not your grandpa's Donkey Kong
Written: Jan 25 '02 (Updated Jan 25 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: cool game, more then the arcade game
Cons: bad sound, super gameboys are rare, short arcade levels.
The Bottom Line: DK more then classic arcade fun.
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| tommy_lop's Full Review: Donkey Kong for Game Boy Color |
Now one of my biggest pet peeves in the gaming world is know it all Pokemon masters complaining that Donkey Kong is not a Mario character. Listen young whippersnappers DK and Mario where in games together before Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, or Bowser ever came on the scene. They originally star in the original DK arcade game where DK kidnapped Mario girlfriend Pauline and Mario was out to rescue her. After climbing up to the top on several stages your able to knock the dumb monkey on his head on the final, and then get the girl. The game was such a hit it was ported to several systems, including the Atari 7800, NES, and even the N64 (unlockable in DK64).
Nintendo originally released the GB version back in the mid-early 90's, to go along with it's super game boy accessory. So how’s the game play. Well it's not for the people who are expecting a perfect port of the arcade game.
Graphics.
These are early 90-pre gameboy advance and color game, so the graphics aren't great. Of course there has been some updates since the arcade. While Mario looks the same, only with improve animation, and he doesn’t look so short he's basically the same. Pauline looks a bit more 20th century rather then an old school marm. Has for DK he looks a lot more like he does in DK country, this includes having a pointed head and necktie. However he still keeps that menacing grin that he has.
Now I recommend playing this on the super game boy if you can get your hands on one. While it's only one monotone color on advance or color, on the Super gameboy though it has more colors. While the Super gameboy can only display 4 colors at a time (the maximum amount of gray that the gameboy could produce.), it's no slouch in doing this. The original arcade levels are done pretty well (except they have white back rounds rather then black). In the background of the other stages (more on that later) appear better with the use of the super game boy.
Sound.
For the gameboy the music is average at best. it has some OK tunes but nothing to write home about. You also have a few sound effects from the arcade, like the successful jumping over the barrel, or the music that is played when Mario grabs a hammer. You also get a high squeak from Pauline whenever she yells help. If your playing on the super gameboy though that annoying squeak though sounds more like some one screaming help though.
Gameplay.
All right if your looking for an arcade conversion you'll be disappointed. The levels are half the size of the arcade, mario can now fall off the ledges, and you can now throw hammers up in the air to climb so you can climp latters and catch them at the top. With these you can blast through the first couple of stages in a matter of seconds. Of course that is not all that there is to it.
After you beat the 4th stage and knock DK on his head he gets back up and grabs Pauline again. The chase then continues thorough city streets, forests, jungles, ice caps, etc and the game turns more into a puzzle game.
In most of the stages Mario will have to grab a key and then take it to a lock door to complete the stage. To do this he'll have to build latters, bridges hit switches and avoid enemies. After every 4 stages he'll be thrown into a level more like the arcade game where the object is to get to the top where DK and Pauline is. Of course the mad monkey has more tricks then throwing barrels, now he uses everything, including the kitchen sink, to stop Mario. The last stage in ever world ends with a Mario Bros 2 type boss fight with DK, Mario will have to pick up barrels or anything else he can get his hands on and throw it at DK. After enough hits DK gets mad, grabs Pauline and runs away and the chase continues.
Of course with these new levels Mario has some new moves. Has I said Mario can now handle drops from high altitudes. However there is catch do it, if Mario falls from a high place, he'll start spinning, if he lands on his side he'll be stun but OK after a bit, if he lands on his head he dies.
On top of that Mario also has some new moves, most notably the handstand. If you press down and a Mario will stand on his hands and deflect barrels coming from above. If you press A like this Mario will jump higher, if you press A really fast he'll do the super jump twice. Like I mention earlier he can also throw’s hammers up and catch them, this enables him to climb latters with the hammer.
So what does DK bring to the table, he brings DKJR along for the ride on some levels, and Juniors a pain. DKJR main duty is to hit switches and block Mario, most of these switches come in at the most annoying times, sometimes leaving Mario stranded with an enemy or falling on a bed of
spikes.
overall recommendations
DK is definitely a must get if you have a super gameboy. If you don't have one then it's still worth finding if you’re a fan of the original DK arcade games.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tommy_lop
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Member: tommy
Reviews written: 959
Trusted by: 119 members
About Me:
Ran over a grandma, punched a kid, and still diden't get a PS3. (just kidding.)
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