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Donkey Kong (GB) Guide______________________________ | __________________________ | | | | | | | DONKEY KONG (GB) | | | | FAQ/Walkthrough v1.0 | | | | Written by Snow Dragon | | | | (C) 2003 | | | | All rights reserved. | | | |__________________________| | |______________________________| = | ================= = | TABLE OF CONTENTS = | ================= 1 Intro 2 Controls 2a Basic Stuff 2b Complicated Stuff 3 Items 4 Walkthrough 4a The Arcade Levels 4b Big-City 4c Forest 4d Ship 4e Jungle 4f Desert 4g Airplane 4h Iceberg 4i Rocky Valley 4j Tower 5 Credits and Copyrights _______________________________________________________________________________ ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ = | ===== 1 | INTRO = | ===== Hello all, and welcome to my 38th FAQ, for the Game Boy port of Donkey Kong. As you can tell if you've played the game, this is no ordinary port; such a thing would more than likely be a waste of silicon and computer chips. Rather, this version of Donkey Kong lets you play through the four original arcade levels, and then piles a quest containing 100+ levels _ON TOP_ of it, in which Donkey Kong exacts his revenge by giving Mario the ride of his life, sending him on a wild goose chase to get back the woman he loves (in this instance, Pauline - we see that Mario has had many main squeezes over the last two decades). Due to the fact that this quest is comprised of about 97% new material, Mario's got some new moves that you'll have to deal with as well. Don't fret, young one! These things are all discussed in detail in the walkthrough and in the sections preceding it. No ground has gone uncovered so that you, Constant Gamer, might derive more use from this FAQ. If you have any questions about anything that seems to have been excluded from the walkthrough, you can reach me at my inbox day or night at this address: [eubanks1084@hotmail.com]. Only reach me if your question is not addressed anywhere in this document, and triple-check first to make sure this is the case. Also be sure to include some subject line related to the problem or game in question. That's all I ask .... not too much, is it? I thought not. With those things in mind, let's play Donkey Kong! _______________________________________________________________________________ ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ = | ======== 2 | CONTROLS = | ======== In order to prepare for the new quest, Nintendo has endowed Mario with a swell repertoire of new techniques and ways to get through levels. For people just getting into the game, I have listed your basic controls in the first section here, and in the second part there are control schemes for all of the fancier techniques, like backflips and handstand jumps. Easy enough to comprehend, I suppose, so let's move on out! -- | ----------- 2a | Basic Stuff -- | ----------- Pretty much anything only requiring one button press is listed here. _ _| |_ |_ _| |_| The D-pad >> Walk left and right. >> Climb ladders or vines. >> Hold Up while on a rope to start swinging. The longer you hold Up, the faster you will go. >> Move the cursor that allows you to place temporary terrain such as roads and ladders. >> Hold Down to duck. _ _ |_| |_| The A and B Buttons >> Press A to jump. >> A also stops the slots and the wheel in the bonus games. >> A also sets down temporary terrain wherever you decide to put it. >> Enter levels by pressing A. >> Press A to confirm menu selections or other choices, such as saving your game. >> While swinging on a rope, press A to let go. >> Pressing B while standing on certain objects or enemies (e.g. keys, trash cans) will allow to pick them up. >> While holding an object, press B to throw it. >> If you are holding the hammer, press B to cast it aside. ___ ___ (___) (___) Start and Select >> Start the game. >> Press Start to pause the game and bring up a menu with three options: * Continue * Save+End * Record ** Choosing Continue resumes gameplay. ** Choose Save+End to quit the game in your tracks and go back to the title screen. ** Selecting the Record option allows you to see all the total times for each set of four levels you have played through so far. >> Press Select to bring up a menu showing your times for the quartet of levels that you are currently on. -- | ----------------- 2a | Complicated Stuff -- | ----------------- That is, the fancy-pants stuff that we all love to do. We'll discuss the moves in more or less the basic order in which you learn them. HANDSTAND ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ How to do it: Hold Down on the D-pad to duck, then press the A button. How to use it: Walking while standing on your hands is rather impractical. This technique is best used to deflect objects that are falling from a distance and have a trajectory that you are in the direct path of. Almost anything can be bounced off of your feet when you assume the handstand position, even barrels (HINT HINT). **Added bonus tip** If you try to do a handstand while bouncing on a springboard, you'll get a major boost off of it. Try it sometime! BACKFLIP ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ How to do it: When you are walking in one direction, tap the other direction and press A. If you do it right, you should do a clean, springy somersault. How to use it: In most cases, the backflip is a faster way of jumping from the handstand position. Other times, you'll need it to get up to certain ledges, because the jumping height of the backflip is slightly more than that of the handstand jump (even the good one). HANDSTAND JUMP ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ How to do it: While in a handstand, press A to jump out of it. This gives you more airtime than the standard jump. How to use it: The normal jump from this position doesn't have much use. If you're going for height, just try the one below this one. IMPROVED HANDSTAND JUMP ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ How to do it: As soon as you go into a handstand, jump out of it. You should hear a more dynamic springing sound than you hear when you normally bounce out of it. How to use it: Basically used for getting to ledges that a normal jump can't reach. ROCKET JUMP ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ How to do it: Do the improved handstand jump, and as soon as you touch the ground, press A again to do your best jump of all. How to use it: This is your best tool for getting to ledges you can't reach. It comes into play a lot more in the later levels than in the early ones, as the cutscene where you learn it leads you directly into the jungle world. With knowledge such as this, you should be well-equipped for the road ahead. And remember, knowledge isn't power ... APPLIED knowledge is power! _______________________________________________________________________________ ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ = | ===== 3 | ITEMS = | ===== Because we're dealing with an expanded quest here, the Game Boy rendition of Donkey Kong adds a plethora of new items to the roster in addition to the very traditional hammer. Some of these will help you get more extra lives, and other such things will help you complete levels and access tough-to-reach areas that normally are out of Mario's range. In alphabetical order, here's a listing of every important trinket you'll come across in your 100-level journey. 