Something got lost in the translation. According to Nintendo of America the word “Donkey” is an English translation of the Japanese word “Stupid.” Thus, the game we know as “Donkey Kong” is known throughout Japan as “Stupid Kong.” It could have been worse.
Donkey Kong or Stupid Kong — whatever name you choose to use — is, at the time of this printing, the Number One money-making game in the country. And there’s no sign that Donkey Kong has peaked in popularity. Ifs still climbing, so to speak, to that high perch where Asteroids, Defender, and Pac-Man once stood. If you were to put all your money down on the next video sensation, you couldn’t do better than to put all that money on Donkey Kong.
What’s all the fuss about? Most people will talk about the fantastic animation, with Donkey Kong beating his chest and grabbing a girl and dragging her to the top of a building. There are wild sound effects, too. These two elements — animation and sound — might force a few quarters out of your pocket and into the machine. But to keep pumping quarters in Donkey Kong, there must be something else, a bigger payoff. And there is.
Donkey Kong — a new-wave video game — gives you four totally different games for your quarter. Depending on how high you get, you’ll have to contend with Ramps, Foxfires, Elevators, Conveyor Belts, Springese, Barrels, Beams, and, of course, Kong. There’s the immediate challenge, therefore, to rise higher and higher in the building, to master all four games of play. Donkey Kong requires both skill and strategy.
You must become adept at moving, jumping, and hammering with Jumpman and you must plan carefully your path toward the top. This is the first game we know of to successfully wed these two video elements. It takes at least a month to simply get good on this machine. You’ll then spend another year or so having fun at it (none of us are close to getting tired of it).
The object of Donkey Kong is simple. A building is under construction. Kong grabs a fair-haired Damsel and drags her up to the top of a construction level. You — Mario, the Brave Carpenter — hear the Damsel’s cries for help and transform yourself into Jumpman: her potential hero. Your mission, for the remainder of your quarter, is to try to save the girl. The problem is, every time you get to the top of the level, Kong grabs your honey and carries her up to another level. The four different levels are the four different games you must learn to play.
Screen sequence: The order of the screens eventually becomes repetitive. It takes a long time to get there, however. The sequence of the screens is this, with Ramps being A, Ziggurats B, Elevators C, and Conveyor Belts D:
A*B*A*C*B*A*D C* B • A* D • A* C • B A • D • A • C • A
♦ B A . D • A • C • A • B A*D*A*C*A*B
( DONKEY KONG ELEMENTS )
Some elements remain basically the same on every screen. These are the most crucial to learn. Among them are:
Jumpman (Mario, the Brave Carpenter): This is you. Spend your first ten or fifteen quarters mastering Jumpman. Don’t worry about your score. Learn how to climb Ladders and jump Barrels with ease. Once these two basics are learned, real strategy can begin.
Donkey Kong: Don’t worry about Kong. Just don’t go near him, or you’re dead. You’re only concern is with the weapons he hurls at you.
Damsel: She’s the goal, the one with the magical kiss. Spend your time trying to reach her, but ignore her cries for help; they’ll only distract you. Hammer The Hammer appears on screens A, B, and D. Spend some time learning how to use it. Ifs your only way to kill enemies (Barrels, Foxfires, etc.). Remember: (1) You must jump up to grab the Hammer and (2) You can move toward Barrels with the Hammer, but then stop and let them run into you.
The Ramp Pattern
- Barrels. Barrels are usually rolling down Ramps. At times, however, they can turn on their sides and plummet down or across Ladders. You can jump roiling Barrels. Barrels turned on their sides will kill you quickly. Avoid them! Some Barrels will track and kill you, especially if you’re under or on a Ladder.
- Beams. These are blue. They act similarly to Barrels.
- Furnace. (Oil Can or Fire-Pit). Ignore this. All it does is produce the Fireball.
- Fireball. If you’re quick enough, you can ignore the Fireball. It only enters your game if you delay or run backwards. Then watch out. It burns.
