NES Games I Beat #35/#36: Donkey Kong Jr./ Donkey Kong Classics

   The Donkey Kong Classics game is a compilation of Donkey Kong and its sequel Donkey Kong Jr. released to the NES in 1988. It’s straight ports on a single cart is way more affordable at about $15 to the $40 that the original Black Box version will cost each. The perfect compilation of the two. If you want to play these games, that’s how I recommend you play them. Moving on.
    With the immense success that is Donkey Kong, a sequel seemed a natural step. Thus Nintendo and Miyamoto created and released a year later Donkey Kong Jr. This game is also hailed as a classic. While not innovating quite as much as its predecessor, it advanced the plot with a twist most gamers forget. Mario was now the bad guy, getting his revenge for the events of game 1. This time Donkey Kong was locked in a cage and it’s up to Donkey Kong Jr., his son, to save him. Interestingly enough, Cranky Kong of the Country series was said to be Donkey Kong of the original series, now much older. Donkey Kong Junior however would fade into obscurity for a newer Donkey Kong who was actually his son.
    The gameplay of this entry change things up for a vine climbing aspect that made the game less about the platforming but more about dodging enemies. You can use fruits on the ladder to hit any enemy under it but the timing can be tricky. The Chompers can climb vines which can really throw you off but other that the enemies are not as challenging. In this regard the gameplay is simpler but more challenging in some aspects like the platforming.
    The four levels are all present from the arcade so this is a perfect arcade port. Each level is very similar to one another, most feeling very jungle like until stage three becomes a metallic power factory and stage 4 an open area. The objective is to reach the top again other than in stage 4 where there are six keys that need to be pushed into locks at the top of the vines to free Donkey Kong. Dodging enemies isn’t too hard but again takes some practice. It’s all about pattern recognition. The hardest parts are the platforming segments in stage two because timing is key to not fall to your death. The falling damage is a lot more noticeable here due to the level design. Overall though the gameplay is a solid diversion from the first game.
    In the end, it’s really a preference and taste sort of thing. A lot of people like Jr.’s style of gameplay a lot better but some like me like the variety and tight platforming of the original. With new ideas like the vines, challenging platforming, interesting enemies, and a new spin on attacking this game is a very different game with similar aspects. It’s really up to you which one’s better. Personally, I really do like this game and actually have some nostalgia for it. Believe it or not, I was for some reason a big fan of the idea for the ill faded E-Reader for the Gameboy Advance. I only had a few Pokemon games and a Donkey Kong Jr. card. So I used to play this game as a kid out on the playground. Pretty funny actually. Well, obviously critically this might be another 10/10 game but personally I’m giving it a 7.4 /10. I like it a fair amount but the first one is just more classic to me personally.