1-UP HEART ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ These are found at very few junctures in the game. It's a free 1-up, sitting there, just waiting to be taken! They aren't extremely special though - you can easily get a plethora of 1-ups in other places, such as the end-of-level bonus games or the time tally at the end of a set of four stages. BONUS ITEMS ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ More than just trinkets that are only good for points, in this game the hat, the purse, and the parasol all come together as a trio of items wherein if you get all of them within a single level, you will get to go to one of two bonus stages depending on whether the ones digit of the timer is even or odd when you finish the level. There is no opportunity for bonus stages in the arcade levels or in the Tower. HAMMER ŻŻŻŻŻŻ The hammer was the only item in the original arcade DK, so it makes sense that it would live to see the light of day in this port. The hammer's best use is for killing enemies. Many enemies will take on a quality of rabid fury during the time that you have the hammer. A key difference between the hammer in this game and in its predecessor is that now you're not forced to hold it for its entire duration - you can discard it any time you wish simply by pressing B. KEY ŻŻŻ This is the first item you are introduced to upon exploring the world outside the arcade stages. The key is found in every level except for encounters with Donkey Kong in every fourth stage, and will open the locked door in the level. Sometimes there is more than one locked door in a level, but you can tell which one is the real deal by remembering which one Pauline screams "HELP!" from. SUPER HAMMER ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ First seen in the desert world, the Super Hammer is an improved version of the regular hammer that can break through a certain fragile type of brick. It also kills enemies in the same fashion as the hammer, so its dual purpose makes it a far more practical appliance than the normal hammer. SWITCHES ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Pulling a switch, as in most games, will have an effect on some other part of the level - in this game, that usually means opening/closing a door or creating a floor somewhere. There are all kinds of switches that have individualized effects depending on what level you're in. Donkey Kong also has switches that he controls in levels where he is featured sometimes. TEMPORARY TERRAIN ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ When you find an area that your jumping ability or other lack of superhuman strength won't get you around, these temporary items come in handy. They come in road, ladder, single block, and springboard forms, and last a few seconds before returning to their original spots. You can have several on the screen at once by getting another temporary road/ladder/block/springboard before the previous one's time runs out. _______________________________________________________________________________ ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ = | =========== 4 | WALKTHROUGH = | =========== Here you'll find solutions to the puzzles packed into this humble little cartridge. However, there are often loopholes to be exploited, especially in the earlier levels where sound knowledge of Mario's more sophisticated techniques can lead to beating certain levels a whole lot faster. Therefore, in places where there is a considerable amount of time to be cut from your route by using special techniques, the solution will be divided into the Regular Way and the Fast Way. There will not be a Regular Way and a Fast Way provided when the difference between the two is merely a matter of getting all the bonus level items or not (more on those later). I'm usually talking about shaving off 20 seconds or more when I refer to multiple routes. Also, because of the terminology used in the Fast Way sections, it's probably best if as a beginner you beat the game once so that by the time you come back for a second go, you've seen the cutscenes that teach you all the nifty tricks and you've had time to familiarize yourself with them first. Therefore it goes without saying that if you're new to Donkey Kong, play it safe and take the Regular Way through most levels. If you've beaten it before and you're looking for ways to spice up the DK experience, try some of the Fast Ways provided. Fast Ways can be applied to the following stages: 0-1 0-2 0-4 1-1 2-3 5-8 8-6 9-2 9-5 And finally, whenever a new concept is introduced, whether via a cutscene or in its first appearance in a level, you'll know it by the bombastic header I created to signify said New Concept. Cutscenes exhibit the moves in action, but they don't often tell you _how_ to do the moves, and so the main purpose of the New Concept sections is to give a tutorial on such things. Just to give newbies a slight edge; experts can skip over this stuff and move on to what they will consider the real meat of this document (the Fast Ways). Now, on with the walkthrough! -- | ----------------- 4a | The Arcade Levels -- | ----------------- Mario begins his quest in search of the ravishing dame Pauline in the four levels found in the original arcade game. These levels are now over 22 years old - bona fide classics! Most of them can be conquered via a Fast Way if you know what you're doing, but if you're new to the game, just take it easy and beat it the regular way. Anywho, let's get it on. LEVEL 0-1: 25 METERS ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ > REGULAR WAY: The layout of the level should be familiar to any old-school gamer, and most people will start instinctively walking to the right toward the ladders. Note that you cannot go up ladders with a break in the middle of them, only up completed ladders. Use the hammer along the way if you have a hard time leaping over barrels, but remember that you won't be able to move up while you've got it. When you get to the top, Donkey Kong will be surprised by your presence. He will take Pauline under his arm and climb to the next stage, with Mario following suit. > FAST WAY: An experienced gamer is surely aware of the backflip, and here it's the key to a simple victory. Walk to the middle of the stage, then do a series of repeated backflips until you've reached the top. LEVEL 0-2: 50 METERS ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ > REGULAR WAY: The two fireballs that come out of the oil drum near the top middle portion of the level are bound to hop out to the left, so take the path to the right. Also beware the bowls of highly flammable ash that move back and forth on the treadmills. If one touches the oil drum in the middle, it'll turn into a fireball also. The ladders at the top fold up and down, and you can't climb to the top when they've retracted like that. When a ladder touches the belt, climb up to complete the level. > FAST WAY: Walk to the left just