Donkey Kong GB

Donkey Kong
Developer	Nintendo EAD
Publisher	Nintendo
System	Game Boy 3DS Virtual Console
Release Date	Game Boy JP June 14, 1994 US June 1994 EU September 29, 1994 3DS Virtual Console JP June 15, 2011 US June 16, 2011 EU June 16, 2011
Gallery	GH Gallery
Rating	ESRB: E

Donkey Kong, also called Game Boy Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong 94, is an enhanced remake of the original Donkey Kong. Among the new features were enhanced graphics, more levels, and new gameplay mechanics. Interestingly, this was the first game to have enhanced features when used with the Super Game Boy. A border that looks like an arcade cabinet was added as well as a digitized version of Pauline yelling "Help!"

Story

Donkey Kong has kidnapped Pauline. Pauline's boyfriend Mario must track Donkey Kong down and save his girlfriend.

Gameplay

The game begins with the four original levels from Donkey Kong. Rather than stopping there, the game has 97 new levels, making a total of 101. The new levels are divided into the following worlds: Big-City, Forest, Ship, Jungle, Desert, Airplane, Ice Berg, Rocky Valley, and Tower. New gameplay mechanics are introduced as the game progresses. The new levels take on a different, puzzle-like gameplay shift, as the player's goal in most levels is to find a key and carry it to a door for completion of the level while avoiding various enemies and obstacles. Each level also contained three of Pauline's accessories which, if collected, would unlock a slot machine or roulette that could be played to earn extra lives. The player faces Donkey Kong every fourth level in a manner similar to the first three stages. Each world also ends with a boss fight against Donkey Kong in which he must be beaten by throwing his barrels back at him.

Donkey Kong GB added many new moves to Mario's arsenal. Mario triple jumped and back flipped in this game years before Super Mario 64. Other new moves included throwing the hammer, doing a handstand to deflect falling objects, and swinging on a wire for extra height. Like in the original arcade game, Mario can be defeated by one hit, but if he's carrying an item he will only drop it and be momentarily stunned when hit.

Along with the levels from the original Donkey Kong, a few levels from Donkey Kong Jr. were added. Level 2-4 was Level 1 in Donkey Kong Jr. and Level 9-4 was Level 4. Donkey Kong Jr. himself also makes sporadic appearances throughout the game in which he adds to Mario's nuisances in order to aid his father.

Continuity References

• Donkey Kong Junior's presence seems to be foreshadowing Donkey Kong's sequel, Donkey Kong Junior.
• The ending has Mario going through a pipe to what seems to be the Mushroom Kingdom and receives a Super Mushroom. This seems to be a way of bridging the gap between Donkey Kong and Super Mario Bros.

Legacy

Ports and Remakes

• Donkey Kong GB was rereleased over the Nintendo Power system in Japan.
• In 2011, it was released as a downloadable game for the 3DS Virtual Console.

Sequels

Originally, a remake called Donkey Kong Plus was planned for the Gameboy Advance. Along with enhanced graphics and backgrounds, the remake was to feature a level editor.

Donkey Kong Plus was never released, but some of the ideas were used in Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Mario vs. Donkey Kong played much like an enhanced sequel to Donkey Kong, carrying on Mario's acrobatic moves and the searching for keys in each level.