FAQ#1 ______ _____ __ _ __ _ _______ __ __ | ___ \ / ___ \ | | | | | | | | | _____| | | | | | | | | | | | | | \ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | \| | | | / / | | | |_| | | | | | | | | | | | | |/ / | |_____ \_ _/ | | | | | | | | | | | | | _____| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |\ \ | | | | | | | | | | | | | |\ | | | \ \ | | | | | |___| | | |___| | | | \ | | | | | | |_____ | | |______/ \_____/ |__| \_| |__| |_| |_______| |_| __ _ ____ __ _ ____ | | | | / __ \ | | | | / _ \ | | | | | | | | | \ | | | | |__| | | / / | | | | | \| | | | | |/ / | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | _____ | |\ \ | | | | | | | ||_ _| | | \ \ | | | | | |\ | | | | | | | | | | |__| | | | \ | | |__| | |__| |_| \____/ |__| \_| \_____| _____________________________________________________________________________ |_____________________________________________________________________________| Donkey Kong FAQ/Walkthrough For NES Written by Kevin E. Merrill "TheNintendoMaster03" This file is Copyright (C) 2003-2013. This game is Copyright (C) Nintendo 1986. Version: 1.3 _____________________________________________________________________________ |_____________________________________________________________________________| This guide should be viewed only in Notepad for best appearance possible. http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/97072.html My guides use the Ctrl+F4 system so you can skip ahead to any area of the FAQ you wish. Just insert the five letters in between the <>'s in the Ctrl+F4 system box. I also note to the left of the Ctrl+F4 cuts whether a section is completed or not yet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What's New ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Very minor editing, maps are more accurate and added the Game Basics section. =============================================================================== Table of Contents =============================================================================== ------%---------------------------Of FAQ Sections----------Completed----------- 1. What's New--------------------------------------------------------> ***100%***************************Introduction*************Completed*********** 2. Legal Disclaimer--------------------------------------------------> 3. Contact Info. and Rules-------------------------------------------> 4. Version History---------------------------------------------------> 5. Introduction-------------------------------------------Completed--> 6. The Story----------------------------------------------Completed--> 7. The Characters-----------------------------------------Completed--> 8. Controls-----------------------------------------------Completed--> 9. Game Basics--------------------------------------------Completed--> ***100%***************************Walkthrough**************Completed*********** 10. Walkthrough--------------------------------------------Completed--> Level One----------------------------------------------Completed--> Level Two----------------------------------------------Completed--> Level Three--------------------------------------------Completed--> ***100%***************************Appendices***************Completed*********** 11. Scoring------------------------------------------------Completed--> 12. Enemies List-------------------------------------------Completed--> 13. Credits-----------------------------------------------------------> ***100%***************************Introduction*************Completed*********** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Legal Disclaimer ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This file is copyright Kevin E. Merrill. It should not be reproduced under any shape or form except for personal or private use. Meaning being rewritten, sold or placed in magazines and newspapers is not allowed. If you want to host my guides on your websites just ask. I'm a nice guy. The only sites allowed to host my FAQs are currently GameFAQs, IGN and Neoseeker. Failure to comply or if you plagiarize my work is a violation of copyright law. All trademarks and copyrights contained in this file are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders. All rights reserved. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact Info. and Rules ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please read the FAQ before e-mailing or sending me messages. I've gotten a few questions that were already answered in my FAQs. If you wish to contact me, state which FAQ you're talking about and fair warning to all you spammers. All spammers will be blocked so don't bother wasting your time. Make sure that you speak proper English in your e-mails/messages please. I want to understand what you're trying to say and not see a big mess or words that don't make sense. If you didn't like it tell me how I can improve. I don't mind criticism at all as long as you don't be nasty about it. Thank you. E-mail: kevinmrrll519@gmail.