Mario's Monkey
Written: Feb 22 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Two classic arcade games on one cartridge.
Cons: They're both scaled down and simplified version of the classic arcade.
The Bottom Line: The arcade versions are perfect and most certainly reign supreme over this; but even though it's more simplified, it is still a fun play.
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| caligula79's Full Review: Donkey Kong Classics for Nintendo (NES) |
"Donkey Kong Classics" can certainly save you a little bit of money if you want to own both of the classic "Donkey Kong" and "Donkey Kong Jr" games for your NES...or atleast it probably could have in the late 80s and early 90s. Now days you could probably save, oh, a few bucks by simply getting this 2 in one cartridge. Back when I was a kid though, I loved the convenience of this two in one cartridge. I still do as a matter of fact. I used to ride my bike to the video store and pick this one up nearly every chance I could, that is, when the NES games were still in the video stores.
When going back and playing it now, sure there are some complaints about the thing (the arcade happens to be my favorite arcade game of all time, so yeah I'm going to nitpick about any sort of changes to a perfect game), but nothing so severe that it completely ruins a good time I can have playing these classics of old school Mario and Donkey Kong.
It's self explanitory of what this game is. In "Donkey Kong" Mario has to rescue the fare las from Donkey Kong by going through three levels. The first one, the one that everyone recognizes, you dodge barrels and climp up the ladders and over the steel walkways to get to the top. If this doesn't sound familiar then you probably wonder what the hell "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy" had been spoofing in their various references to this game. The second level you dodge springs and flames instead of barrels; then the the third time out, you remove plugs from the floor to release three floor levels out from under Donkey Kong and sending him falling down on his back. Thus rescuing the lady.
"Donkey Kong Jr." was always an odd experience seeing how it's the only Mario game I can think of where our favorite Italian plumber is portrayed as a villain. You spend years trying to keep this guy alive, and now I have to participate in his defeat?? It just seems wrong. But it is a lot of fun. You are the Son of Kong, and you must rescue the caged Kong Sr. from the evil...Mario. Donkey Kong Jr climbs across vines and avoids little walking bear traps, electrodes, birds, and whatever Mario wants to use to kill our little monkey.
These games on the Nintendo cartridge vary from the arcade games that they are both based off of, which is usual for something tranfered from the arcade rooms to the home console. There are changes that I don't particularly like, but I can still live with. It isn't as drastically different as the Atari 2600 "Donkey Kong," nor is it like the pain we suffered when our bloody favorites from the 90s arcades were made tame for home use.
Both games are radically easier for the home nintendo. In "Donkey Kong" you finish those three levels and that's it. You've won. It starts back over, but it's just as easy. Plus, the pie factory level from the arcade version is missing. In the home version, you don't stack the Donkey Kongs between levels where it asks you "how high you can get," though when playing "Donkey Kong," we all know that it's very high. In the arcade, if you defeated Kong, it started back over, only much harder, and with new levels added each time. It took some skill. You can beat this one in about 5 minutes, but it's still a fun 5 minutes.
With "Donkey Kong Jr," I seem to remember that you had to be a master to accomplish that damn thing on the arcade. Nevermind it getting more and more hard as it went on, this thing was all kinds of difficult from the very beginning. I remember screaming out joyous and happy vulgarities when I simply got past the first level. The Nintendo version however is much like the "Donkey Kong" version. It's easier. You can still knock it out in about 5 minutes.
Sure they take very short times to beat, but it's a fun way to kill a little bit of time. Both games come in an A game and a B game, much like they are when they are sold seperately, but neither is much more hard than the other. In the case of "Donkey Kong Classics," simplified is still pretty good, though nothing can ever match the arcade game versions. The Kongs later made a Nintendo return in the pretty good but rarely played "Donkey Kong 3," and who can forget the ill-advised "Donkey Kong Jr. Math?"
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
caligula79
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Member: Brad
Location: Long Beach, CA
Reviews written: 141
Trusted by: 21 members
About Me:
Reside in both Long Beach, California and Springfield, Illinois. I'm region-polar.
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