slightly, then repeat the backflip trick that you used in the previous level. Odds are you won't be able to backflip up to the top conveyor belt, so just climb up the ladder when it moves up and connects to it. LEVEL 0-3: 75 METERS ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Climb up the ladder and grab the hat, which is of little consequence at this time but is still good for a few points. Jump across the ledges to the right, whether they move or not, then ascend to the main ledge above. Wait for an opening in DK's spring tossing to move up the ladder to victory. LEVEL 0-4: 100 METERS ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ > REGULAR WAY: As in the 1981 arcade game, the object here is to walk over the six blocks crammed into the rising platforms, thus causing them to disappear as you move across them. Here to annoy you in your pursuit of this goal are some very ghost-like fireballs. They can be easily dispatched with one of the two hammers made available to you, or you can jump over them if you don't want to get messy. Once all six blocks are gone, Donkey Kong's throne will collapse, and the two star-crossed lovers will rejoin at last. > FAST WAY: This requires impeccable timing, but it can be done. Just like in two of the levels before this, it requires knowledge of the repeated backflip. Stand under the disappearing block above, then head a _very_ short distance to the right and do three backflips. If done correctly, you'll already have half the level cleared. Now go to the other side and do the same thing there. When all six blocks have disappeared, Donkey Kong will flail his limbs futilely until such time as he falls and is dazed. A platform will bridge the gap between the couple, and they will meet in a sweet embrace ..... but the primate below has other plans. Gathering his bearings in a moment of unbridled genius, Donkey Kong jumps up and destroys the bridge with the sheer force of his jump. With Pauline in his arms once again, Mario's going to have to go on a 100-level wild goose chase to get back the woman he loves. He's cool like that. What follows is a cutscene displaying the first of many important elements of the puzzle-like nature of this game. Donkey Kong will squeeze into the door leading to the Big-City (the next set of stages, in case you weren't aware). Mario will slam face-first into the door just as it shuts, causing temporary dizziness. Then, a key will fall from the sky. THIS IS IMPORTANT! I FINALLY GET TO USE THE HEADER! ______________________ ****NEW CONCEPT!!!**** ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ #1: Using a Key to Open a Locked Door. The cutscene shows Mario jumping on the key, picking it up, and approaching the door with it to unlock it. In order for you to pick up a key, all you have to is jump on it and push the B button. You'll hold the key without having to hold the B button. To discard it, press B again (it can be used a weapon in this regard when necessary). After the cutscene is over, the game will begin dispensing extra lives based on the total of the times you finished the last four levels on. Confused? Say, for example, your finishing times for the first four levels were 90, 93, 88, and 82. These four numbers are totalled up, which is the number you see at the top of the screen during a cutscene. 90, 93, 88, and 82 add up to 353, which will show up on the screen as 0353. For every 100 seconds you have there, you'll get an extra life, and you'll get an extra life from any seconds you have left over. In this model, you'll get three extra lives for the 300 portion of the number, and then an extra life for the remainder of 53. Four lives in all. Isn't that nifty? Also, if the total blinks, that means you set a record for your total times in a set of four levels. You'll see the number blink every time you beat four levels the first time you run through the game - don't think it's anything too special. At last, let's move on to the Big-City! -- | -------- 4b | Big-City -- | -------- LEVEL 1-1 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ To start, let's get the New Concept out of the way before we go firing off multiple ways to beat this level. This also gives me a handy excuse to whip out the dumb header again! ______________________ ****NEW CONCEPT!!!**** ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ #2: The Three Bonus Level Items. In each of the three levels preceding the fourth-stage bout with Donkey Kong, you will see icons resembling a hat, a parasol, and a purse. Collect all three of these and get to the end of a level in one piece and you'll get to play one of two bonus stages, depending on what the timer reads when you finish the level. If the timer finishes on an odd number, you'll play slots for 1-ups; if even, then you'll get to participate in a simple game of 1-up roulette. 1) THE SLOT MACHINE GAME: Playing the slots for 1-ups is simple. Just press the A button to stop them in order from left to right. First however, a quick legend: 3 DK's = 5 lives 3 Marios = 3 lives 2 Marios = 2 lives 1 Mario = 1 life 3 hats = 2 lives 3 hammers = 1 life 3 fireballs = 1 life DK, Mario, hat (in that order) = random amount of lives, ranges anywhere from four extra lives to 99 As for the Marios, they work sort of like the cherries in the slot machine game from SMB2, except that with the Mario faces, they can be located anywhere in the three spaces for a 1-up. One Mario ensures a 1-up, two guarantees you two, no matter where they fall. There is always the chance that you won't score any lives as a result of this game; however, I find it more entertaining and potentially profitable than the alternative. 2) 1-UP ROULETTE: With this game, you're guaranteed an extra life no matter what the outcome, but it's more fun to gamble at a chance for even more in the slot machine game. Regardless, here a cursor moves rapidly around the wheel. Press A to slow it down, eventually bringing it to a halt on a 1-up or a 2-up. Occasionally the wheel offers a chance for three extra lives. Now, on with the actual level: > REGULAR WAY: If you stand on the trash can in front of you, you'll find you can pick it up as you could a key by pressing the B button. It's better used as a quick stepping stone to the next ledge up. Stand on the walking weirdo to boost yourself to the hat, then go up the ladder to the left and grab the parasol. Continue to the right and jump over the key to get the purse if you're interested in the bonus level. Then, grab the key and head to the exit. > FAST WAY: Ignore the bonus stage item tripe and head over to the right side of the screen. Do handstand jumps until you're up in the same area as the purse, then leap over and grab the key, heading to the exit. LEVEL 1-2 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ ______________________ ****NEW CONCEPT!!!**** ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ #3: Hanging From and Swinging From Ropes. To grab ahold of a rope, jump to it and press Up. This will cause Mario to hang onto it. Hold Up to begin swinging. You will eventually move faster and faster until your gums are flapping in the breeze. (Just kidding, but you'll figure out what maximum speed is rather quickly.) Press A to let go at the moment of your choosing. It's that simple! You'll notice that in the first level, the poles holding the ropes have steps on them. This means you can climb them like a ladder. Not all poles have these nifty steps! Head over to the right to grab the key, then make the necessary jumps to the left. You'll notice at the ledge with the ladder that you can't just jump that high. Easy solution: toss the key up to the ledge, then climb the ladder and grab it again. If you don't grab the key in time, it will return to the spot where you originally picked it up. You can tell when it's about to go back to where you got it - it will start flashing. LEVEL 1-3 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ If you want the hat guarded by the two fireballs, eradicate them with the hammer. If not, head to the left and climb up the pole steps. Note that you can't pick up the trash can - there's a hidden entity inside that has possessed it! Hop to the right, pick up the key, and ride the moving lift. To avoid the wrath of the electrical spark moving along it, jump off to the right as soon as you hop on it to reach the door. LEVEL 1-4 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ In your first non-arcade bout with Donkey Kong, his method of tripping you up will be to stomp the ground, causing numerous pieces of debris to fall from the sky and flatten you. Whenever he jumps, you jump also in order to keep your balance. Not doing so keeps you planted on the ground, most likely in danger of being turned into a road waffle. This is a simple exercise in point-A-to-point- B platforming if you take away all the falling junk, so treat it as such, remembering to jump whenever DK's feet meet the ground. Afterward, you'll be treated to a cutscene in which Mario creates a temporary road over a pit using an arrow tool. This comes very heavily into play during the next set of levels. LEVEL 1-5 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Either climb down the ladders or fall down to the temporary road icon below, represented by a horizontal arrow pointing both ways. Now, read below to see how to use it (and its identical cousin, the ladder). ______________________ ****NEW CONCEPT!!!**** ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ #4: Placing Temporary Roads and Ladders. Placing a road is a simple affair. Just position the cursor where you want the road or ladder to go, and press A to watch it fill in the gaps. When you create a road or ladder, a dotted-line square will be where you originally picked up the icon; the road or ladder will not go past this dotted-line square if it is in its path, nor will it go past one of the bonus stage icons (hat, purse, parasol) if it runs into one. For the first of the roads in this stage, make it span the pit to the left of the ledge you just fell on/climbed down to. Walk across and head up the ladders on the left side to the key. Pick it up and make a road that bridges the gap between your side and the exit door. LEVEL 1-6 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Get the ladder icon to the right and put in the chamber above you, preferably next to the purse if you're aiming for a bonus stage. (Be sure to avoid the fireball walking the perimeter of the chamber.) Grab the 1-up if you feel it's necessary, then create a ladder that allows you to climb down the long chasm. Next you'll come across a road and a ladder - mercy! Not a difficult situation, however, especially since they give you the road first as a way to keep you from doing anything stupid. The placement of the road and ladder should be fairly obvious at this point. As a side note (since this is the first level where you can witness this), if you finish a level with more than 150 seconds left on the clock, Mario will pop back in and shut it before heading to the next stage. LEVEL 1-7 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Jump on the rope and have a swing if you want the hat, but take the ladder if you just want to get down to business. Put the temporary ladder somewhere below the parasol (umbrella) icon and to the left so you can get down into the nook where the moving platform is. Grab the road and place it in a position that will allow you to get to the exit without a hassle, then pick up the key and ride the lift. Walk across the road you made and hop to the door before it (the road, not the door) disappears. LEVEL 1-8 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ This is the first of many stages in which you will confront Donkey Kong physically by throwing the barrels that he throws at you at him. Subsequent worlds will add elements that make the ordeal more difficult (such as wind or springboards), but for now all you have to do is wait for DK to throw a barrel down or roll it your way. When a barrel lands right-side-up, pick it up as you would a key, jump up the series of platforms there, and throw it at him. Three barrels will do the trick, and he will grab Pauline and make off with her, leaving Mario stranded for the time being. While I'm thinking about it, I think it bears worth mentioning not to ever come into contact with the gorilla himself. It's worth risking if you have a buffer of about 20 lives or so, just to see Mario get manhandled by the primate. However, the experience will be a lesson to you that if you're going to dare to approach the big ape, do it with a barrel lifted proudly above your head. After your four level times are tallied up, you'll see a cutscene in which DK removes a bridge by pulling a switch, and Mario makes it come back by pulling a switch on his side. Switches factor very heavily into the next area - the Forest. Save your game and move on. -- | ------ 4c | Forest -- | ------ LEVEL 2-1 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Climb up the two ladders to your immediate right to find yourself confronting a switch. ______________________ ****NEW CONCEPT!!!**** ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ #5: Switches. As with most switches you find in video games, in the Game Boy Donkey Kong a switch will have a unique effect on one aspect of a level. To grab onto a switch, hold the B button, then press either Left or Right on the D-pad according to which way the switch will move. Here, you'll see it creates a bridge to the key to your left. Go grab that. Head all the way to the right with the key and go down the left, then return to the beginning of the level where the door is. LEVEL 2-2 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ The switch located above you at the beginning of this stage has opposite effects depending on which way you pull it, and when it's positioned in the middle as it is at the beginning, nothing moves. Climb up and pull it to the right. Ride up the lift farthest to the right and grab the key. Make your way back to the bottom where you started with key in hand, and bounce on the springboard to the switch. Set aside the key for a moment and turn the switch to the left. As you can see, everything will start moving in the opposite direction. Get on the elevator to the left and stand near the left edge of it (lest the annoying insectoid monster