About the Game
History
How to Play
Geneology
Imitations
Links

Original Release
Arcade

Other Releases
Apple II
Atari 2600
Atari 5200
Atari 7800
Atari 8-Bits
Commodore 64
Commodore Amiga
Commodore VIC-20
ColecoVision
Game Boy
Intellivision
Famicom / NES
PC (DOS/Windows)
TI-99/4A
TRS-80 CoCo

Picture Galleries
Coming Soon

Screenshot Galleries
Title
How High
Screen 1
Screen 2
Screen 3
Screen 4
Hammer
End of Screen
End of Level

Audio Clip Galleries
Title
Intro
Lost Life
End of Screen
End of Level

How to Play Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong, the big ape with a thing for women and construction sites, has kidnapped Mario's girlfriend! Your task is to help Mario get her back. Needless to say, Donkey Kong isn't just going to hand her over, and the unfinished buildings where all this kidnapping and rescuing are taking place don't exactly follow all the latest safety guidelines. So, grab a hammer and take to the skyscrapers. It's time for a rescue!

Each level in Donkey Kong takes place across multiple screens, each one showing a different part of the half-finished building Donkey Kong has claimed for his hide-out. Mario must climb to the top without falling or getting hit, and before the bonus timer runs out. Each time Mario reaches his girlfriend, Donkey Kong snatches her away and climbs even higher, until the final showdown at the very top of the building. Each new level features a building higher than the one before, requiring more screens to be completed.

Four unique screens appear in all.

Screen 1 - Mario must dodge or jump the barrels thrown by Donkey Kong as he climbs his way up. Some barrels ignite when they hit the oil drum at the bottom of the screen, turning into living fireballs which can make life very difficult for Mario. Mario can use the hammers to smash a few barrels and fireballs for extra points, but keep an eye on the timer! Also, be careful around the ladders. Mario can only climb the complete ladders, but the barrels can roll down the broken ones too!

Screen 2 - Known as the "cement factory" or "pie factory" screen, this one only made it into a few home versions of the game. Mario must avoid Donkey Kong's fireballs as well as piles of cement that for some reason are lethal to touch. Perhaps they're laced with asbestos? Hammers again provide Mario with a way to earn some extra points.

Screen 3 - Also called the "elevator screen." Mario must make his way across both fixed and moving platforms while avoiding Donkey Kong's fireballs and giant killer springs.

Screen 4 - Instead of climbing to the top, Mario instead must cross across every platform, removing the two rivets that hold the structure in place. When the last rivet is pulled, Donkey Kong gets his come-uppance, and Mario gets his girl! The fireballs are especially annoying here, so tread carefully and make good use of the hammers.

The first and fourth screens appear in every level of every version of Donkey Kong. After that, the number of screens depends on the level and the release. Even the Japanese and American arcade versions are different from each other!