Donkey Kong (Game & Watch)

From the Super Mario Wiki, the Mario encyclopedia
Revision as of 11:26, December 20, 2024 by Starluxe (talk | contribs) (→‎Gallery)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigationJump to search
Donkey Kong
The Game & Watch system Donkey Kong
Developer Nintendo Research & Development 1
Publisher Nintendo
Platform(s) Game & Watch, Mini Classics
Release date Game & Watch:
June 3, 1982
Mini Classics:
1998[1]
Genre Platformer
Rating(s) N/A
Mode(s) Single player
Format
Game & Watch:
Built-in
Input
Game & Watch:
Serial code(s) DK-52
Donkey Kong gameplay
Gameplay of Donkey Kong in Game & Watch Collection

Donkey Kong is a dual-screen Game & Watch adaptation of the arcade game of the same name. It was released as part of the Multi Screen series on June 3, 1982, and has the model number DK-52.[2] This Game & Watch was the very first piece of video game hardware to use the now-iconic cross-shaped directional pad.[3] It is also the first game of the Super Mario franchise to be released on a handheld system. Its gameplay is similar to that of the arcade game: Donkey Kong has captured Pauline, and Mario must rescue her. Donkey Kong was one of the most popular Game & Watch titles, selling over 1,000,000 copies worldwide.[2] It was later ported to Game & Watch Gallery 2 and Game & Watch Gallery 4, both of which include an updated "Modern" version of the game. A port of Donkey Kong was released in Game & Watch Collection for the dual-screened Nintendo DS, allowing for an exact replication of the original gameplay. There is also a Mini Classics release of the game.

Story[edit]

Donkey Kong captured a beautiful girl and carries her into a building under construction. The brave carpenter, Mario comes to rescue her following them over the girders. Donkey Kong throws barrels at Mario to stop him. Knock the girder out from under Donkey Kong to save the girl.

Gameplay[edit]

Classic version[edit]

Donkey Kong in Game & Watch Gallery 2
The Classic version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 2
Classic version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 4
The Classic version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 4

The game takes place over two screens. Mario starts at the bottom left of the bottom screen. The player must move right and dodge Donkey Kong's barrels by pressing the jump button. Mario can jump over barrels only if no girder is above his head. Mario receives a point for jumping over a barrel on the first girder. The barrels become faster the more of them Mario jumps over in a single run. If Mario does not reach Donkey Kong quickly, the barrels move too fast for Mario to jump over. When Mario reaches the ladder, the player must press Up to climb to the second girder and move back to the left. When Mario climbs the next ladder, he appears on the top screen. Once there, the player can press Left to activate the crane, then the player can move to the right, dodging more barrels, receiving two points for doing so on the second girder. After Mario activates the crane, its hook swings left and right twice and then stops. If Mario does not reach the hook in time, he needs to reactivate the crane for another chance. When the crane hook swings all the way to the left, Mario can jump to grab it and cut one of the wires holding Donkey Kong's girder, earning from 5 to 20 points depending on how fast he does the job. Mario then returns to the beginning of the level. When he cuts all four wires, he defeats Donkey Kong, awarding Mario 20 points. If a barrel hits Mario, if he jumps and hits a moving iron girder, or if he jumps and misses the crane hook, he gets a miss and returns to the starting point. If Mario gains 300 points without any misses, all points are worth double until he does get a miss. If he has any misses at said score, he earns an extra life instead. Mario can have up to three extra lives. The game ends when he loses all his lives.

The Classic version in the Game & Watch Gallery series maintains the presence of two screens, but since the Game Boy systems have only one screen, the player has to press B Button to toggle which screen is minimized off to the side and which is the "main" screen.

