Sun, 09 Aug 2009 by Marcel Van Duyn
What initially seems like a simple remake turns out to be one of the greatest Mario games ever made.
In 1994, Nintendo had a great idea - why not make a true sequel to the original Donkey Kong arcade game? The result is Donkey Kong for the Game Boy, originally known as Donkey Kong '94 during development.
When you first start up the game you might feel like you've possibly been ripped off - it starts with the exact same four stages you can find in the original arcade game (yes, that means the cement factory stage which was removed in the NES game is in there), with better graphics. Just as you begin to think that this was a waste of money, after beating the "final" stage, there's a sudden twist - Donkey Kong isn't defeated just yet, so he grabs Pauline and runs away from the construction site!
What follows next is not just a couple of extra stages - Mario has to chase Donkey Kong through 9 more worlds with a combined total of 97 more levels before he can rescue Pauline for real. In most of the stages, Donkey Kong will run through a doorway which he then locks - Mario then has to search the stage to find a large key, which he must then carry to the door to unlock it and continue the chase.
In every 4th stage, there is no locked door and key; instead, Mario must face Donkey Kong. Most of the time this simply involves reaching him while avoiding everything he throws at you, much like in the four stages of the arcade game, but in the final stage of each world you'll actually battle him, by picking up the barrels or other objects he throws and throwing them right back at his face!
Depending on the world you're in, the regular stages will have various puzzles for Mario to solve before he can reach the key. For example, in the first world, Big City, there's a lot of clotheslines and electricity cables - Mario can hang from these and slowly begin spinning around them, enabling him to jump off them at high speed and reach much higher places than with regular jumps. The other worlds are all vastly different, with completely different enemies, platforms, backgrounds, music and puzzles. On your adventure you'll also visit places like a ship, a jungle, an airplane and an iceberg.
Speaking of jumps, Mario has expanded his array of moves quite a bit from the original arcade game. In addition to the standard jump, he can also do back flips. He can also do a triple jump, by first doing a handstand, then jumping back onto his feet, and then jumping extra high! Both of these abilities would later return in Super Mario 64, although the handstand aspect was removed from the triple jump.
Falling from the smallest of heights no longer kills Mario; instead, he'll land square on his feet if the drop is slight. Should he fall from a high place however, he'll slowly begin to turn upside-down in mid-air. If he lands on his head, he's a goner, but if he happens to fall on his side, he'll simply be stunned momentarily.
Since Mario can pick up keys, you'd be inclined to think he can pick up other things as well, and you'd be right - as long as an enemy isn't covered in spikes, Mario can jump on top of them, much like in Super Mario Bros. 2 and will then be able to pick them up, unless, of course, they're too heavy. He can proceed to throw them into a place where they can't pose any threat, or hurl them at other enemies to take multiple foes out at the same time. There are also switches Mario can interact with, by standing next to them, grabbing onto them and then moving them left or right.
Another new, useful game element, which appears in a lot of stages, is the "temporary platform." In various levels, you can find a little white square with an object pictured on it floating in place somewhere - picking these up allows you to place that object on any free space in the level. The temporary platforms naturally include actual platforms, but there's also ladders and springs.
The platforms and ladders are not of a certain length - once you place them, they'll extend left/right or up/down as far as they can. These temporary objects will remain on screen for about 8 seconds. After that, they'll instantly disappear, but if you manage to place another before the previous one disappears, the timer resets.
The original arcade game had a few items to pick up - Hammers, an umbrella, a hat, and a purse. The hammers are still there (although they really only appear in the second half of the game, and only sporadically), but they have a new feature this time - instead of being forced to wait until it disappears, Mario can throw the hammers into the air at any time with one press of the B button. If you're quick, this means you can actually throw it up to a higher platform and catch it there to continue your rampage! In addition to killing enemies, hammers will also destroy certain blocks.
The umbrella, purse and hat can be found in every single normal stage, and they're still pretty much just as useless as they are in the arcade game - Picking up one or two does nothing, but if you pick up three you can play a bonus game after clearing the stage to earn some extra lives. This is mostly a waste of time though - after every 4 stages you beat, the total time you had left in each is converted into extra lives, so what's the point in getting even more? You're bound to reach 99 lives by the end of the game anyway!
