brothers. The vendor in the area tells them the brothers went into the nearby apartment building. After the Hobo brothers are kicked out by a security guard, they climb some stairs and knock on a nearby window, to which a young girl answers. The heavyweight Hobo brother 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. The Hobo brothers 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 the slim Hobo brother is ecstatic to see Santa, the heavyweight Hobo brother remains skeptical, as he was denied a specific toy fire truck when he was younger. The slim brother returns with the gifts Santa gave to the group, and much to the heavyweight brother'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

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  Title card

Animation and continuity errors

Bones's miscolored cap

• 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.

Trivia

• Some of the background music consists of renditions of "Jingle Bells".