try to touch you), then hop up the steps to the door. LEVEL 2-3 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ > REGULAR WAY: Jump up and make your way to the ledge moving up and down on the conveyor line. Pull the switch to make the door below open, then grab the key and take it to the door next to it. The ladder is only necessary if you want the hat to complete the bonus stage triad, and frankly, it's not really worth it considering the two seed-spitters you have to go through to get to it. > FAST WAY: While Pauline is screaming "HELP! HELP!", hold Left. You'll walk into the ladder once the action starts. Place it under the door that separates the key from the exit. The door won't close all the way with the ladder under it, and you will have ample time to grab the key and make a break for the exit. Executed properly, the level takes about four seconds when done this way. LEVEL 2-4 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ This match with the Kongmeister is most reminiscent of the first level of Donkey Kong Jr. As such, Mario controls a lot like the baby ape who couldn't withstand the effects of gravity. He can ootch his way up one vine pretty slowly, but if he's clinging to two, he climbs a lot faster. Similarly, he goes faster down one vine than down two of them. Go through the motions and you'll do fine. After you beat this stage, you'll see a cutscene where Mario deflects barrels that Donkey Kong throws at him by standing on his hands. Since you'll have to put this move to applied use fairly soon, I'll go ahead and explain it here. ______________________ ****NEW CONCEPT!!!**** ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ #6: The Handstand. The handstand is an easy move to accomplish. Simply hold Down on the D-pad to duck, then press A to go into a handstand. Mario can deflect falling objects with his feet from this position, such as the barrels that Donkey Kong throws at him. Press A to come out of the handstand. As a bonus, you'll jump a little higher than you normally would. LEVEL 2-5 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Instead of swimming in the water and facing the danger of piranhas in the briny depths below, how about using that new handstand trick instead? Jump to the thin block next to the spikes, then go into a handstand. As soon as you're in it, jump and hold Right. (If you jump as soon as you execute a handstand, you'll get a bigger jump than if you stay in the handstand for a while and then jump. My, I've said "handstand" a lot in this paragraph. I have no synonyms for it.) That said, take a dip in the pond and grab the temporary road. Make it span the length of the gap from the plateau with the key to the exit door (which you began the level standing near). Take the key and walk across the road to the exit before the road expires. LEVEL 2-6 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Pull the switch once to create bridges, but then don't bother with it anymore. It's too confusing to figure out what to do with it in correlation with the speedy ladybugs. If one gets in your way, resist it and walk against it until its natural path moves it out of your way. The goal is to get to the top and get the key, and if you do that, you're on Easy Street. LEVEL 2-7 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ There's an intricate process to this level which makes it kind of tough, but if you'll bear with me, we can get through this. Go over to the switch to the right and pull it to release the menagerie of insects in the encasement above. At the same time that the floor opens up, a door will close nearby. See it? You want a ladybug to get itself circling around that L-shaped ledge created by the closed door. Then, when it's above the door, pull the switch again. The ladybug will be walking around an I-shaped column. This is what you want. Now, go left and cross the floor made by the switch to the ladybug. Whether it is moving counterclockwise or clockwise doesn't matter, because there are places on either side where you can jump on top of it. Ride the ladybug up to the top and go to the left. Fall down and duck to move left under the conveyor belt (don't stand up though - those spikes are dangerous). Climb up the ladder and grab the key, then take it down to the conveyor belt below. Stand facing to the right when you're forced against the wall and toss the key, then duck so that you go through the treadmill before the key does. When the key comes out, pick it up and exit the level. LEVEL 2-8 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Approach the block to make it fall, but don't get so close that you get crushed by it (resulting in a death scene that's only funny the first time around). Stand on it and ride it up; you want to get high enough to jump to the highest of the three moving ledges. From there, hop to the vines and stay high enough to avoid the springs that DK tosses at you. Jump off the vine when there's an opening and climb the ladder to victory. The cutscene that follows shows Mario escaping the wrath of a charging gorilla by way of a quick and easy backflip. ______________________ ****NEW CONCEPT!!!**** ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ #7. The Backflip. You may have done this accidentally already; if you have, now you know how to do it for real! While you're walking in a given direction - let's say for the purposes of this model that you are walking right - press the opposite direction and then, almost immediately after turning around, press A. So if you're walking right, you would turn left, press A a split-second later, and perform a somersault! It's really easy to do once you get the hang of it. It doesn't come into play during these next levels with any degree of necessity, but it is a nifty thing to know and can make certain levels move a whole lot faster. LEVEL 2-9 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ This level is only difficult if you count the chicken dropping eggs on you from above as "difficult." Other than that, it's a breeze. Get the road and span it so that it hits the parasol icon to the right. This gives you easy access to the switch above, which will reverse the direction of all the elevators on the screen. This makes the trip down with the key a lot easier. LEVEL 2-10 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ This level will mark your first encounter with the mice with giant ears, who look kind of like what would happen if you transplanted the heads of the Biker Mice from Mars onto a pair of tennis shoes. In any case, any sudden movements like jumping will wake them up, causing them to charge at you. Jump over the first one of this sort, then repeat until you get to the top. You'll have to throw the key up to the ledge with the locked door before you go up the ladder. LEVEL 2-11 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Go to the right and get the temporary ladder, then set it up to your right. It will expand to a point beyond your field of vision, but when you climb up, you will realize that it leads to the key. Go left once you're at the top and grab the key. From there, carefully make your way back to the exit along the moving