The game is absolutely stunning when it comes to graphics and music. All the different levels in all the different worlds are incredibly detailed for a Game Boy game, and considering there's 101 of them, that's quite a feat. Mario, Donkey Kong (and Jr., who appears later on to help him!), Pauline and all of the various enemies are still quite simplistic in design, but they emit a certain charm which you can't help but love. Some of the music in the game is unbelievably good; the game's two final battle songs both go on for over a minute before looping, and also just so happen to be two of the best pieces in the game. Each of the 9 worlds has its own theme, in addition to various regular stage and boss battle tunes - In total, the game features over 40 different songs, which is pretty much unheard of for a Game Boy game!
If that's not enough, it's also one of the only Game Boy games to feature full Super Game Boy support. If you've got this awesome SNES add-on, you can plug in the cartridge and experience the game in full colour - you'll also get a neat border around the screen based on the original arcade cabinet, Pauline will actually scream for help in a digitized voice, and the ending music will be completely enhanced Super Nintendo style.
If the main game's 101 stages aren't enough to satisfy you, there's also quite a bunch of replay value - you can replay any stage you've already beaten (although you can only "start" at every 4th stage in every world, not every single separate one), and there's even a "best times" list you can bring up at any time, featuring your best finishing times for every single stage.
1. emayer
10 Aug 2009, 00:06 BST
This is probably my favorite Game Boy game ever. I might've even given it a 10.
2. Corbie
10 Aug 2009, 00:07 BST
This is a fantastic GB game in every sense of the word!
3. pixelman
10 Aug 2009, 00:09 BST
I'm dying to get this. They don't have it at my game shop, though.
4. lz2009
10 Aug 2009, 00:14 BST
I still have it and play it
5. KeeperBvK
10 Aug 2009, 00:19 BST
Like emayer I'd given this even a 10. It's just one of those games you can't put down thanks to the "just one more stage"-syndrome.
In case you liek this, you owe to yourself to also try out Mole Mania, as it's also an action-puzzle mix by the same game designer.
6. zss_shadow
10 Aug 2009, 00:23 BST
This game is amazing, Mario VS Donkey Kong for the GBA continued it as well (March of the Minis killed it though). Despite this being such a great game, I rarely hear it mentioned on the internet very often compared to other Mario titles.
7. chunky_droid
10 Aug 2009, 00:35 BST
I've just finished playing Mario vs Donkey Kong and it brought back wonderful memories of this game. Hell I hope they release a Virtual Handheld just for this, with Super NES enhancment option of course
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I remember backflipping all the way up in the first Donkey Kong stage and beating it in 3 seconds, lol
8. nintendoduffin
10 Aug 2009, 00:37 BST
I introduced a friend of mine to this game recently and we ended up spending several hours playing through the entire thing from start to finish. An absolutely brilliant game which I would have given a 10.
9. accc
10 Aug 2009, 00:43 BST
YES! This is one of my all time favorite Game Boy games! The GBA sequel (Mario vs. Donkey Kong) was great too, but I didn't like the direction they took with the series on the DS.
10. Metang
10 Aug 2009, 01:14 BST
One of the Game Boy greats, up there with Pokémon, SML 2, and Tetris. Still own it, still play it. Great review Marcel!
11. ArtMcCarthyDotCom
10 Aug 2009, 01:22 BST
I like the GBA version.
12. Bahamut ZERO
10 Aug 2009, 01:52 BST
whistles
I gotta pick this up sometime.
13. Hyper Luigi
10 Aug 2009, 01:58 BST
I have this game. It's awesome, but I need to get back to playing it sometime.
14. slapshot82
10 Aug 2009, 02:07 BST
I have to find this game. I had no idea it had all of this. I actually think I might have seen it awhile back but didnt even think anything about picking it up cause I had no idea it was this good. That is a LOT of game on that little cartridge.
15. jpfan1989
10 Aug 2009, 02:59 BST
I loved this game I remember spending hours an hours playing this.
I know I own it but I cant find it its driving me crazy
16. Stuffgamer1
10 Aug 2009, 03:07 BST
I grew up playing this game, and I still have it, too! Awesome game, easy 10 for sure. In fact, reading the review, I don't have the slightest idea why it only got a 9! There wasn't one bad thing pointed out in the entire review, so...why the non-perfect score?
17. Ricardo91
10 Aug 2009, 03:11 BST
Definitely one of the greatest GB games ever. It's the first time I ever saw DK's infamous "pie factory" level too. I'd say it's even better than Mario vs. Donkey Kong. If you were able to replay stages, I'd give it a 10. But you can't, so my score stands at 9.
