Game Debate #49: Donkey Kong

[T-Pac | 7,560]

On 5/13/2021 at 1:02 PM, Sumez said:

A few years ago I made an arcade perfect port of the game for the NES (as a counterpoint to the original official port which leaves a lot to be desired, to put it mildly)

What's the major difference there? I've only briefly played the arcade Donkey Kong, but I was under the impression that the NES port was pretty faithful aside from the missing level.

Is it fundamental stuff, or more nuanced "competitive player" minutiae?

-CasualCart

[Sumez | 2,966]

It's almost everything. They look alike, but don't feel alike outside of the overall shell.

There's "minutiae" like how the game controls, but generally the NES game is much less aggressive and lets you climb up unscathed on the barrel stages without needing to take much precaution. Of course, the biggest difference between them is that an entire stage is completely missing (the cement factory), but even with it intact (a later revision was released on Wii with it) the game just feels nothing like the original.

Donkey kong is competitive at its core, so you can't look past that aspect. If you aren't playing for a high score or with a long term goal of reaching the kill screen, there's no real "purpose" to playing. Doesn't mean you need to go for a world record, but pretty much the entire goal of any run is beating your own previous best, since there is no ending to the game. I can't play Donkey Kong on any level that even remotely approaches competitive play, and the official NES port is still a complete dud to me.
It does technically have a "kill screen", but it's like absurdly far into the game (level 133 instead of level 22), so it might as well not have.

[Kguillemette | 1,545]

7/10. I can just pick up and play a few loops anytime. It's a classic for a reason.

[T-Pac | 7,560]

13 hours ago, Sumez said:

It's almost everything. They look alike, but don't feel alike outside of the overall shell.

Neat - well now I hope I run into a Donkey Kong arcade cab someday to give it a proper play.

13 hours ago, Sumez said:

If you aren't playing for a high score or with a long term goal of reaching the kill screen, there's no real "purpose" to playing. 

You and I have a very different approach to playing video games haha.

-CasualCart

[G-type | 2,482]

love the design of the barrels level. 

[Sumez | 2,966]

9 hours ago, CasualCart said:

You and I have a very different approach to playing video games haha.

I'm not sure it's so different as you might think. I've seen the argument before, "I don't like to play for score, I just want to have fun playing the game", or "it doesn't matter if I 1CC the game, I still like playing it".

Like, the "end goal" doesn't change the journey, and even if you're a competitive player (which I've never been in any game), you probably wouldn't be playing the game if you didn't think the moment to moment gameplay is enjoyable.

Progress or score is just the metric that dictates how well you perform. And even if you claim you don't care how well you play, you're probably still heading right for the goal of the stage. That's gotta count for something.

Either way, I absolutely love your drawing of Bubby

[themisfit138 | 523]

8/10 One of my uncles had an arcade cab of Donkey Kong. I have seen him get the kill screen before. I have good memories of playing DK with my Dad and uncle.  

[WhyNotZoidberg | 585]

Absolute classic and I love the music. Mostly played the NES version.

[Foochie776 | 1,054]

My first memory of playing this was on DK 64 and man did it make me not like this. Lol

[Sumez | 2,966]

1 hour ago, WhyNotZoidberg said:

Absolute classic and I love the music.

 

[WhyNotZoidberg | 585]

24 minutes ago, Sumez said:

 

[T-Pac | 7,560]

12 hours ago, Sumez said:

I'm not sure it's so different as you might think. I've seen the argument before, "I don't like to play for score, I just want to have fun playing the game", or "it doesn't matter if I 1CC the game, I still like playing it".

Like, the "end goal" doesn't change the journey, and even if you're a competitive player (which I've never been in any game), you probably wouldn't be playing the game if you didn't think the moment to moment gameplay is enjoyable.

Progress or score is just the metric that dictates how well you perform. And even if you claim you don't care how well you play, you're probably still heading right for the goal of the stage. That's gotta count for something.

Either way, I absolutely love your drawing of Bubby

Very true - I'd be lying if I said those weren't the objectives subconsciously at least.

-CasualCart

[SpoonMan Abrams X | 697]

A definite classic. Not anything I'm super interested in playing but I don't really dislike it by any means

5/10