Donkey Kong (Game Boy)

Donkey Kong
Developer: Nintendo EAD Publisher: Nintendo Platforms: Game Boy, Super Game Boy Released in JP: June 14, 1994 Released in US: June 21, 1994 Released in EU: September 29, 1994 This game has unused areas. This game has a prerelease article

The Game Boy Donkey Kong is the precursor to the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series. Grab keys, open doors, throw barrels at monkeys. There are several surprises to be found when playing the game using a Super Game Boy adapter.

Odd Stage Option

This stage option appears directly after the 9-5 option. Selecting it effectively freezes the game.

Unused Stages

To access these stages, use Game Genie codes 3E4-F3D-081 ??4-F4D-4CE 004-F5D-C49 where "??" is the stage ID. This will send you to the appropriate stage when you try to enter stage 1-1. To actually play the stage, be sure to die on stage 1-1 once before turning on the codes.

Stage 65

Identical to stage 9-9, with two exceptions. The first is the Rappy enemy circling the middle platform.

The second is this odd counter. It displays how many times in the game you've hit an object while doing a handstand.

Stages 66-67

Like stage 65, but with two Rappies. In stage 67 the two Rappies move faster.

Stage 68

An odd hybrid of stages. The layout is from stage 0-1 (25m), but the level graphics are from stage 9-5.

Interestingly, if the same stage is accessed from World 9 (by using the same Game Genie codes as above, but using a saved game that has already reached World 9 and entering a World 9 stage with these codes enabled), certain behaviour differs. The stage starts immediately, without Pauline's (misplaced) cry for help; and, if the stage is completed, Donkey Kong actually reacts to Mario reaching him... in the same way as stage 0-1! This does not occur when the stage is accessed from any other World. This may suggest this stage was originally intended to be played from World 9 - perhaps Stage 9-5 wasn't always the full-scale version we ended up with in the retail release?

Stages 69-FF

An almost barren stage, this takes up the remaining stage ID slots (69-FF).

SOUND

There is an unused medium explosion SOUND 410C0088 command in all versions, located at 0x078100. This could have been used anywhere, although it would have likely been during the boss battles when Donkey Kong stomps the ground making objects fall, or when Giant Donkey Kong slams his fists in the final battle.

Game Genie code 027-71C-916 will replace the SOUND 4180808C loaded shortly after booting up.

Virtual Console Changes

Since the game is locked in Game Boy mode, none of the Super Game Boy features are accessible, which is rather unfortunate because it is one of the most greatly enhanced games when played on one.