HSC Season 4 Week 4: Donkey Kong

[Ze_ro]

Important Note: This week's competition is over, and no further scores will be accepted. If you still wish to discuss Donkey Kong and compare future scores, feel free to do so in this thread, but they will not be added to the listing.

 

Donkey Kong the ape has kidnapped Mario's girlfriend! In this action-packed rescue adventure, you move Mario through incredible dangers to save her. Your skill and speed determine your score!

 

Game Information

• Game Name: Donkey Kong
  
• Released By: Coleco, 1982
  
• Left Difficulty: B / Novice
  
• Right Difficulty: B / Novice
  
• Game Mode: Default
  
• Chosen By: vdub_bobby
  

Post your scores right here in this thread, and I will add them to the list. Remember to play the game with the recommended game mode and difficulty settings as shown above so that your scores will be consistent with everyone elses. The deadline for posting scores will be approximately Thursday, May 25th at 1:30 AM (CST).

 

If you want to suggest a game for future weeks, please send me a private message and let me know! I will add your game to the list. One one game per person will be kept on the list, so you will not be able to suggest a game until your first game is played!

 

Anyone can play! Just post a score and I'll add you to the list! Please read the Rules & Information if you haven't already done so!

 

Current High Scores

1. 308,000 (shawnb) [+11]
   
2. 113,700 (vdub_bobby) [+10]
   
3. 104,900 (Rom Hunter) [+9]
   
4. 76,800 (keilbaca) [+8]
   
5. 54,200 (SpiceWare) [+7]
   
6. 47,900 (scogey) [+6]
   
7. 42,000 (Lord Helmet) [+5]
   
8. 41,800 (Jred) [+4]
   
9. 35,900 (BrianC) [+3]
   
10. 27,200 (128bytes) [+2]
    
11. 21,700 (LarcenTyler) [+1]
    
12. 7700 (Dan Iacovelli) [+1]
    

Best Tips

• vdub_bobby [+2]
  

Bounties and Challenges

• None yet posted
  

TwinGalaxies Top 3

(Difficulty B)

1. 849,600 (Robert T Mruczek)
   
2. 822,500 (Ron Corcoran)
   
3. 540,000 (Wolff K Morrow)
   

Current Standings

1. Rom Hunter [35]
2. shawnb [28]
3. the 5th ghost [24]
4. keilbaca [23]
5. SpiceWare [22]
6. vdub_bobby [18]
7. Lord Thag [15]
8. Lord Helmet [9]
9. 128bytes [9]

• BrianC [8]
• Cybergoth [7]
• Malc74 [7]
• phaxda [7]
• LarcenTyler [5]
• supercat [5]
• Christophero Sly [4]
• scogey [4]
• Omegamatrix [1]

Scoring Points in Donkey Kong

• Starting Bonus Value (each screen) - 5000 pts
  
• Jumping a barrel or fireball - 100 pts
  
• Eliminating a rivet - 100 pts
  
• Smashing a barrel or fireball - 800 pts
  

Hints and Tips

As always, you really should read the manual. In case you don't have the manual, AtariAge has a scanned copy of it available online. The manual contains no real hints, but it's worth reading for the information it provides.

Tip: Try to trap the fireballs on one of the ends of the platforms by waiting untill they get to that end, and then removing the rivet.

Getting the hammer on the barrels screen will get you quite a few more points, since it's 800 for hammering and 100 for jumping a barrel. The hammer on the rivets doesn't really make much difference in score. I use it for safety if the opportunity presents itself.

 

Trying to trap the fireballs on the smaller side of the rivets is VERY dangerous. That usually requires jumping the fireball and you never know when it will reverse. Also, these fireballs can cross over the holes any time they want to. I almost never do this.

 

I guess the secret feature is the mysterious way the fireballs act at approximately 80,000 point intervals throughout the game. Some people claim it's impossible to clear these boards without losing a life, but I assure you that it can easily be done safely.

on the early levels on the 2nd screen take the far left ladder and trap ducky in the left corner by jumping over him and the rivet-then go right to the right inside ladder-wait till ducky moves away(be careful for reverses) go up and get the rivet to the right. then come back down the farthest right ladder and go to the left inside ladder- wait till ducky goes all the way right and then go up and trap ducky on the far left again. (the level with the hammer on it)go to the inside right ladder-wait till duckey moves far left-move up and get the rivet to the right- then climb back down the far right ladder and go to the inside left ladder- wait till ducky moves away and climb up and get the last rivet. over 80000 the fireball duckys will start behaving wierd shakin and shimmering and staying in one place. use the same pattern but when they are just shimmering in place-moving up and down the ladder seems to make them move left or right-go up when they are far enough away from you. at 120000 the game kinda resets itself back to the beginning levels. i think it just randomly jumps around between early and later levels.

I just zig zag up the left side, pausing when necessary to avoid the fireballs. I rarely try to jump them because they get smart and reverse all too often. Since you can't earn extra men in this game, you cannot afford to take any risks. You must preserve your lives above all else.