Modern version[edit]

Donkey Kong (Game & Watch Gallery 2)
The Modern version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 2
Donkey Kong gameplay
The Modern version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 4

The Modern version of the game has Peach substituting for Pauline, and Koopa Troopas and Para Troopas also make appearances. In this version, Mario needs to flip a switch that makes a platform appear and opens a door above it. He then needs to jump onto the platform and make his way to the door before it closes. Mario earns the same number of points for dodging Koopa Troopas as he does for dodging barrels depending on the floor he is on. Mario can stomp Koopas to defeat them, earning bonus points in the process. In this version, Mario earns 15 points for defeating Donkey Kong. The setting also changes after every time Mario defeats Donkey Kong: The first level takes place in a factory, the second level takes place in a jungle, and the final level takes place on a glacier at nighttime (an airship in the daytime in Game & Watch Gallery 4). Mario can avoid barrels and Koopa Troopas temporarily by holding on to a chain or pipe on the first level, a vine or Donut Block on the second level, or a rope (an anchor in Game & Watch Gallery 4) or Cloud Block on the third level. Every time Mario jumps down from a chain, pipe, vine, Donut Block, rope, anchor, or Cloud Block right after a barrel or Koopa Troopa passes, he receives the corresponding number of points on that floor. At 200, 500, and 700 points, a heart appears for Mario to remove a miss. Music is also featured in this version, with the tempo changing depending on the speed of the game.

In Game & Watch Gallery 4, selecting the game and waiting results in a humorous sequence being played. In it, Peach is admiring Mario trying to balance on a barrel. However, this fails when Mario ends up having trouble balancing and causing it to roll, forcing Peach to flee until Donkey Kong gets in the way of the barrel, causing it to smash and send Mario flying, with Peach admiring Donkey Kong instead.

  • The second stage of the Modern version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 2

    The second stage of the Modern version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 2

  • The third stage of the Modern version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 2

    The third stage of the Modern version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 2

  • Another screenshot of the first stage of the Modern version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 4

    Another screenshot of the first stage of the Modern version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 4

  • The second stage of the Modern version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 4

    The second stage of the Modern version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 4

  • The third stage of the Modern version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 4

    The third stage of the Modern version of Donkey Kong from Game & Watch Gallery 4

Controls[edit]

Game & Watch Gallery 2[edit]

Classic version[edit]

  • +Control Pad: Move
  • A Button: Jump
  • B Button: Switch "main" screen

Modern version[edit]

  • +Control Pad: Move
  • A Button and B Button: Jump

Game & Watch Gallery 4[edit]

Classic version[edit]

  • +Control Pad: Move
  • A Button: Jump
  • B Button: Switch "main" screen

Modern version[edit]

  • +Control Pad: Move
  • A Button and B Button: Jump

Gallery[edit]

Modern version[edit]

Game & Watch Gallery 2[edit]

Game & Watch Gallery 4[edit]

  • 1 UP Heart

    1 UP Heart

  • Koopa Troopa

    Koopa Troopa

  • Para Troopa

    Para Troopa

  • Barrel

    Barrel

  • Beanstalk (Area 2)

    Beanstalk (Area 2)

  • Beanstalk (Area 3)

    Beanstalk (Area 3)

  • Cloud Block

    Cloud Block

  • Donkey Kong

    Donkey Kong

  • Donut Block

    Donut Block

  • Ladder

    Ladder

  • Leaf

    Leaf

  • Lift (Area 1)

    Lift (Area 1)

  • Lift (Area 2)

    Lift (Area 2)

  • Mario

    Mario

  • Peach

    Peach

  • Rotating Blocks

    Rotating Blocks

  • Switch

    Switch

  • Warp Door (Area 1)

    Warp Door (Area 1)

  • Warp Door (Area 2)

    Warp Door (Area 2)

  • Warp Door (Area 3)

    Warp Door (Area 3)

  • Warp Pipe (Areas 1 and 2)

    Warp Pipe (Areas 1 and 2)

  • Warp Pipe (Area 3)

    Warp Pipe (Area 3)

Trivia[edit]

  • On page 7 in the Japanese instructions, the protagonist is referred to as Kyūjo Man (救助マン, lit. "rescue man"), as the name Mario was not yet officially established for the character. In the English manual for Game & Watch Collection, he is called the "rescuer."
    • Similarly, the captive girl is unnamed in the English instructions and referred to as Lady in the Japanese instructions. However, print ads by British distributor CGL refer to her as Louise, as the name Pauline was not yet officially established in the United Kingdom.[4][5]

