This game has been a pleasant surprise. One would think from the title that this is once again a port of the arcade classic Donkey Kong, but the reality is that this game is a complete reboot (ironically, later would come another reboot) that ends up being a great tribute to the first game starring Mario.
The game starts identically to the original Donkey Kong, with the 4 classic levels, the same sounds, practically the same sprites, and the same objective, to save Pauline, however, when you finish these levels, it is revealed that this is just the introduction of a completely original game with 101 stages, which is much more interesting and mechanically creative. The gameplay is completely revamped, being a sort of combination of the original Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA) and a few more additions to Mario's moveset that make it extremely satisfying to control. This game is a precursor to Super Mario 64 in many ways, as you can perform other types of jumps depending on whether you're crouching or make the jump immediately by flipping to the opposite direction, which like in SM64, serve to reward the more skilled players by conveniently using these moves to skip sections of the levels. I've always loved this sort of thing, as it means that newcomers can play the game with simplicity and gradually learn the gameplay mechanics, but those who want to try to push the envelope and skip the easy parts quickly can do so as well.
This is one of the few games that really understands the console it is made for, meaning that the graphics and length of the levels are meant for a handheld console that you will most likely only play in short sessions. So in other words, this game consists of a series of small levels, each with a unique puzzle and platforming challenge, whose duration can range from over a minute to just a few seconds, making them a perfect snack for those dead moments. And this game is really very creative when it comes to level design and mechanics, as each level has its own little gimmick, all starting from the same basics of getting a key to the goal. There are levels where we are literally allowed to place platforms or stairs at our whim, or others where you must wisely use the elements of the stage to reach the goal.
Conclusion
And what can I say, I loved it, it was a very short game (about 4 hours), but also a very pleasant one to play and full of pure fun. It overflows charm and you can tell it was made by a team with ambition that understood the console for which the game was being created, which ends up making it not only an excellent tribute to one of Nintendo's first franchises, but an excellent Game Boy game in general.
This has become my second favorite Game Boy title, only being surpassed by Link's Awakening, but it's still really very good and I recommend it to any fan of retro Mario games. It's a pity that even though it received a sequel (Mario vs. Donkey Kong), other than that, Nintendo doesn't give much recognition to this game.
The game starts identically to the original Donkey Kong, with the 4 classic levels, the same sounds, practically the same sprites, and the same objective, to save Pauline, however, when you finish these levels, it is revealed that this is just the introduction of a completely original game with 101 stages, which is much more interesting and mechanically creative. The gameplay is completely revamped, being a sort of combination of the original Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA) and a few more additions to Mario's moveset that make it extremely satisfying to control. This game is a precursor to Super Mario 64 in many ways, as you can perform other types of jumps depending on whether you're crouching or make the jump immediately by flipping to the opposite direction, which like in SM64, serve to reward the more skilled players by conveniently using these moves to skip sections of the levels. I've always loved this sort of thing, as it means that newcomers can play the game with simplicity and gradually learn the gameplay mechanics, but those who want to try to push the envelope and skip the easy parts quickly can do so as well.
This is one of the few games that really understands the console it is made for, meaning that the graphics and length of the levels are meant for a handheld console that you will most likely only play in short sessions. So in other words, this game consists of a series of small levels, each with a unique puzzle and platforming challenge, whose duration can range from over a minute to just a few seconds, making them a perfect snack for those dead moments. And this game is really very creative when it comes to level design and mechanics, as each level has its own little gimmick, all starting from the same basics of getting a key to the goal. There are levels where we are literally allowed to place platforms or stairs at our whim, or others where you must wisely use the elements of the stage to reach the goal.
Conclusion
And what can I say, I loved it, it was a very short game (about 4 hours), but also a very pleasant one to play and full of pure fun. It overflows charm and you can tell it was made by a team with ambition that understood the console for which the game was being created, which ends up making it not only an excellent tribute to one of Nintendo's first franchises, but an excellent Game Boy game in general.
This has become my second favorite Game Boy title, only being surpassed by Link's Awakening, but it's still really very good and I recommend it to any fan of retro Mario games. It's a pity that even though it received a sequel (Mario vs. Donkey Kong), other than that, Nintendo doesn't give much recognition to this game.