Donkey Kong Jr. (game)

Donkey Kong Jr., also spelled Donkey Kong Junior in early arcade releases and home ports, is an arcade game starring Donkey Kong Jr., that was later re-released as a standalone Nintendo Entertainment System title under the Arcade Classics Series of games, along with other early games in Donkey Kong Classics, Donkey Kong Jr. + Jr. Math Lesson and Donkey Kong/Donkey Kong Jr./Mario Bros., remade into a Game & Watch game, which received a remake on the Nintendo DSi, and a Mini Classic game, and was also later released on the Virtual Console for the Wii, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. It was also available as a free download via the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador program. Donkey Kong Jr. is also a minigame in Game & Watch Galleries 3 and 4. The game was also released on the e-Reader with the only difference being a player had to scan in 5 cards to play it, afterward the player didn't have to scan the cards again unless they scanned in a different game requiring 5 cards. The game is also one of the 30 titles included in the NES Classic Edition. It was the direct sequel to Donkey Kong, and it and the similar Donkey Kong II are the only games in the Mario franchise where Mario (previously known as Jumpman) is the antagonist. Donkey Kong Jr. never enjoyed the sales or the following that the original Donkey Kong did, but it did well enough to warrant a second sequel, Donkey Kong 3.

Story
After the events of Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong has been captured by Mario as revenge for kidnapping his lady friend and Donkey Kong Jr. has to save him. Donkey Kong Jr. will travel through four stages from the jungle to the big city to get his father back, climbing vines, avoiding enemies and jumping on platforms along the way. However, every time Donkey Kong Jr. gets close to freeing his father, Mario just pushes him further away.

Finally in his hideout, Mario appears to be atop a skyscraper similar to 100m from the last game. Donkey Kong Jr. has to put six keys into their keyholes to free his dad and make the platform they're standing on disappear. Donkey Kong and Mario both fall down and Donkey Kong Jr. catches Donkey Kong but Mario just hits the ground. Donkey Kong Jr. carries his dad off-screen as Mario gets up and runs after them, only to be kicked right back out by Donkey Kong, forcing him to flee. In the NES port, this is altered to Mario falling to his apparent death for unknown reasons.

Gameplay
As a direct sequel, Donkey Kong Jr. retains many elements from Donkey Kong, although the two games are significantly different. While the original installment took place in a construction setting, Donkey Kong Jr. takes place in a jungle-like setting, from which Donkey Kong Jr. can climb up vines, drop fruit, or jump from place to place.

In order to free his father, Donkey Kong Junior must collect the key being kept at the end of each level, eventually using those keys to free his father in the end. All the while, however, Mario will sit near the Key as well as Donkey Kong's cage, summoning waves of monsters after Donkey Kong Junior from his position. After Donkey Kong gains a key, Mario will take Donkey Kong to the next location.

Levels

 * Stage 1
 * Stage 2
 * Stage 3
 * Stage 4

References in later games

 * Donkey Kong and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Donkey Kong Jr., as well as many enemies and gameplay elements, make an appearance in this game. Also, Mario's method of trapping Junior in Donkey Kong '94 is identical to Donkey Kong Jr.'s method of freeing his father from captivity. Many enemies and gameplay elements from Donkey Kong Jr. are reused in Mario vs Donkey Kong as well.
 * Donkey Kong Country series: Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong's ability to climb two ropes at a time originates from Donkey Kong Jr. The music for this game is redone and replayed in the Golden Temple level of Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D. A different cover of the song plays in the Secret Seclusion world in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. The plotline for Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest was also very similar to Donkey Kong Jr., including Donkey Kong being captured by an old enemy (in his case, Kaptain K. Rool) and requiring that Diddy save him by traveling to the place Donkey Kong was being held captive.
 * Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia: The lightning trap room where the Vol Fulgur glyph is found is similar to Stage 3 of Donkey Kong Jr. and was most likely based on that stage.

Produced by

 * Gunpei Yokoi

Original Music by

 * Yukio Kaneoka

Programming by

 * H. Hoshino
 * Shigeru Miyamoto
 * Yoshio Sakamoto (Logo graphic)
 * Kenji Nishizawa

Pre-release and unused content
The arcade version includes an unused lightbulb object as well as several graphical leftovers from the original Donkey Kong. In addition, the Coleco Adam port is notable for originally featuring an unlockable stage, but it was cut at Nintendo's request.

e-Reader
In 2002, Donkey Kong Jr. (titled Donkey Kong Jr.-e) was released for the e-Reader as part of Series One.

Card 1 of 5/codes 1-2
English flavor text: Mario has gone ape and locked your father, Donkey Kong, in a cage. Steal the keys from Mario to set your papa free!

+ Control Pad Moves character

L Button + R Button Resets game to Title Screen

START Start/Pause

SELECT Selects game mode
 * Game A is beginner game
 * Game B is expert mode

A Button Jumps

B Button Not used

Card 2 of 5/codes 3-4
HOW TO PLAY In Rounds 1 through 3, work your way to the top of the level to reach the key. In Round 4, carry all six keys to the top of the level and put them into their keyholes to free Donkey Kong. Once Donkey Kong is free, the game starts again, but faster and more exciting. Test your skill by saving your father against greater odds.

BEWARE! Each time you collide with a spark, fall from a vine, get bitten by a Snapjaw, or get pecked by a Nitpicker, you'll lose a life. Once all of your lives are gone, the game is over.

Card 3 of 5/codes 5-6
TECHNIQUES Use these two special moves to help speed up the action:


 * Grab onto two vines at a time to speed to the top.
 * Go down quicker by sliding down just one vine.

Card 4 of 5/codes 7-8
TIPS Timing is everything! In Round 2, press the A Button at just the right time and you'll launch off the springboard onto the moving island.

Drop fruit from vines on your enemies to get extra points.

Score 20,000 points and earn an extra life!

Card 5 of 5/code 9-10
ITEMS Keys: Pick up the keys to Donkey Kong's cage (Rounds 1-3). Insert keys into keyholes to free Donkey Kong (Round 4).

Fruit: Pick up fruit for extra bonus points.

Trivia

 * During the intro of the arcade version of Donkey Kong Jr., there were actually two Marios seen carrying Donkey Kong's cage away.
 * Most versions of Donkey Kong Jr., including the NES port, had the ending theme played once instead of twice. The three versions to break this rule were the Intellivision, Coleco Adam, and Atari 8-bit computer ports.
 * In the arcade version of the game, between the second and third stages, Mario carries Donkey Kong away in a yellow helicopter, with Jr. following close behind with an umbrella.