This is one of my favorite video games of all time. I was a kid from the 80's, I remember first discovering and playing this game at the Burger Ranch in Yakima, WA, I loved the game then and I love it now. The game was a phenomenon as there really wasn't anything like it at the time, it's a timeless classic that is just about everywhere now. It was one of challenges in the under the radar film "Pixels" and there was that documentary "The King of Kong". I even see arcade cabinets of this in about every retro arcade bar but also the pinball/arcade conventions like the one I annually attend in Tacoma, WA.
The game you can also say was the kickoff for two of video games iconic characters Mario and Donkey Kong, whom after this game had plenty of games after and years to come.
The game was one of the first in platform action games, this one unlike most of the one's your familiar with is more a contained action platform games as the entire level and action is contained in one screen. I personally like those kinds of platform action games because the action is here, now, straight to the point, but also that there are always new challenges ahead.
The graphical presentation was sophisticated and revolutionary for it's time, from the level designs which to me are the real star of the game. Really how well designed they are as each of them by their nature are a vertical maze puzzle, but I also like that each of them are based on a blue collar setting which not just fits Donkey Kong as he's just like any other super-sized foe/monster from the movies are attracted to tall super structures like a magnet. But it has that relatability and familiarity feel to it, as if what's happening in the game is happening in our everyday existence.
Also, the character models looked like actually characters, they looked like the kind of characters you'd see from the 80's cartoon shows.
From our main hero Mario, whom is his usual self as he's small. I just thought it was cool that you got to play a hero that looks like any ordinary joe, as we see he' s in that blue collar get up. But also like the fact that he's small which once again increases that relatability factor as that makes him a bit of an underdog.
We can easily see that Mario physically is no match for Donkey Kong physically, that's impossible. But despite outmatched physically, we see Mario is far from helpless and is strong in other ways as we see he has speed, reflexes and is probably a double dutch champ as he's got one heck of a jump. I like this too showing that you don't need to be a person of muscle to be a hero and fight against evil, and that you can be strong in more ways than one.
And of course, our main villain Donkey Kong, the franchise over the years with this character has been interesting as it seems to be divided into two separate camps. In one, there are the "Donkey Kong Country" and "Mario Kart" games where he's a good guy. Another which are the "Mario vs. Donkey Kong" games where he's a bad guy and this game falls into the camp where he's the bad guy.
Donkey Kong in the game seemed a little scary as a kid, because the guy was just so huge and mean looking with that angry grin all the time, never was sure what the heck he was so mad about. Even those little noises made whenever we saw his character move, yeah I know little noises but video game characters never really did things like that at the time, so you can easily see how any gamers back then would feel a little nervous. But despite his size and strength as we see in the game he's not unbeatable.
I like the sound effects and even music which also made the game revolutionary for its time because video games at the time never had any music except the kind you brought if you owned a Walkman. The music is more like little tunes then music but still it sounded good and have become iconic tunes that you could probably hear from certain ring tones or just plain humming.
But those tunes really helped move the game because it help motive you just keep going much like with music while doing dance aerobics which makes sense as that was also a big thing in the 80's. I also like that the character you play make sounds as well, most notably whenever Mario runs and jumps which to me is music to my ears; but it was also by it's nature really action detection it helped in giving the actions you execute weight.
The gameplay is great as it's your simple basic platform action where it's going from point A to B, jumping, and surviving. But that's all you really need in the game and personally that's how I like it as less can be more. The game is just a bit on the hard side as there are a lot of things you really must pay attention to as there are defensive measures that come your way fast.
Even like that you also not just have to simply go from point A to B but you have to actually in some places think before you move, though don't take too much time as trouble constantly comes your way mainly fireballs with minds of their own. I like that each of the stages are different which means a different kind of challenge, and that was part of the joy of the game as it taught you to adapt and think sometimes before you acted. And of course, one of the highlights is that hammer, which was cool almost made you feel invincible as it temporarily destroyed all the oncoming barrels but also a way to rack up more points.
My favorite stage and this is no surprise is of course the pie factory stage, it was just kind of cool at the time seeing a place that can mass produce pies though also kind of daft as who'd of though just by jumping or getting bumped by giant pies, how the heck anyone can die from that is anyone's guess; and on a side note the pies made me hungry.
Anyway, it's just a cool stage because it's sort of a momentum maze as there are a lot of convey belts that go different directions along with machinery that are just mass producing all kinds of things to kill you. The game is also rewarding as you get to the top and complete each level, you see you can say a mini cut scene to let you know your next mission but also that your efforts paid off.
Donkey Kong is a vintage classic that's a barrel of fun.
Rating: 4 stars.
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