ledges. LEVEL 2-12 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Springboards make the barrel tossing a little tougher this time around, but you'll do well to use the handstand technique you learned earlier in order to speed up the process of killing him. Ignore the first two barrels he chucks - they're headed offscreen anyway. The rest of them roll conveniently near you and are easy to pick up and chunk at him. Just like in the Big-City, three hard hits will do him and lead you on to your next area - the Ship. The cutscene makes a show of swinging on ropes and whatnot, but you already know how to do this from previous stages. -- | ---- 4d | Ship -- | ---- LEVEL 3-1 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ This is a simple stage that will either take a long time or a short time depending on whether or not you decide to chase after all the bonus stage criteria or not. (If you ask me, the spoils aren't worth the hunt.) Focus on going up the ladder, riding the mean-faced block dude across the spikes, and finding a temporary road near a diagonal rope. When positioning this road, you will notice a block dude on the lower half of the screen walking back and forth across from a pit of spikes. Place the road so that he walks across it and onto the bed of spikes. The road will disappear, leaving him to walk across the spikes only. This allows you to jump on his head and get the key, which you can then take to the exit. LEVEL 3-2 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ The long way around is only good for if you want the bonus stage materials, so we'll pretend it doesn't exist in the interest of getting straight to the solution. (By all means go ahead and get these items if you want, though.) When the knight-type guy pushes you off the ledge, then do a handstand and get on the left side of him. This will allow to climb up the almost-invisible ladder on the far left side of the screen. Now you need to rope up to the key, but don't swing up at maximum speed or you will overshoot your mark. Swinging five or six times ought to give you the momentum you need to reach the key. Drop down after you have it (you'll roll and drop it, just pick it back up and keep on truckin'), then move right and toss it to the ledge where the door is. Climb up the ladder yourself and recover it. LEVEL 3-3 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Same scenario here as in the last level; get on the other side of the knight and let him shove you to where you need to go. Be sure to duck so you don't get crushed, and before you know it you'll be on the other side. Ride the lifts up to the key. Here you will find a temporary block, which works exactly like the temporary roads and ladders but comes out as just a single block. Place it to the right somewhere where it will allow you to jump and it and toss the key up to the ledges above. This level will also teach you about the wiles of fake doors. Sometimes there may be multiple doors in a level or even a hidden one that Pauline is trapped behind, but you can always tell which one is the real deal by remembering which door she screamed "HELP!" from. In this case, it's the door on the far left. LEVEL 3-4 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Wait for the big boulder to come crashing down before you make any rash moves. When it's down, ride it up and catch a ride on one of the two platforms moving in a circle along the guided path. You will notice, on the other side, two boulders guarding the switch that you need to get to. Surely you'll be crushed if you attempt to get through them in their current state, so go all the way up and pull a switch to create a barrier so that the boulders don't crash down on the treadmill. This frees you up to go pull the other switch, which opens up the door that leads to Pauline. Now it's just a matter of making it back to that area without dying. A tall order indeed, but manageable. It's a lot easier if Donkey Kong pulls the switch so that the boulder is falling on the switch-created floor instead of all the way down to the floor below (you can get crushed easier the latter way). Step into the area where you opened the final door to complete the level. A subsequent cutscene shows a handstand which offers a higher jump than usual. I've elucidated on this point once already, but in case you didn't catch it the first time: you'll get a bigger boost out of a jump from a handstand if you come out of the handstand as soon as you go into it. There's a difference in sound effects that allows you to discern between the two jumps, also - the bigger boost is marked by a more dynamic, layered sound effect, as opposed to the smaller boost which is characterized by a weaker sound. LEVEL 3-5 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ A straightforward level right here, made easier now that you've mastered almost all that the handstand has to offer. Bounce up to the ledge to the right and cling to the upper rope, the one that looks like the top half of a trapezoid. Swing to the top and climb to the key, which of course you need to grab, then walk to the left and ride the elevators down to safety. LEVEL 3-6 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Here's a good test in working with multiple roads and the time limit implied by them. The road to your right and the hat to the left are cleverly placed in such a way that you can't use the road to get to the ladders nearby, thus ensuring that you take the long way around. Boo-urns. That said, grab the road to the right and place it as a bridge so that the scuba diver dudes above walk across it. While the time ticks away on that road, head over and climb up the long ladder to the far left, then drop off to the left to hit the road. Place it above the other bed of spikes that hasn't been covered yet. You'll have to make quick tracks here, especially if you roll, which will take precious time away from you. (A handstand jump might work better if you're having trouble getting up the ladder and across the road after rolling from falling off the ladder.) When you finally get across and are able to get to the key, things should be easy as pie. LEVEL 3-7 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Climb up the ladder and jump to the switch that's in your sights. Pull it to create a floor that the knight guy below can walk on. When he's on the created floor, pull the switch again and make him fall. Head down to his level and let him push you through the narrow area, remembering to duck so that you don't get turned into a flapjack. Once on the other side, create a ladder allowing you to move up and pull the switch to open the door guarding the key. Head to the exit. LEVEL 3-8 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ This is where the handstand will work wonders for deflecting barrels. Instead of waiting for barrels to come to you and then going all that way just to score one hit, go up near DK and use the handstand to put barrels right-side-up. This will make the battle move a whole lot faster, and you'll be able to rack up more 1-ups as a result. The cutscene transitioning into the jungle leads us into our next..... ______________________ ****NEW CONCEPT!!!**** ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ #8: The Rocket Jump. The rocket jump is an extension of the boost you get from jumping immediately after doing a handstand. Jump immediately out of a handstand to get the bigger, more dynamic boost, then when you touch the ground, jump again at that moment. You will sort of a rocket noise, and if done correctly, Mario will be in sort of a "ta-da!" pose upon finishing. This is the last of the handstand techniques to learn; you have now mastered the Zen of handstands. The world is at peace. -- | ------ 4e | Jungle -- | ------ LEVEL 4-1 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Another simple level, but this one makes more use of vines than you're accustomed to right now and introduces the concept of a temporary springboard, which works just like the roads and ladders and individual blocks you've seen up to now. Move across vines by holding Left, then when there's nothing left to grab onto, press A to jump off the vines. Grab the key and drop to the ledge just to the left to get the portable springboard. Place it on top of the spikes directly parallel to the parasol; this position will allow you to get to the exit with minimal hassle. LEVEL 4-2 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ This level is extremely easy. The only things that make it difficult are the seed-spitting plants and the fact that all the conveyor belts resist your forward movement instead of facilitating it. Stay attached to the vines to avoid the seeds and make your way to the top. LEVEL 4-3 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Instead of traditional vines, this level uses monkeys' tails which hang below the platforms. To grab onto one, reach out so that Mario is wiggling around looking for something to latch to. When you have a monkey's tail, it will begin whimpering. Transfer yourself over to it, and voila! You've got a vine and a mode of transportation rolled in one! With this knowledge, the rest of the level is a cakewalk. LEVEL 4-4 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Introducing Donkey Kong Jr.! This rotten little scamp, who is always penned up or placed out of reach so you can't throttle him (unfortunately), loves nothing more than to make trouble for you. This stage is a basic introduction to his aggravating mischief and isn't terribly complicated. To deflect the springs that Daddy Donkey Kong throws, simply assume the handstand position. All in all, another breeze. (Note that another factor that adds to DK Jr.'s annoying nature is the fact that he will sometimes dance a jig instead of flipping the switch at times when it would be very convenient for him to do so.) The cutscene at the end will make you aware of poison mushrooms, which shrink you and inhibit you from doing a lot of things, such as hanging onto vines or making any jump beyond a normal one. LEVEL 4-5 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ The vines to the right hang low enough for you to attach to, so head up and up to the very top of the level. Follow the natural path of the vines all the way around to the key. The main things to avoid here are the bats, which will start sucking your blood dry if they catch you. You'll be immobilized when this happens, so make sure it doesn't happen from too high up, as it can lead to a fatal fall. When you have the key, come down a few ledges, then throw it to the ground and speed down a vine before it disappears. LEVEL 4-6 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Meticulous attention to detail is required here, so pay attention. You'll see a series of individual temporary blocks to the far left. The blocks forming the bridge above you crumble when you step on them, so you're going to need to be able to cross the bridge twice. Get as many individual blocks as you need (three should do) and space them about four squares apart, jumping to each one like a stepping stone on your way to the key. Once you have the key, head back, jumping along the bridge in case you drop the key for too long and need to make a return trip. Get an individual block and use it to hop up to the insectoid ledge so you don't have to throw the key. The next part is what makes the level so difficult. There's no way you're going to get through a swarm of bugs that are moving that quickly, so position a tiny block in the gap between ledges, and DOWN one space. (This relies heavily on luck, so bear with me.) Hopefully, one of the bugs will be on the block when it disappears and will fall way down below. If this is the case, you're free to go. If not, repeat until it works. From there it's easy to complete the level. LEVEL 4-7 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Now you're not just encountering Donkey Kong Jr. in boss levels, but in everyday puzzle-solving! Holy moly! His job here is flipping a switch that turns certain floors on and off. Combine with the Biker Mice from Mars heads and you have .... well, a pretty easy level nonetheless. Climb up and distract the heads from their slumber by jumping once, then jumping again when they charge you. Wait for Donkey Kong Jr. to turn on the floors at the top so you can get the key, then move over to the exit. LEVEL 4-8 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ This level would be the easiest Donkey Kong experience yet if not for the voodoo mushrooms he rolls out and throws at you. Do a boosted handstand jump up to the moving platform and wait for a delay in the throwing of the mushrooms that will allow you to climb the vine to the right without being pygmyfied. (You can't climb vines or do fancy jumps if you're a midget.) Avoid the mushrooms and head to the plateau of victory. ______________________ ****NEW CONCEPT!!!**** ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ #9. Discarding the Hammer. The cutscene following this level is short but gets a good point across. To get rid of the hammer at any time while using it, just press the B button. This is convenient if you don't want to hold it for its entire duration, and is even necessary in certain areas. LEVEL 4-9 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Go to the right and up the ladder, then make your way to the left along the monkey tails. Go all the way up the ladders at the far left and you'll find a switch that activates the door above. Open the door and ride one of the monkey tails over the gap until you're close enough to the next ledge to jump to it. At that time, head to the right, take the drop and pull the switch that will activate the floor above. When one of the monkeys is standing on it, pull it again to make him fall. You can now ride his tail over the bed of spikes to the left. Also, the door that was blocking the key is now open, so you can go in, take it, and make your way to the exit. LEVEL 4-10 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ The key is conveniently located all the way to the right next to a frog who looks as though not all the lights are on upstairs, if you get this author's drift. He serves a very useful purpose, however, and that is to launch you into the air when you stand on him, thus allowing you to reach higher ledges. This