Reimagining the Classic: A Deep Dive into Donkey Kong for Game Boy

This assessment was initially released in June 2011. We are refreshing and reissuing it to celebrate the introduction of the game in the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy collection.

In 1994, Nintendo came up with a grand idea; why not create a true sequel to the beloved Donkey Kong arcade game? The outcome is Donkey Kong for the Game Boy, commonly referred to as Donkey Kong ’94, which launched the Mario vs. Donkey Kong franchise.

When you first start the game, you might actually feel like you’ve been cheated, as it begins with the identical four levels you would find in the classic arcade version, including the cement factory stage that was omitted from the NES edition. Just as you begin to think this was a waste of money and you’ve cleared the ‘final’ level, there’s an unexpected twist: Donkey Kong isn’t actually defeated yet; he grabs Pauline and escapes the construction site.

Mario must now chase DK through 9 additional worlds, with a total of 97 new levels, before he can rescue Pauline for real. In most stages, Donkey Kong will exit through a door which he then locks, leaving Mario to explore the level and obtain the key before he can continue his journey.

In every fourth stage, there is no locked door and key; instead, Mario must confront his old nemesis. Typically, this involves reaching him while dodging various objects he throws at you, much akin to the first levels. In the final stage of each world, you will actually battle Donkey Kong, picking up the barrels or other items he hurls and tossing them right back at him.

Depending on the environment you find yourself in, the standard and unique stages contain different puzzles to solve. The first world, Big City, is filled with dress lines and power cables; Mario can hang from these and begin spinning around them, allowing him to jump off at high speed and reach much higher areas. The other worlds are all vastly different, featuring entirely different enemies, platforms, backgrounds, music, and puzzles. Locations include a ship, a jungle, an airplane, and an iceberg.

Speaking of jumps, Mario has greatly expanded his range of moves since the original arcade game. In addition to the standard jump, he can also perform backflips and a triple jump accomplished by first doing a handstand, bouncing back onto his feet, and then jumping higher. (Each of these skills would later reappear in Super Mario 64, although the handstand element was removed from the triple jump.)

Another noteworthy alteration from the original game is that falling from low heights no longer results in a fatality; instead, Mario will land firmly on his feet if the drop is minor. However, should he fall from a great height, he will begin to rotate upside-down in mid-air. If he lands on his head, he’s finished, but he’ll be momentarily dazed if he lands on his side.

Since Mario can collect items such as keys, you might assume he can gather other things too: you’d be correct. As long as an enemy isn’t spiked, Mario can jump on them, much like in Super Mario Bros. 2, and pick them up, unless, of course, they’re too heavy. He can then throw them into an area where they won’t cause any danger or hurl them at other enemies. There are also switches to interact with, which can raise or lower bridges as well as open and close gates.

Another crucial game feature is the ‘temporary platform.’ In various stages, you may discover a little white square with an object depicted; selecting one of these allows you to place that object on any available space within the level. These temporary items can include ladders, springs, and blocks. They remain visible for approximately eight seconds. However, if you manage to place another before the previous item disappears, both will stop and the timer resets.

The original arcade game had a few items to collect: hammers, an umbrella, a cap, and a purse. Hammers are still included, but with some new features; instead of being forced to hold them until they disappear, you can now throw the hammers into the air at any time by pressing the ‘B’ button. If you’re quick, this means you can actually throw it onto a higher platform and collect it later to continue your rampage. Besides defeating enemies, hammers can also break clear blocks to create new paths.

The umbrella, purse, and cap may also be found in each standard stage, although their primary purpose is to grant access to an extra-lives bonus game if you manage to collect three. This is mostly a waste of time, however, as after every fourth stage, all the time you had left in each is converted