Donkey Kong II

Voices of: N/A
Developer: Nintendo
Designer: -
Rating: E
Genre: Platformer
System: Game & Watch
1983

Times Completed:
Tim: 1

Summary: Donkey Kong Jr. must save Donkey Kong from capture.

Review:
Tim: The simple Game & Watch game, Donkey Kong II is essentially a remake of one of the levels from Donkey Kong Jr.. I'd played that game before, so I was familiar with all the mechanics here. You play as DK Jr. and your pops is captured (by Mario, in one of his rare antagonist appearances). You have to climb up a junglescape, dodging sparks, snapjaws, and birds. These all move in predictable patterns, but the game throws a lot at you. You move left, right, up, down, and jump. Your character has to grab a key, carry it to the top, and unlock one of four locks. When you unlock all four, you save Donkey Kong... and then immediately start the level over again.

Like all the Game & Watch games, this game is incredibly simple and straightforward. It offers the same gameplay repeatedly. This is not to suggest the game isn't fun- it is. It's challenging in a sense, as your movements are limited by the rudimentary controls. The timing can be challenging, as you're watching a lot of movement of obstacles and the controls aren't the best. As I'd already played Donkey Kong Jr., this game came easy to me- it's a recreation of the third or fourth level. It was easy to pick up.

The game is worth playing for a number of reasons. I like the historical aspect of playing a game so early in the franchise of Mario and Donkey Kong. As I mentioned, Mario is actually the antagonist in this game- something that would be unheard of today, as Nintendo's mascot. The controls and the game are so simple, yet challenging to rack up higher scores. As I'd already played this game in a different form, I was less inclined to spend a ton of time getting a high score here. On Game A, I saved Donkey Kong from capture twice, on the way to 178 points. Sure, I could have played more for a higher score, but I completed the minigame two times. I knew how it worked. On the harder Game B, I saved Donkey Kong once and got 115 points. Again, that felt good enough for me.

I'd be impressed for any gamer who spend a significant amount of time getting a high score on a game like this. More power to you, for sure! I'm definitely a gamer more interested in the story and the context around a game. I appreciated playing this Game & Watch game, although it doesn't offer anything new from Donkey Kong Jr.. The sound effects were solid, the gameplay simple but somewhat addicting. This is a tiny game, but one I appreciated playing and getting to know.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Game, We Recommend: Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Donkey Kong Circus