Be the first to comment
Help DK Jr. Save His Dad!
Donkey Kong Jr. is an arcade platform game that serves as the sequel to the original Donkey Kong. In this game, the roles are reversed compared to its predecessor: Mario (formerly known as "Jumpman") is now the villain, and Donkey Kong Jr. takes on the hero role as he tries to rescue his kidnapped father.
There are four stages, each with its own unique theme. DK Jr. can move left and right, jump, and use vines, chains, or ropes to climb higher on the screen. Holding one vine allows him to slide down faster, while holding two makes him climb faster. Along the way, he'll encounter enemies like "Snapjaws" (bear trap-like creatures with eyes), bird-like "Nitpickers" that can drop eggs as attacks, and "Sparks" that roam across the wiring in Mario's hideouts. DK Jr. can jump over enemies on platforms, switch between vines/chains/ropes to dodge them, or knock down fruit to defeat enemies before they fall off the screen.
To progress through the first three stages, DK Jr. must reach the key next to his father's cage. Once he does, Mario will flee while pushing the cage out of sight. In the fourth stage, DK Jr. must push six keys into locks on the highest platform to free Donkey Kong. After a short cutscene, the game returns to the first stage with increased difficulty. A bonus timer runs throughout each stage, and any remaining time adds to the player's score upon completion.
DK Jr. loses a life if he touches an enemy or projectile, falls from a great height, touches the water and falls off the screen, or when the bonus timer reaches zero. The game ends when the player runs out of lives.
Mario has defeated Donkey Kong and imprisoned him in a forest cage. Donkey Kong Jr., determined to free his father, follows Mario's path. Mario transports Donkey Kong to his hideout by helicopter, taking the keys to Donkey Kong's chains and scattering them around the building. Donkey Kong Jr. faces various enemies but manages to escape and reach his father, freeing him from the chains as Mario falls to the ground. Donkey Kong Jr. successfully saves his dad, and the two set off together. Mario tries to pursue them but retreats after receiving a kick from Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong Jr. has a "kill screen" at level 22. Due to a limitation in the level counter, it displays numbers 1 to 9 for levels 1 to 9, blank spaces for levels 10 to 16, and letters A to F for levels 17 to 22. The kill screen occurs similarly to Donkey Kong, where an integer overflow happens during a multiplication problem in the game's calculations. This causes the timer to count as if there were 700 points, resulting in the game repeatedly killing Donkey Kong Jr. until all lives are lost.
If you enjoy playing as Mario in the original Donkey Kong game, check out Donkey Kong NES. In that game, Mario must run, jump, and climb ladders to rescue Pauline from the clutches of a giant gorilla named Donkey Kong.