- The Ziggurat Pattern
- Prizes [Telephone, Lunch Pail, Umbrella). Prizes are nice and earn you some bonus points. Claim them only when its practical. Don’t go out of your way to get them. When you master the Ziggurat pattern, you’ll probably be able to claim all the Prizes without wasting time. –
- Plugs [Rivets). You must unplug all eight of these to clear the screen. Walk or jump over a Plug to clear it. Once cleared, you must jump over the gap it leaves or fall to your death.
- Foxfires [Will-O’-The-Wisps, Flaming Chickens). These are great balls of fire that are deceptively slow. They’re very clever. Like the Pac-Man monsters, they track you. And you can lure them toward you. They cannot cross unplugged gaps. They can, however, slide down ladders — and faster than you can climb down them.
C. The Elevator Pattern
Elevators. These move at a constant speed, up and down, as shown. Jump on “up” Elevators when they’re about an inch below you. Jump on “down” Elevators when they’re about an inch above.
- Prizes. Get them only if it’s practical. Otherwise, ignore them.
- Foxfires. Constantly monitor where the Foxfires are. Good strategy means avoiding them.
- Steps. You must learn to jump up the Steps. This takes practice. Under Strategy, you’ll learn the safe Steps and the dangerous Steps.
- Springese. These can kill you fast if you’re sloppy. Always be aware of them. They only attack certain Steps, and follow rigid patterns.
- The Conveyor Belt Pattern
- Conveyor Belts. The Belts can move either left or right, as determined by Kong’s direction at the top. If you run against them, your time is slowed down. If you run with them, you run twice as fast.
- Gaps. Gaps must be crossed with a running jump. Do not cross casually. You’ll fall to your death.
- Furnace. Avoid it.
- Fireballs. These balls-of-fire are aggressive, and a leading cause of death. They must contend with the Conveyor Belt speed and cannot cross gaps.
- Cement Tubs. You can jump the Tubs. If you contact them, you’re dead. They give good Bonus points when hit with the Hammer.
- Prizes. Get the Prizes only when practical. Don’t run out of your way to grab them.
DONKEY KONG STRATEGY
The Ramp Pattern
This pattern appears three times before the first Conveyor Belt. The basic path to follow at all times is drawn. The individual techniques for safely following that path are given below.
Level One:
This is the easiest of the three levels. Specifically: Point 3. Run as fast as you can to this point. A Barrel will be rolling at you. Jump it. If you’ve hesitated at all, wait at Point 2 for that Barrel to pass over you. Then resume the pattern.
Point 4. Wait between these two Ladders, jumping Barrels as necessary until ifs safe to climb up the Ladder on the far left.
Point 7. Run at top speed from Point 5 to Point 7, jumping Barrels on the run. If you’ve lagged previously, stop at Point 6, wait for Barrels to passover you, then move up the Ladder to Point 7.
Level Two:
The game speeds up. Specifically:
Point 2. Run without hesitation to this point. If fast, you can outrun Kong’s first Barrel. A second Barrel will come down the Ladder toward you. Jump the Barrel. Hesitate after jumping the Barrel if a third Barrel is passing over you. Then resume the pattern.
Point 4. Wait between these Ladders, as before, until ifs safe to climb to Point 5.
Point 5. Wait under the Hammer for Barrels. When the first Barrel comes, jump it and grab the Hammer at the same time. Then move cautiously toward Point 6, stopping to kill Barrels. Do not kill Barrels while moving.
Point 6. Wait here until your Hammer runs out. A Barrel will probably be close to you when the Hammer runs out. Be careful. Avoid or jump it, as necessary. Then proceed to Point 7.
Level Three
The fastest Ramp pattern. Specifically:
Point 1. Come to this point and wait. You won’t be able to outrun Kong’s first Barrel this time. Once the Barrel hits the bottom Ramp and rolls toward you, jump it. Resume the pattern after jumping. Point 4. Follow the same play action as described from Point 4 above.