 

Sometimes I kill the fireball with the hammer if he really asks for it. I just play by feel more than a pattern really. Remember, the fireballs can cheat and cross the empty holes too, so it's best to be safe and stay away from them as much as possible.

 

When they get "shakey", the ladder trick you described is very useful most of the time. I've seen them get severely stubborn and 2 will try to guard the remaining rivets. You have to run to the bottom level and wander around a bit to throw them off their pattern and then clear the board quickly.

vdub_bobby has posted a rather long walkthrough for the 2nd levels, with pictures and everything. Check it out over here

During the fireball stage where they shake, all you need to do is push up or down on the stick to manipulate their movement. You do not need to be on a ladder to do this!

 

I always grab the hammer of the Rivet stage, just my own pattern I guess

 

--Ze_ro

[Dan Iacovelli]

another game I have.

( Iforgot all about q*bert, even had it set up next to system by the time I had a chance to play it was too late)

[vdub_bobby]

Marathon time baby! Does this game actually get harder? I guess I'll find out...

[Ze_ro]

By the way, my list of games to pick for future weeks is down to only three titles (those chosen by sku_u, the 5th ghost, and Cybergoth)... So anyone else who wants to get a game in, send me a private message and let me know.

 

--Zero

[vdub_bobby]

I just sent you another one!

[+SpiceWare]

31,800

[D.Yancey]

Are you going to cap this at 999,900 (takes me about 3.5 hours) or will there be competition to see who will roll it the most times? I could play this one all week if you allow unlimited breaks between screens so I can sleep and such. But, of course, a simple screenshot wouldn't even prove if I rolled it at all. Any guidelines or restrictions specific to this game?

Edited May 19, 2006 by D.Yancey

[keilbaca]

Its like normal, the cap is when you roll it

[Lord Helmet]

I just sent you another one!

 

Me too

[128bytes]

Me Three

[vdub_bobby]

First shot at it: 25,900

[BrianC]

35,900

[Lauren Tyler]

I can't believe someone suggested this. Oh well, first attempt, although I know I can do better.

 

 

Tip: Try to trap the fireballs on one of the ends of the platforms by waiting untill they get to that end, and then removing the rivet.

[vdub_bobby]

I can't believe someone suggested this.

Who, me?

 

 

[128bytes]

2 questions:

 

 

1) Are you guys pro-hammer or anti-hammer? Usually I can't be bothered to hammer.

 

2) Are we finally going to find out the "special features" that Coleco promises on page 7 of the Donkey Kong manual? I was always hoping to find them as a kid, but they never appeared

Edited May 19, 2006 by 128bytes

[D.Yancey]

Getting the hammer on the barrels screen will get you quite a few more points, since it's 800 for hammering and 100 for jumping a barrel. The hammer on the rivets doesn't really make much difference in score. I use it for safety if the opportunity presents itself.

 

Trying to trap the fireballs on the smaller side of the rivets is VERY dangerous. That usually requires jumping the fireball and you never know when it will reverse. Also, these fireballs can cross over the holes any time they want to. I almost never do this.

 

I guess the secret feature is the mysterious way the fireballs act at approximately 80,000 point intervals throughout the game. Some people claim it's impossible to clear these boards without losing a life, but I assure you that it can easily be done safely.

 

Also, is the barrel jump leeching technique banned from this contest? Ahh, I guess it would be hard to tell if someone used it from just a screenshot.

Edited May 20, 2006 by D.Yancey

[Lord Helmet]

Gotta get a score in:

[shawnb]

268,400 first try. try again tonight. what is barrel jump leeching?

[shawnb]

308,000 used the hammer on the first screen alot more.

[+SpiceWare]

47,700

[D.Yancey]

What is barrel jump leeching?

 

'Ya know what? I was mistakenly remembering the NES Donkey Kong version that contains this glitch. Sorry for the confusion.

 

Special Rules from NES version: Accidental use of the Glitches where you jump a barrel going down a ladder gaining more then 100 points, and being chased by a barrel and jumping at the last second ARE allowed. Intentional use of these glitches will result in Disqualifcation.

 

If you time it right and jump straight up over a barrel as it goes down the ladder below you, you will net around 2,400 points IIRC.

 

 

Zero, don't enter this score in the contest. I just wanted to post this screenshot for fun. I didn't obtain this score this week anyway.

Edited May 21, 2006 by D.Yancey

[Rom Hunter]

 

Freaky fireballs.

 

[keilbaca]

62800

[scogey]

47,900

 

Yeah, Screen 2 is the key...I try to trap the "fireballs"(or as we used to call them...ducklings...based on thier appearence) between the first rivet and the edge but on about the third level they seem to start reversing directions in....what I feel is an unpredictable and random manner. Anybody have a pattern figured out for this?...I dont want any freebies, but is it possible to run one unstoppable pattern to complete the second screen at the higher levels? just curious.

[Rom Hunter]

Well, looking at Shawnb's (first try!) score, there has to be a way to secure the second screen on higher levels.