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/KMerrill03 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Version History ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Version 1.0 Submitted 06/10/03: Submitted the FAQ/Walkthrough. Version 1.1 Submitted 09/08/03: Added strategies for when the levels loop. Version 1.2 Submitted 11/10/11: Reformatted as will my other FAQs. Allowed sites to host my FAQs are now IGN and GameFAQs. Version 1.3 Submitted 01/14/13: Very minor editing, maps are more accurate and added the Game Basics section. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello everyone, and welcome to my first of many FAQs to come. For my first guide I decided to start with the NES version of the arcade classic, Donkey Kong. I figured I'd start with a small game and concentrate on bigger projects later. I was born in 1982, so I was fortunate enough to grow up around the time when the NES was all the rage. One game I played a ton of when I first got my NES was Donkey Kong Classics. Those two games are some of my favorites from the early gaming days of my childhood, though I have always enjoyed DK Junior more. I rarely had the chance to go to an arcade, so I'm more accustomed to the console ports. I only wished they included the awesome pie factory level in this version. It's a shame it didn't as it was the best level in the arcade game. Thank God for reproduction carts! Check out retrousb.com and buy Donkey Kong Pie Foundry if you wish to play all four levels on an NES cartridge. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Story ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copied from instruction manual. Copyright (C) 1986. Can you save Pauline from the clutches of Donkey Kong? Help Mario scale the construction site to rescue his girlfriend, Pauline. Dodge the fireballs and barrels that Donkey Kong hurls down the ramps and ladders to thwart your efforts. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Characters ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mario: Back in 1980, he was known as Jumpman, but now is known to millions of gamers as Mario. Instead having to saving Peach from Donkey Kong, his girl this time is Pauline. Pauline: Before Princess Peach came along in Mario's life, Pauline was Mario's girlfriend. To my knowledge unlike Peach, she is not a princess. Also, Pauline was actually known as Lady in the arcade game. Donkey Kong: The big, bad monkey responsible for kidnapping Mario's girl and starting a rivalry that has lasted for over 30 years. Come on guys. Isn't it time to bury the hatchet already? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Controls ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________ | |_____________| | | _____________ | | _ |_____________| Nintendo | | | | _____________ | | __| |__ |Select__Start| | | |__ o __| _____________ __ __ | | | | |_(___)__(___)| (__) (__) | | |_| _____________ B A | |____________|_____________|____________| Up and Down: Climbs ladders. Left and Right: Mario runs. Select: Selects a game mode. (A: Easy B: Hard) Start: Start game. Pause game. Resume the game from being paused. B: Does nothing. A: Jumps. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Game Basics +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ =============================================================================== Gameplay =============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Controlling Mario ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mario is only capable of climbing up full ladders. The broken ones in the girder level are only there so the Fireballs and barrels can reach you faster. You also don't want to stand on a rivet in the rivet level after you unravel it. Doing so will send Mario down to his demise. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attacking ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mario's only means of attacking enemies in this game is by using the hammer. Once you grab one, every enemy that comes in contact with either side of it perishes in one shot. You're not invincible while wielding this and it lasts only for a limited amount of time, so don't get careless. =============================================================================== Miscellaneous =============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Game Mode Options ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One-Player Mode A: Mode A consists of only three levels from the arcade game that sadly excludes the amazing Pie Factory level. After completing the third level, the game begins to loop, increasing in difficulty. One-Player Mode B: The only difference between the modes is the AI. It's much smarter this time. The enemies move faster and are released more frequently. Two-Player Mode A: When a friend challenges you to a game, grab the second controller and go head to head to see who gets the highest score. The second player won't have the opportunity to play until the first player dies. Two-Player Mode B: If both players have already mastered Mode A or just want to try the harder version to see who lasts longer, plug-in another controller and challenge the second player to a round of this mode if he/she dares. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Heads-Up-Display ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Below is an example of what the heads-up-display (game screen) may look like: I: 000000 Top: 000000 II: 000000 (M)(BONUS)(L) Pauline (2)(5000 )(1) |OOOO| |____| ______________________DK________________ |OOOO| |OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO| |OOOO| |____|_|__________________________|_|____| |-| |-| ___ |-| |-| |-| |-| |___| |-| |-| |-| |-| | |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| _|-|____|-|______________________|-|____|-|_ |OOOOOO| |OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO| |OOOOOO| |______|_|__________________________|_|______| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| _|-|______________________|-|_______________|-|_ |OOOOOOOO| |OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO| |OOOOOOOO| |________|_|__________________________|_|________| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| _|-|_________________|-|________|-|_____________|-|_ |OOOOOOOOOO| |OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO| |OOOOOOOOOO| |__________|_|__________________________|_|__________| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| _|-|________Mario___________|-|_____________________|-|_ |OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO| |________________________________________________________| I: Shows the first player's current score. Top: Shows the highest score that has been reached. II: Shows the second player's current score. M: Stands for Mario. 2: Indicates how many lives you have remaining. BONUS: The timer bonus you receive after completing the level is below. 5000: Indicates the time remaining to beat the level. L: Stands for Level. 1: Indicates the level number you're currently on. ***100%***************************Walkthrough**************Completed*********** =============================================================================== Walkthrough =============================================================================== This is the walkthrough section, the bulk of the guide. Here I cover strategies for all three levels of the game and the later loops when the game begins to get more difficult. Every loop gets harder as the enemies move faster and more barrels will roll down on the girder level. You'll never see more than two Fireballs on the girder and elevator levels. However, the rivets level's max amount of Firefoxes is four and thankfully never increases. Speaking of loops, you clear one once you unravel every rivet on level three. There are 132 loops before you can reach the kill screen. How long can you last? I know I'll never come close to it, but the kill screen was reached last year by Tom Votava. Like most arcade games, you start with three lives and the game ends when you lose them all. You will also get extra time to complete the levels, but the timer also ticks down faster. Try not to waste too much time. You don't want to keep Pauline waiting do you? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level One-Girder ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |-| |-| |-|P |-| |-|A |-| |-|U |-| |-|L |-| |-|I |-| |-|N |-| |-|E |-|_________________ |_|__|_|_________________| |/\/\/\| |-| _ _ |______| |-| |_|_| DK |-| |-| |-| |_|_|___________|-| |-|__________ |-| |/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\|____|-| |________________________________|/\/\/\|______ |-| |______|/\/\/\|______ |-| |______|/\/\/\|______ |______|/\/\/\| |______| ___ |-| |___| |-| | |-| |-| ____ |-| |/\/\| |-|____|____| ______|/\/\/\| ______|/\/\/\|______| |-| ______|/\/\/\|______| |-|____|/\/\/\|______| |-| _____|/\/\/\|______| ______|/\/\/\|______| ______|/\/\/\|______| |/\/\/\|______| |-| |______| |-| |-| |-| ____ |-| |-| |/\/\|____|-| |-| |____|/\/\/\|______ |-| |______|/\/\/\|__|-|_ |______|/\/\/\|______ |______|/\/\/\|______ |-| |______|/\/\/\|______ |-| |______|/\/\/\|__|-|_ |-| |______|/\/\/\|______ |-| |______|/\/\/\| ___ |-| |______| |___| |-| |-| | |-| |-| |-| |-| ____ |-| |-| |/\/\| |-| |-|____|____| |-| ______|/\/\/\| |-| ______|/\/\/\|______| |-| |-|____|/\/\/\|______| |-| ______|/\/\/\|______| |-|____|/\/\/\|______| ______|/\/\/\|______| ______|/\/\/\|______| |-| |/\/\/\|______| |-| |______| |-| |-| |-| ____ |-| |-| |/\/\|____|-| |-| |____|/\/\/\|______ |-| |______|/\/\/\|______ |-| |______|/\/\/\|__|-|_ |______|/\/\/\|______ |-|______|/\/\/\|______ |-| |______|/\/\/\|______ |______|/\/\/\|______ |______|/\/\/\| |______| |-| |-| |-| ______ |-|____|/\/\/\| ___ ______|/\/\/\|______| | | ______|/\/\/\|______| |Oil| |-| ______|/\/\/\|______| ______|___|Mario_________|-|______|/\/\/\|______| |/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\|______| |__________________________________| Time your jumps carefully and watch out for the wild barrels that Donkey Kong drops once in a while. Donkey Kong will always start the level off by tossing the first of two wild barrels he can throw. DK drops this one under him and into the oil barrel below, which creates a Fireball. Thankfully, the Fireballs can't go up any rows beyond the second. After a certain amount of barrels, DK will throw the other wild one, that goes down in a zigzag pattern. Climb to the top and watch out for barrels going down the ladders as you make your way up to the next row. When you see two barrels coming after you that aren't close to one another, stop and jump over them one at a time instead of attempting a running jump to get over both at once. Trying to jump over both will usually result in costing you a life. You can use both hammers if you wish to give Mario's jumping a break for a while to rack up a lot of extra points. 