is a really easy level, and it moves even faster if you don't fiddle-fart around trying to get all the bonus items. LEVEL 4-11 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Here's yet another extremely easy one, in the sense that it's easy if you don't get hit by any of Donkey Kong Jr.'s smallifying fungi. You might want to get shrunk if you want all the bonus stage items in the level; being small and then standing on the frog allows him to jump even higher than normal. (A switch placed in the room can help you get out.) The key is at the very top to the right, and the door is just across from it. LEVEL 4-12 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Only deal with the barrels that DK throws to his immediate left and right. When they land, climb up the appropriate vines, grab one, and hit him. Note that any time you hit him, a poison mushroom will pop out in an attempt to make you tiny. Don't let these come into contact with you, and you'll do fine. When the round is over, you'll be introduced in a cutscene to a new item, the Super Hammer, which can break through certain blocks as well as kill enemies. Like the regular hammer, it can be discarded with a simple tap of the B button. -- | ------ 4f | Desert -- | ------ LEVEL 5-1 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ This level is nothing more than a simple introduction to the Super Hammer. Grab it and plow through the wall to your immediate right, then toss it at the ladder and climb up. You'll grab it while up there. Keep moving up while crushing bricks with it and the other one provided near the top. Once a reasonable path is cleared out, grab the key and head left to the blocks that fall when you stand on them. They will lead you down to the exit. LEVEL 5-2 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Follow the path to the right once you climb up the ladder to the left. You'll eventually come to a Super Hammer guarded by two zombie-like mummies. Grab it and make your way in a zigzag pattern down to the key, first using the ladder and then the vine to the right of it (of course, you'll have to throw away the Super Hammer each time and then beat it to the bottom of wherever you're headed). Crush the blocks that stand between you and the key, and kill the skull that releases bones from the crack in its (......head?) if at all possible before making your exit. LEVEL 5-3 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Climb up the ladder you start next to and get the temporary road. Where there's a ladder that doesn't quite get down to the ground, place the road just below it so that you can backflip up there and go up it to the switch there. Pull that switch to the right to make the elevators to the right go down. This has far-reaching consequences that will help you in just a minute. When the road disappears, go down and to the lower-right corner of the level. The exit door is there as well as a temporary ladder. Make that ladder complete the one nearest to you on the left, which should lead up to the key. Grab the key and head down the small stones to the right. Easy level, another one in the bag. LEVEL 5-4 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ The conveyor belts, folding ladders, and debris from Donkey Kong's earth- shattering jumps combine to give this level a strong element of challenge. Still, the entirety of the stage fits into one screen, so it's not like you lose too much ground if you're caught off guard and immobilized by a big jump. Use handstands to deflect the falling garbage if necessary. By the way, I've tried a million times, and you simply CANNOT do the stunt as seen in the animated skit at the end of this quartet of levels. It seems to be nothing more than a theatrical stunt cobbled together from several bits of animation. It's kind of funny, still. LEVEL 5-5 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Another one-screener, but this one requires a strong sense of good timing. Go up the ladder and head across to the left, eliminating the monsters from way back in Big-City if you think they'll be in your way. Once at the key, here's what you need to do: bounce up to the moving platform, face right, and toss the key onto the conveyor belt. It will be transferred over to the exit door's side for the time being. Run as fast as your plumber feet will carry you to the key and grab it before it returns to its original position. Like I said, it's all in the timing. LEVEL 5-6 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ Obtain the Super Hammer and crush the two sets of crushable bricks you see. You won't want to hang onto it, so cast it aside when it's outlived its purpose and get to the conveyor belt in the middle of the level. Return to the top and grab it again to control the fireball population over to the left on the belt. They are in the way of the all-important switch that opens the path to the exit door. Take the key that way when you've opened it up. LEVEL 5-7 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ To your right is a makeshift staircase. Climb it by jumping, but don't get the key at the top yet. For now, climb down the long ladder (avoiding cannon fire as you descend). Clear out a path to the exit using the Super Hammer, then once again head up the large block staircase. You can get up there by using the temporary block to the right or doing a simple backflip. Either way, this time you need to get the key and bring it back down to the exit. LEVEL 5-8 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ > REGULAR WAY: This stage is somewhat reminiscent of the original arcade game's very first level, but with a certain symmetry to it. This level can easily be beaten without facing the danger of fireballs as long as you move fast and stay on the right side of the level. As you can see, the very last ladder on the left is broken, and I sympathize with anyone who got up that far only to realize that. The hammer should not be necessary. > FAST WAY: With stylish finesse and grace, jump on the oil drums and to the right, then do a series of backflips all the way to the top of the level in the fashion of that very first stage (if in fact you completed it that way). You will have to do a regular jump at the top to register complete victory. The cutscene shows you how to kill two enemies by chucking one at the other, but I'm pretty sure you figured this out on your own already. LEVEL 5-9 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ This level is all about knowing how to pull the switches, and which ones should be pulled, and which ones shouldn't. To start, pull the one at the top of the ladder next to you. It will make the lifts to the left move down, which is ironically the last part of the level. You're sort of working from the end and going back. Work with me here. Go up the tall ladder next to you and pull the switch to make the two floors up here disappear. The boulders will begin falling to your level. Down and to the right is another switch. This one will open the gate to the key. Pick it up and ride up the elevators to the far right. Return to the switch that made the two floors disappear, then return it to its original position& | ||