Game Review: Donkey Kong for Atari 8-bit

Entry posted by 4Ks February 13, 2010

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Donkey Kong was one of Nintendo's biggest hits in the Arcade, and was equally as successful on home systems. Coleco's versions for the 2600, Intellivision, and most importantly Colecovision, were runaway hits. Though no version managed to have all 4 levels until Atari released a version for their 8-bit computer line, and blew everyone away with it's awesomeness. Granted, the pie factory level wasn't the best, but it was still pretty cool to have here. The gameplay is perfectly executed here, and is much smoother than the 2600 version. In the first level, you must jump over barrels and climb ladders to reach your girlfriend, Pauline. The second level has you dodge fireballs while getting rid of the rivets holding the platforms up, which, when gone, will collapse the whole level and give Kong a nasty fall. The third level forces you to jump across moving platforms to reach Pauline, and is definitely the best stage. The fourth and final level has you dodging pies and fireballs to get to the top and rescue Pauline. The game runs smoothly, and is a joy to play. Shame this game couldn't have been released for the 5200, but Coleco held the rights to make console versions of Donkey Kong (and it's sequel, DK Junior.), and Atari was only able to make computer versions. The graphics are superb, and everything looks incredibly like the Arcade version. Donkey Kong actually looks like Donkey Kong for once, and everything else looks fantastic too. There's not a single thing to gripe about here, as every stage in the game is drawn wonderfully, getting every little detail right. Of course, it's not as good as the Colecovision, but still. The sound is also excellent, with every sound effect captured with style. When you die, the familiar death tune plays, and when you jump an enemy, you hear the points sound. There's nothing missing, and it rounds up the whole package quite nicely. This is a game that is well worth your time and money, and you'll be very glad you invested in it. And it's a cheap game anyway, so what are you waiting for? Donkey Kong is one of the best arcade ports for the 8-bit, and trumps almost everything else at the time. Though the graphics aren't as polished as the CV version, the inclusion of the pie factory level makes this the definitive home version.