20,000 gives you the only extra life can have in the game and you won't earn it until the second loop since the pie factory level is not in this version. :( When you see several barrels coming you way, you can head to one of two safe spots to steer clear of them. These are on the rows in between the two full ladders on the left side. Just keep your eyes peeled for the wild zigzag barrel that DK can launch below. Assuming not many barrels are coming after you, the far right edges are also a good place to wait for an opportunity to go up another ladder. My preference however, is to stand between the ladders as a barrel sooner or later will roll into you when waiting near the edges for long periods of time. Here's one trick you can do I discovered when I was a kid that's extremely helpful, especially in later loops. Climb a ladder when tons of barrels are rolling down a row, but don't go above it. If you block off the ladder, all the barrels won't go down after you! It's cheap, but works very well. No, this does not work in the arcade version, just the NES one. Whatever you do, don't wait for them long under where DK can drop his wild barrels below at you. That's just begging Donkey Kong to kill ya. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level Two-Elevator ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |-| |-| |-|P |-| |-|A |-| |-|U |-| |-|L |-| |-|I |-| |-|N |-| |-|E |-|____________ |_|__|_|____________| |/\/\/\| |-| |______| |-| |-| |-| |-| __________DK______|-|__|-|__________|-|_____________ |/\/\/\/\| |/\/\/\/\/\/\| |/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\| |________|____|____________|____|____________________| |____| |____| |-| Purse |-| |/\/\| ____ |-| ____ |____| |/\/\| ____ |-| |/\/\| |-| Parasol |____| ______ |/\/\| |-| |____| |-| |/\/\/\| |/\/\/\| |____| __|-| |-| |______| |______| ______ |/\/\| |-| |-| ^ |-| |-| | |/\/\/\| |____| |-| |-| | |-| |-| v |______| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| _______|-|__ |-| ____ |-| |-| |-| |/\/\/\/\/\/\| |-| |/\/\| |-| |-| ____ |-| |____________| |-| |____| |-| |-| |/\/\| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |____| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-|_ |-| |-| |-| |-| | |/\/\| ____ |-| ____|-| |-| |-| v |____| |/\/\| |-| |/\/\/\| |-| |-| |____| |-|__ |______| ^ |-| |-| |/\/\| ____ |-| | |-| |-| |____| |/\/\| |-| |-| |-| |____| |-| ____ |-|__|-| |-| |-| |/\/\| |/\/\/\| ____ __|-|_ |-| |____| |______| |/\/\| |/\/\/\| |-| |____| ____ |______| |-| ____ |/\/\| _Mario ______ |/\/\| |____| |/\/\/\| |/\/\/\| |____| |______| ____ ____ |______| ____________|____|____________|____|______________________________________ |/\/\/\/\/\/\| |/\/\/\/\/\/\| |/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\| |____________|____|____________|____|______________________________________| There isn't much to worry about on the elevator level until you have to deal with the Jacks at the top of the level, which appear left of DK and jump around up top like a slinky. Once the level begins a Jack appears behind Donkey Kong and starts bouncing around. It will then leap off the edge, past the ladder you climb to reach the top row. Their jump pattern becomes trickier to get down in later loops, but I'll get to that later. Climb the ladders or use the elevator to reach the Parasol. Before advancing to the next area, wait for the Fireball to go down a ladder. Then jump across off the elevators. Don't get use to them being this slow. They will speed up later. I honestly don't think collecting the Purse is worth the effort. The Fireball that lingers there has nothing to do with it. You can wait for it to go down the ladder, but don't bother since the Jacks can reach the platform to the left of where the Purse lies. It's a waste of time, especially when you start clearing many loops you'll find the Jack hitting you a lot. If you jump off the second elevator as soon as it lowers from the shaft, you can take a shortcut granted you have the room to jump on it. Making the shortcut will test your patience after you start clearing many loops. If you jump too far, you will die so time your jumps right. Once the Fireball goes down, take the ride up. Starting at loop four, the safest way to make the shortcut jump is to wait under the ladder you would take to get the Parasol instead of on top of it. Once you reach the top, stand on top of the ladder and wait for the Jack to jump over you. This strategy will work for the second loop, but once you reach loop three it becomes a whole new ballgame. I suggest you begin waiting once it appears on the screen before you make a mad rush for the ladder. I find it safer this way and whatever you do, don't take any risks up top. Take it slow and get the timing down. Don't waste any time running up the ladder and move onto the final level when you get the chance. As the game begins looping, you will need to look for a space between you and the Jack making this part very tricky. That space will be your opening to climb the ladder. Starting on loop three, you