References[edit]

Donkey Kong coverage on other NIWA wikis:
  1. ^ EAN 9003150016656 - Nintendo Mini Classics Game & Watch Donkey Kong 1st Edition 1998 | upcitemdb.com. UPCitemDB (English). Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Donkey Kong. In The Attic (British English). Archived March 4, 2022, 10:05:41 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  3. ^ Iwata Asks : Game & Watch : Recreating Ball 30 Years Later. Nintendo of America (American English). Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  4. ^ Game & Watch Donkey Kong print ad. Joystiq (English). Archived January 28, 2015, 05:27:57 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  5. ^ November 1983. Computer & Video Games 25. EMAP (British English). Page 138.
[Edit]
Donkey Kong games
Platformers Donkey Kong series Donkey Kong (1981, arcade) • Donkey Kong Jr. (1982, arcade) • Donkey Kong 3 (1983, arcade) • Donkey Kong Jr. Math (1983, NES) • Donkey Kong 3: Dai Gyakushū (1984, computer) • Donkey Kong (1994, GB)
Donkey Kong Country series Donkey Kong Country (1994, SNES) • Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995, SNES) • Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996, SNES) • Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010, Wii) • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014, Wii U)
Donkey Kong Land series Donkey Kong Land (1995, GB) • Donkey Kong Land 2 (1996, GB) • Donkey Kong Land III (1997, GB)
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004, GBA) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (2006, DS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (2009, DSiWare) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! (2010, DS) • Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (2013, 3DS) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (2015, 3DS/Wii U) • Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge (2016, 3DS/Wii U)
DK series DK: King of Swing (2005, GBA) • DK: Jungle Climber (2007, DS) (Banana Bonanza [Unknown, Adobe Flash] • Rolling Panic [Unknown, Adobe Flash] • Banana Grab [Unknown, Adobe Flash])
Miscellaneous Donkey Kong 64 (1999, N64) • Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (2004, GCN)
Racing games Diddy Kong Racing (1997, N64) • Donkey Kong Barrel Blast (2007, Wii)
Donkey Konga series Donkey Konga (2003, GC) • Donkey Konga 2 (2004, GC) • Donkey Konga 3 JP (2005, GC)
Other Donkey Kong Circus (1984, G&W) • Donkey Kong Hockey (1984, G&W) • Donkey Kong (1996, arcade) • Donkey Konk (1999, Adobe Shockwave) • Donkey Kong 64 Lore Quiz (1999, Adobe Shockwave) • Memory Kong (1999, Windows/Mac OS) • Couic d'or ! (1999, Windows/Mac OS) • Picross NP Vol. 8 (2000, SFC) • Kremling Krushin (2000, Adobe Flash) • Donkey Kong Country Barrel Maze (2003, Adobe Shockwave) • Mini-Mario Factory Game! (2004, Adobe Flash) • Hurling for Distance (2005, Adobe Flash) • Barrel-Blastapalooza (2005, Adobe Flash) • Donkey Kong: Jungle Fever (2005, arcade) • Mario vs. DK 2: Cannon Kaos (2006, Adobe Flash) • Donkey Kong: Banana Kingdom (2006, arcade) • Timber's Balloon Pop (2007, Adobe Flash) • Play Nintendo activities (2014–present)
