Standard Edition
StandardIn the box
- Game Boy cartridge
- Box with cover art
- Instruction booklet
Game Boy
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong, commonly referred to as Donkey Kong '94, is a 1994 puzzle-platform game developed by Nintendo and Pax Softnica for the Game Boy. The player controls the Italian plumber Mario, who must rescue his girlfriend Pauline from the gorilla Donkey Kong.
PlatformPuzzleArcade
- Update patch
- No patch
- Time to beat
- about 6 hours
- Plays offline
- Yes
Overview
Donkey Kong, commonly referred to as Donkey Kong '94, is a 1994 puzzle-platform game developed by Nintendo and Pax Softnica for the Game Boy. The player controls the Italian plumber Mario, who must rescue his girlfriend Pauline from the gorilla Donkey Kong. It begins as a remake of the Donkey Kong (1981) arcade game before introducing 97 original levels, incorporating game mechanics from Donkey Kong Jr. (1982) and Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988), in which the player must locate a key to proceed.
The Donkey Kong franchise creator Shigeru Miyamoto led the development, which ended a decade-long hiatus after the unsuccessful Donkey Kong 3 (1983). The developers sought to reimagine the original game while maintaining the theme of Mario attempting to outwit the trickster Donkey Kong. They gave Mario many new abilities while focusing on puzzle-oriented gameplay to account for the Game Boy's small display. Donkey Kong was the last game developed before Miyamoto shifted to an advisory role on the franchise.
Donkey Kong was released in Japan and North America in June 1994, and in Europe in September. It was the first Game Boy game designed for the Super Game Boy, a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) peripheral that allows users to play Game Boy games on a television. Donkey Kong sold 3.07 million copies, making it one of the bestselling Game Boy games, and received positive reviews. Critics considered it a killer app for the Super Game Boy and praised its gameplay, controls, challenge, and sound.
Official trailer
Gameplay video. Watch on YouTube
Gameplay
Donkey Kong (Game Boy) Playthrough, NintendoComplete. Watch on YouTube
Screenshots
Game details
- Genres
- Platform, Puzzle, Arcade
- Developer
- Pax Softonica, Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Series
- Donkey Kong
- Platforms
- Nintendo 3DS, Game Boy
- Age rating
- ESRB E
- Modes
- Single player
- Yes
- Local multiplayer
- No
- Online multiplayer
- No
- Co op
- No
- Age ratings
- PEGI
- 3
- ESRB
- E
- CERO
- A
Release dates
| Platform | Region | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | Japan | 1994-06-14 |
| Game Boy | North America | 1994-07-22 |
| Game Boy | Europe / PAL | 1994-09-24 |
Editions
Player's Choice
In the box
- Game Boy cartridge
- Player's Choice box
- Instruction booklet
Space and patches
Update patchNo patch
DLC
No DLC. Game Boy games had no downloadable content.
Playable today
Playable offline todayYes
Single player only, with no online features. The cartridge runs on any Game Boy, Game Boy Color or Game Boy Advance, and the game is on Nintendo Switch Online.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Ever released on disc | Yes, on Game Boy cartridge |
| Ever released in the store | Yes, 16 June 2011 On the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console. Later in the Game Boy library of Nintendo Switch Online on 6 March 2025. |
| In the store to buy today | No The 3DS shop has closed. Playable with a Nintendo Switch Online membership. |
| Can be downloaded again if you already bought it | Yes 3DS Virtual Console purchases can still be downloaded again. The Nintendo Switch Online version needs an active membership. |
| Disc runs with no patch | Yes |
| Disc runs with the final patch | Does not exist No patch was ever released. |
| Has online features | No |
| Online servers running today | Does not exist |
| Playable offline today: campaign | Yes |
| Playable offline today: local multiplayer | Does not exist Single player only. |
| Playable offline today: online multiplayer | Does not exist No online play. |
| Playable offline today: DLC | Does not exist No DLC. |
Online
Plays offlineYes
Reception
- Critics
Outlet Score Scale Game Informer 8 10 Hyper 85 100 Total! 92 100 Famitsu 27 40
Staff and cast
- Staff
Role Name Developers Nintendo EAD, Pax Softnica Publisher Nintendo Directors Masayuki Kameyama, Takao Shimizu Producer Shigeru Miyamoto Programmers Yoshiaki Hoshino, Masayuki Hirashima Artists Hideo Kon, Kenta Usui, Takaya Imamura Composer Taisuke Araki
Notes for collectors
- Starts as the four stages of the 1981 arcade game, then opens into 97 new puzzle stages.
- The first Game Boy game made for the Super Game Boy, with a colour border and palette on the SNES.
- Sold 3.07 million copies and was reissued as a Player's Choice title in 1996.
- The 3DS and Switch Online versions leave out the Super Game Boy extras.
Credits
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Developer
- Nintendo EAD, Pax Softnica
- Director
- Masayuki Kameyama, Takao Shimizu
- Released
- 1994-07-22
- Age rating
- ESRB E
- Region
- US
- Time to beat
- about 6 hours
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