18. worrybomb
10 Aug 2009, 03:47 BST
One of my favorite original Game Boy games of all time. I wish I still had it to this day so I can play through it again. =(
19. Super Smash Bros. Fan1999
10 Aug 2009, 05:13 BST
I wish I had the game. My only hope to ever play this game is if they ever release an Virtual Handheld.
20. kaes
10 Aug 2009, 06:34 BST
Hands down, one of my favorite video games of all time (for any console). It's a shame that the Donkey Kong Plus project never came to fruition.
21. KDR_11k
10 Aug 2009, 07:07 BST
That score is one point too low. Seriously, DK'94 is the most awesome game on the Gameboy.
22. MetalMario
10 Aug 2009, 07:11 BST
Huh....I never knew the origin of Mario Vs. Donkey Kong on GBA was this. The gameplay, anyway. Finding a key to the next level, you know?
23. KeeperBvK
10 Aug 2009, 07:56 BST
"If you were able to replay stages, I'd give it a 10. But you can't, so my score stands at 9."
Yes, you can.
24. RadioShadow
10 Aug 2009, 08:54 BST
Much better!
Also this game was awesome!
25. slatters
10 Aug 2009, 09:29 BST
PHEW!, and here's me thinking that no Game Boy review was going up today!, Just in the nick of time!
But anyway this IS a brilliant game!
26. Darknyht
10 Aug 2009, 11:44 BST
This is one game I really miss from my stolen collection. I really do hope that there is a Virtual Console for the DSi on the way because I would love the chance to play it again.
27. darkshaddow42
10 Aug 2009, 12:13 BST
If my battery hadn't died, I would still be playing it now.
28. Kirk
10 Aug 2009, 13:16 BST
I haven't even heard of this until now. Or at least I don't recall it.
29. LinktotheFuture
10 Aug 2009, 15:17 BST
I never heard of this game either, but it sounds amazing.
30. bboy2970
10 Aug 2009, 16:50 BST
So is this, in essence a prequal to Mario vs Donkey Kong? If so, Corbie, I thought you weren't really into the Mario v DK games.
31. Drake
10 Aug 2009, 17:11 BST
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis and Minis March Again are completely different from the first MvsDK game and this one. They're more like Lemmings.
32. the shpydar
10 Aug 2009, 18:13 BST
Everyone owes it to themselves to play this game, easily in the top 3 of original GB games. It may be a bit hard to track down, but totally worth the effort. Much better IMO than MvsDK.
33. Xkhaoz
10 Aug 2009, 18:14 BST
Hope this comes out on DSi.
34. RadioShadow
10 Aug 2009, 18:31 BST
@bboy2970: This is WAY better than Mario VS Donkey Kong.
35. warioswoods
10 Aug 2009, 19:42 BST
How on earth did I miss this game back in the day??
36. Joe Diddley
10 Aug 2009, 20:08 BST
Like a few people here I had never heard of this game. Does it get more difficult after the first 4 stages?
37. Drake
10 Aug 2009, 20:11 BST
Of course, the difficulty progressively ramps up a little bit in each world.
38. alvieao
10 Aug 2009, 22:15 BST
Shigeru Miyamoto produced a masterpiece on the Game Boy, with Masayuki Kameyama behind the helm (and later directed the overlooked GB game Mole Mania, also produced by Miyamoto). Donkey Kong is a classic in every way. Everything about this game is memorable, and it's also great to play it on the Super Game Boy adapter for the SNES. The spiritual sequel Mario vs. Donkey Kong was close but lacked precise controls from the GB original, not to mention the visuals look odd (thanks to Nintendo's NST division). March of the Minis and its DSi sequel Minis March Again didn't really count as their gameplay took a Lemmings-style approach. Still, I would give Donkey Kong a 10/10...
39. KeeperBvK
10 Aug 2009, 23:31 BST
@ 38: Miyamoto only produced this. Masayuki Kameyama was the director, hence responsible for the game.
40. Mainstreamguy
11 Aug 2009, 12:39 BST
I have the original cartridge and I loved this game
I'm very sad the catridge won't work properly anymore
i can only play the first arcade levels and then after the cutscene if gives me infinite lifes and wont stop anymore
also a lot of things are really messed up
if this comes out for DSi I will download it in a heartbeat
41. Damo
11 Aug 2009, 13:53 BST
I just picked up a copy off eBay for £3, including postage! Yay me.