The Ziggurat Pattern
This pattern appears twice before the first Conveyor Belt. You must clear all the Plugs (or Rivets) to collapse the structure and make Kong fall on his head. Foxfires will track you closely. The patterns below are guides. Considering the nature of the computer chip, you may have to change patterns in the middle. Three things to remember: (1) Don’t concern yourself with the Prizes. If you’re there, grab them. Otherwise, ignore them. (2) You can’t cross an unplugged gap. You must jump. And the Foxfires can’t jump unplugged gaps. (3) Foxfires always enter on the opposite side of Jumpman. If you’re on the left, they’ll enter on the right.
Blue Pattern: Follow this pattern if the Foxfire enters on the bottom row. If you run without hesitation, you’ll be able to grab the Hammer when the Foxfires get near the top. At Point 1, grab the Hammer and kill as many Foxfires as possible. After killing them, it should be safe to resume the pattern and get the Plugs.
Red Pattern: If a Foxfire enters from the third row, you’ll have to clear one side at a time. This is a more difficult process. By the time you make it to Point 2, the Foxfires should be at the top floors. Slip down the Ladders, pluck out the bottom Plugs, and hightail it back to the Hammer at Point 2. Claim the Hammer, pound senseless a few Foxfires, and grab your last Plugs.
The Elevator Pattern
This pattern appears only once before the first Conveyor Belt. Jumping skills are super important here. Once you learn how to jump effectively, follow this basic pattern. A quick trip through the Elevators will then be easy.
Point 1. Run up and grab the Prize and then return down. This ploy confuses the Foxfire at Point 3.
Point 2. Wait here until the Foxfire commits itself down one of the Ladders. Then jump on an Elevator. Make sure the Step you jump on is at least an inch below you when you jump.
Point 3. Jump on top of this landing. Go down the Ladder the Foxfire isn’t on.
Points 4, 5, 6. Grab the Lunch Pail and plan a quick jump from the landing (4) to the “down” Elevator (5), to the Steps (6). This must be done quickly, without hesitation. The Elevator should be at least an inch above you when you jump. Point 7. All the steps marked seven (7) are safe: you can stand there without fear of a Springese. The trick for moving over an unsafe Step is to wait until a Springese goes by and then move it, as fast as possible. It should be fairly easy to move up the Steps, as shown. Just watch out for the Foxfire.
Point 8. When you reach this point, stand still. Don’t be afraid. Springese will jump over you. Plan your move to the top once a Springese has jumped over you.
The Conveyor Belt Pattern
The Conveyor Belt is a difficult pattern to master. Your major obstacle is movement: You must learn how to run against the grain, so to speak. If you run in the direction that a Conveyor Belt is moving, you go twice as fast. If you run against a Conveyor Bell’s direction, your progress is twice as slow. The pattern below is a simple guide. Ifs most important to get to the top quickly, for two good reasons (1) your bonus will be higher and (2) more Foxfires are released as your Bonus score diminishes. One important tip: Unlike the Ziggurat Pattern, Foxfires enter, this time, on the side Jumpman is on. If you’re on the left, they’ll enter from the left.
Point 1. Move to this point and stop, Do not grab the Telephone. Wait for all the Foxfires to come out on the left-hand side of the screen (three on L=3; four on i-A: five on L=5). Once they’ve entered, resume the pattern, grabbing the phone.
Point 2. Make sure a Foxfire isn’t coming down the Ladder. If it is, you’ll have to get the Hammer and kill it. If it isn’t, don’t worry about the Hammer. Get to the top!
Point 3. When you reach this point, you’ll probably have to jump a Cement Tub or two. You can do it. Although you move forward slowly on this Conveyor Belt, you can still jump as far. Plan a jump that will place you at the bottom of the Ladder.
Point 4. Get on a Ladder and climb it to the top. Prepare for a new screen.