Reissues Crazy Kong (1981, arcade) • Donkey Kong (1982, G&W) • Donkey Kong (1982, tabletop) • Donkey Kong Jr. (1982, G&W) • Donkey Kong II (1983, G&W) • Donkey Kong Jr. + Jr. Sansū Lesson (1983, NES) • Donkey Kong 3 (1984, G&W) • Donkey Kong Classics (1988, NES) • Donkey Kong (1994, NGW) • Donkey Kong Country Competition Cartridge (1994, SNES) • Donkey Kong Country (2000, GBC) • Donkey Kong Country (2003, GBA) • Classic NES Series: Donkey Kong (2004, GBA) • Donkey Kong Country 2 (2004, GBA) • Donkey Kong/Donkey Kong Junior/Mario Bros. (2004, arcade) • Donkey Kong Country 3 (2005, GBA) • Diddy Kong Racing DS (2007, DS) • New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Wii, 2008) • Donkey Kong Original Edition (2010, VC) • Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (2013, 3DS) • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2018, Switch) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2024, Switch) • Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (2025, Switch)
Tech demos Unnamed Donkey Kong Country proof-of-concept (Unknown, VB) • puzzle (Unknown, N64) • spritemonkeyEX (Unknown, N64) • Mario vs. Donkey Kong Wii U demo (2014, Wii U)
Pitches / canceled games Donkey Kong no Ongaku Asobi (FC) • Donkey Kong IV (arcade) • Return of Donkey Kong (NES) • Super Donkey (SNES) • CD-i Donkey Kong game (CD-i) • Donkey Kong vs. Super Wario (SNES) • Donkey Kong and the Golden Bananas (SNES) • D.K.R. DMG (GB) • Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers (GBA) • Diddy Kong Pilot (2001/2003) (GBA) • Donkey Kong Racing (GCN) • Donkey Kong Plus (GCN/GBA) • Diddy Kong Racing Adventure (GCN) • Donkey Kong Country 4 (DS) • DK Bongo Blast (GCN) • Freedom (Switch)
Crossovers Super Smash Bros. series Super Smash Bros. (1999, N64) • Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001, GCN) • Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008, Wii) • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (2014, 3DS) • Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014, Wii U) • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018, Switch)
NES Remix series Main NES Remix (2013, Wii U)
Reissues NES Remix Pack (2014, Wii U) • Ultimate NES Remix (2014, 3DS)
[Edit]
Game & Watch games
Super Mario franchise Donkey Kong (1982, MS) • Mario Bros. (1983, MS) • Mario's Cement Factory (1983, TT/NWS) • Mario's Bombs Away (1983, PS) • Donkey Kong Hockey (1984, MVS) • Super Mario Bros. (1986, CrS | 1987, Sp | 1988, NWS) • Mario the Juggler (1991, NWS) • Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. (2020, CoS)
Donkey Kong franchise Donkey Kong (1982, MS) • Donkey Kong Jr. (1982, NWS | 1983, TT & PS) • Donkey Kong II (1983, MS) • Donkey Kong 3 (1984, MVS) • Donkey Kong Circus (1984, PS) • Donkey Kong Hockey (1984, MVS)
Miscellaneous Green House (1982, MS)
MS: Multi Screen • TT: Table Top • PS: Panorama Screen • NWS: New Wide Screen • MVS: Micro VS. System • CrS: Crystal Screen • Sp: Special • CoS: Color Screen
[Edit]
Game & Watch Gallery series
Games Game & Watch Gallery (1997, GB) • Game & Watch Gallery 2 (1997, GB) • Game & Watch Gallery 3 (1999, GBC) • Game & Watch Gallery 4 (2002, GBA)
Super Mario minigames Donkey Kong2,4 • Donkey Kong Jr.3,4 • Donkey Kong II3 • Donkey Kong 34 • Mario Bros.3,4 • Mario's Bombs Away4 • Mario's Cement Factory4
Minigames remade with
Super Mario content 		Ball2 • Boxing4 • Chef2,4 • Egg3 • Fire1,4 • Fire Attack4 • Greenhouse3 • Helmet2 • Manhole1 • Octopus1,4 • Oil Panic1 • Parachute2 • Rain Shower4 • Turtle Bridge3 • Vermin2
Gallery Corner Message Board • Museum • Music Room
Further info Gallery (2 · 4) • Pre-release and unused content (4) • Staff (2 · 3 · 4)
Related game Game & Watch Collection
Retrieved from "https://www.mariowiki.com/index.php?title=Donkey_Kong_(Game_%26_Watch)&oldid=4467123"