BTW - I assume this is a battery backup save game? I'm always worried about when the batteries in these things are going to fail. My copies of Link's Awakening, Mario Land 2 (and 3) all still hold their data...but for now much longer? People used to say 5 years max, but some of those games are 15 years old!
42. Drake
11 Aug 2009, 14:47 BST
Yup, battery save. Thankfully it's not too long, so in the event the battery is dead just free up some time and blast through the game in one go
43. Damo
11 Aug 2009, 15:11 BST
How hard is it to replace the batteries on GB games? I guess I'll need the tri-wing tool, right?
44. Crunc
11 Aug 2009, 16:34 BST
This game hadn't been even remotely on my radar and now it definitely is. I had no idea it was so good.
45. SKTTR
11 Aug 2009, 17:11 BST
This is one of the the best platform games ever made, let alone for the Game Boy, and it deserves nothing less than 10/10.
Graphics, music, stage design, puzzles, content, Super Game Boy features - it's all there. This game is perfect.
46. Corbie
11 Aug 2009, 22:08 BST
Replacing the batteries is a pain as they are soldered to the battery holder on the board. I've changed a few GB and SNES cart batteries and it can be a real pain. I just recently changed out my Chrono Trigger and Terranigma batteries.
47. mjc0961
12 Aug 2009, 08:55 BST
Heh, I love this game too. Really good stuff in there. I remember being PO'd at it when I first played, though: you had to get past the first 4 levels to make it start saving, so for a while I would play just 2 or 3 and then stop, annoyed later when I had to start over.
48. LEGEND MARIOID
12 Aug 2009, 10:08 BST
One of my most loved games of all time.
49. tvnewsguy
13 Aug 2009, 05:50 BST
One of my all-time favorites! I still have my original cartridge. Played this on Super Game Boy more than anything.
50. Adamant
13 Aug 2009, 19:36 BST
Mm, fantastic game. I got it when it was new - I remember I was looking to buy a new game, and the clerk recommended I get this, bless his soul. I didn't even notice Mario on the cover until the ride home, and had never heard of the arcade original either. I believe this was the second game I ever managed to beat, Wario Land being the first.
Oh yeah, and just in case anyone's going to suggest that playing the first 4 levels in this is the same as playing the 4 levels in the arcade game - yeah, no, don't even go there. The first levels are just a fun little lookback, and while the design is the same, they don't play anywhere near similiarly, and can in no way be considered a substitute.
Haven't seen anyone say that here, true, but it's often mentioned at other forums when Donkey Kong is brough up, and it drives me nuts.
51. angel m. rivera collazo
13 Aug 2009, 20:24 BST
well,as I have a gameboy player and a GameCube,this is the next gameboy masterpiece I am buying.
52. edhe
01 Sep 2009, 16:02 BST
BLAST! I just bought this game from an independent retailer and the save battery is completely and utterly flat.
Nintendo. Please do a DSi VC and clear up all this bull with rubbish save batteries!
53. ballistikboy
17 Oct 2009, 04:30 BST
I want this on the DSi! Yes! Will we ever???
54. ballistikboy
20 Oct 2009, 05:46 BST
Ok. WOW!! is all I can say. Since coming across this review in the retro section (after acquiring a limited edition silver metallic Game Boy Pocket at a thrift store in its original Nintendo case with 2 games for about $6.99!) I had to RUSH out and find Donkey Kong (94) on GameBoy. I finally found a copy for $9.99 used at Movie Trading Company (local franchise down here in TX) and this game... WOW. I just wish the save battery worked ;-/
So much to do, so many levels, so much thought and love and admiration for Mario/Donkey Kong went into this game at the time! Still beats 99.99% of what's out on the DS/DSi in my opinion!! (which I guess the GameBoyPocket is now a great descendant of)... Great sound, characters, plot, sense of urgency, action, great controls, levels, variety. It's ALL there! In this tiny little grey cartridge. Go out and hunt this down! Get it on Amazon if you have to.
What a wonderful gaming experience!! 10/10 vote for me! Please release this on DSiWare or Virtual Console for DS or whatever. Hands down, one of my top 10 Nintendo Games EVER. You can see alot of Super Mario Bros 2's influence on this game (including the minigames, coins, those large keys, how Mario carries and picks up items, etc) and its an absolute Joy to watch.
I remember playing the original Donkey Kong stand up Arcade coin-op game in my Father's barber salon as a child and he would keep the coin slot open so I could keep playing it over and over, I just felt that same sense of fun rush through me after playing this. A+++!
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