Donkey Kong '94

DONKEY KONG '94

So, today we're going to be covering all of the remakes, deluxe ports, and collections of the Mario series, and we start with maybe a bit of an oops. I went into this thinking the 1994 Game Boy Donkey Kong game was a simple remake of the old game, not more or less a full standalone game in its own right. The first levels are still just the arcade game remade, so I'm going to squint and pretend, okay?

This game more or less springs off of the end of the arcade game, but with Donkey Kong getting up after his defeat, grabbing Pauline, and taking off, away from the construction site and leading Mario on a wild goose chase across several worlds. This game is also very obviously the missing link between the arcades and the Mario vs. Donkey Kong games. I can now see a very clear path between those two series. For instance, most of Mario's moves are very similar to those he will later use in the first Mario vs. Donkey Kong, including the handstand to protect from falling objects, spinning on a pole, using springs, hammers, and keys, and other such moves.

Donkey Kong appears as the main villain, with Donkey Kong Jr. acting as his enforcer of sorts. DK will throw barrels, stomp, throw jacks, toss out shrinking mushrooms, punch, grow gigantic, and throw enemies at you. Junior supports his papa by hopping around and throwing switches to activate certain traps. Pauline is also here, but she's mainly just the damsel-in-distress role this time.

Most of the enemies are unique, but pretty basic for the most part. Bowbows are the most basic; Rappies, Dotties, Arumajirons, and Purupurus are also basic but they can walk around full platforms; Walking Trash Cans are . . . walking trash cans; Faiachus are made of fire; Snipers, Sukopis, Chikuchikus, and Gyatorus also walk around the full platform and the full stage; Doryis are seed-shooting flowers; Snapjaws climb vines as always; Bukubukus are fish; Kaibados, Hawks, and Kuros are birds; Sairesus are sleeping enemies that charge if you wake them up; Walking Blocks are . . . walking blocks; Sir Shovalots will push you; Kanyis are crabs; Aqua Men, Miiras, Penpens, Golems, and Robo No. 1s are enemies that can be stood on top of; Gessoris are basically Bloopers; Dorakyus are bats; Skeletons will throw bones; Furafurawas are basically Volcano Plants; Tsutan-omen and Rokkuns are enemies that can be thrown by DK; Ottos will grab you and cling to you; Tododesus will patrol keys; and Monkikkis and Jumpers help get you to new locations.

The game takes place across nine different worlds, following DK's rampaging path. The first is the Construction Site, a remake of the original arcade game. After that, we cover Big City, Forest, Ship, Jungle, Desert, Airplane, Iceberg, and Rocky Valley, all pretty much exactly what you expect them to be.

That's about it! Here's what we've got so far:

Characters:

Mario: handstand, jump, crouch, spin, spin on bar, hammer, spring, key, pick up and throw

Donkey Kong: punch, barrel, stomp, jack, grow giant, throw enemies

Donkey Kong Jr.: hop, throw switches

Pauline

Stages:

Construction Site

Big City

Forest

Ship

Jungle

Desert

Airplane

Iceberg

Rocky-Valley

Thanks for reading! Next up are the Super Mario Advance games!