will have to wait for two fast Jacks to go by. Then the slow Jack should follow. After one of the fast ones hops, run to the middle part of the platform under the ladder and wait for the slow Jack to take its first hop. That's when you should run to the ladder. The Jack pattern will remain like this for the rest of the game and add more fast Jacks before the slow one appears, so practice up! It's not easy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level Three-Rivets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pauline |OOOO| |____| Parasol_______________DK________________ |OOOO| |OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO| |OOOO| |____|_|__________________________|_|____| |-| |-| ___ |-| |-| |-| |-| |___| |-| |-| |-| |-| | |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| _|-|____|-|______________________|-|____|-|_ |OOOOOO| |OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO| |OOOOOO| |______|_|__________________________|_|______| ___ |-| |-| |-| |___||-| |-| |-| | |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| _|-|________Purse_________|-|________Parasol|-|_ |OOOOOOOO| |OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO| |OOOOOOOO| |________|_|__________________________|_|________| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| _|-|_________________|-|________|-|_____________|-|_ |OOOOOOOOOO| |OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO| |OOOOOOOOOO| |__________|_|__________________________|_|__________| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| _|-|________Mario___________|-|_____________________|-|_ |OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO| |________________________________________________________| I consider this to be the hardest level in the game because it tends to be so random. I find the easiest way to begin this level is to climb the lower left ladder and unravel the bottom two rivets first, especially the bottom right one. If you leave them for later, it might be tougher to reach them as multiple Firefoxes usually tend to roam around there later if you don't do it ASAP. You must walk or jump over all eight rivets in order to save Pauline. Watch out for the Firefoxes and don't get close to Donkey Kong either as he'll kill you. I've always found it's best to only use the Hammers if you desperately need to clear out a bunch of Firefoxes. If you stay near the far sides of the corners after killing a Firefox, one may appear there and kill you. So stay away from the corners when you use a hammer. One thing you NEVER want to do when you are wielding a hammer is stand over a rivet. If your hammer's time limit runs out, you'll fall to your death. You can lure the Firefoxes up and down the ladders so you can reach areas they are guarding if you stand on top or below a ladder for a while. When you reach loop three, this will become mandatory as you will have to plan your movements more carefully to outsmart the Firefoxes. A great strategy to use is lure as many of them as possible to an area that has all or most of its rivets unraveled making the other side a little easier. If Firefoxes end up blocking your path to a rivet and they are near a ladder, be patient as they will eventually go in the direction you need to go to unravel the blocked rivet. Once you undo every rivet, Donkey Kong falls from above and onto the pillars that fall beneath him. After giving DK a massive headache and saving Mario's woman, the game begins to get progressively harder the longer you stay alive. Obviously this means more barrels, the enemies will move faster and the Jack's pattern will become very hard to get down. ***100%***************************Appendices***************Completed*********** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scoring ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jump over Barrels: 100 Unravel Rivets: 100 Destroy enemies with the Hammer: 500 Parasol: 800 Purse: 800 Extra Life: 20,000 (You only get one.) Timer Bonus: The remaining time left is the exact bonus. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enemies List ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Donkey Kong: The antagonist of the game and captor of Mario's woman. Unravel all the rivets in the rivets stage to teach DK a lesson he will continue to forget. Fireball: These pop out of the oil barrels in the girder level and walk about in the elevator level as well. They can be destroyed with the hammer, but can't be jumped over however. Firefox: No, not the awesome web browser. These are the big fireballs, which randomly appear in the rivets level. Thankfully only four can due to NES sprite limitations. Jack: These appear on the screen when the elevator level begins and can't be jumped over. You must avoid them and their patterns get trickier over time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Credits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nintendo: Making the classic arcade games. Releasing Donkey Kong Classics for the NES. Re-releasing it on the e-Reader and the Virtual Console. My Parents: Giving me Donkey Kong Classics for Christmas years ago. Played it back in the day a LOT. ==================================End of File==================================