Donkey Kong Arcade (Atari 2600 Homebrew)

This game looks sweet!

[@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785]

My Psychiatrist: Donkey Kong Skeleton isn't real, Donkey Kong Skeleton cannot hurt you. 0:48 Donkey Kong Skeleton: ☠️

[@leroyvisiongames2294]

In my opinion, this puts the Donkey Kong VCS homebrew to shame. I especially love how you can swap the roles of the characters and choose whether to be Mario or Pauline!!! A few critiques though: -Rather than flickering between two sprites on the “how high” screen, you should create one sprite containing just his chest, facial features, feet, and the “how high” text and superimpose it over a solid brown-colored sprite of Donkey Kong’s silhouette. This will preserve the details without exceeding the sprite limitation and look more pleasing to the eyes. -A 2-player mode would be a nice addition. Players would take turns playing just like in the arcade, but maybe you could also have it swap the character roles between turns-player 1 would be Mario and player 2 would be Pauline. An exclusive multiplayer mode where you race each other to the top and the winner gets extra points would especially be a fun addition!! -Definitely increase the flickering speed of the sprites. At times, it looks like the barrels are invisible.

[@metalmaulergaming4345]

Thank you for the comments. Unfortunately, I am only a player of this game and not the creator. I got it off AtariAge if you're ever looking to search it up.

[@ssg-eggunner]

Tbh i still prefer VCS cus it's closer to actual arcade

[@FUGP72]

I haven't seen flickering that bad since PacMan!

[@metalmaulergaming4345]

I hear what you're saying. However, I do think the graphics are much improved over the original.

[@newsuperbowserworld]

It’s probably how it was recorded, not the actual game.

[@SupremeNerd]

First off IT'S a YAY for me. I appreciate the fact that all 4 screens are actually on this game. This let's me know that the original designers could've done much better despite the limitations of the 2600

[@metalmaulergaming4345]

I'm loving all the dialogue on this game. That's why I play these games on here, so you all can share your opinions. Great comments!

[@litjellyfish]

Not with 4K less debugging tools time etc

[@johneygd]

Well i guess this version not only does require 32KB of rom space and probably also extra ram as well but it probably would also require a logic chip to control those banks,but i suppose it also needs that powerful ARM chip inside the cartride to not only to take over the 8bit cpu but to also be able to drive the tia chip to it’s absolute maximum to generate such impressive visuals as well as handling hit & collision detection,physics and driving amezing sound out of the tia chip, Because i don’t think the 8bit cpu could handle this all on it’s own,maybe it could do the audio while the arm chip will drive the tia graphics to it’s absolute limit, The arm chip is not a super fx chip but it’s comparible to it in co’operating with the main cpu chip, Either way, if those developers did used such expensive chips along with extra rom & rom just to make this game as close as possible to the arcade version,it might,ve got recieved positive reviews BUT it probably would,ve turned off many peoples because of it’s high price as well.

[@ml.2770]

I liked it up until the seizure.

[@SupremeNerd]

Way too much flicker in this one though. I've played this version before but that flicker wasn't there

[@metalmaulergaming4345]

I just read, on Atariage website, that if you turn phosphor effect on in Stella, it helps with the flicker.

[@SupremeNerd]

@@metalmaulergaming4345 that's probably why. Although I played it on Stella and RetroArch workout any filters and that flicker still wasnt there I like this one. If Coleco had released this version it would've been bigger than PAC -MAN IMO

[@johneygd]

The music alone is freaking AWESOME and the graphics are just mind blowing,it makes you wonder if those later 8bit systems were really that more powerful at what compatitors would make you believe,this game alone goes to show you what could be done with such limited hardware overall😁🙏👍

[@RachelTheOriginal09]

I wish this was the original Atari 2600 version of Donkey Kong.

[@metalmaulergaming4345]

Agreed.

[@johneygd]

Yeah me too BUT i bet that this homebrew version will not only require extra ram and rom but also an ARM cpu to handle both bankswitching,ai and drive tia chip to it’s absolute limit to generate such incredible graphics & sounds,but you can imagine how expensive that would,ve be i guess it would,ve costed $10 or even more.

[@giuseppegamer4090]

Probably is a beta of Donkey Kong VCS

[@metalmaulergaming4345]

Seems accurate.

[@basicallysnake]

The sounds are extremely similar to those in DKVCS. I only know this because of the death sound, because I absolutely suck at Donkey Kong.

[@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785]

everyone talking about how much better this looks than the Coleco port onto Atari 2600...but nobody talking about how the hammers don't work at all. I mean, I guess they're just decorative sprites? why else do none of these playthroughs demonstrate use of the hammer!? Lame.

[@cloudqbaby-yx9eh]

i dont even know what to say about this

[@metalmaulergaming4345]

Would you say you are on the yay side or nay side of this version?

[@3vi1J]

@@metalmaulergaming4345 I don't know about the GP, but I think I'd have to see it on an actual CRT with phosphor persistence to judge. Looks like it was captured via an emulator and the flicker makes it near unplayable at times. I'd say that if it can get the other two screens in there and get some optimization of the sprite flicker (ala the new PacMan remake) it could be pretty damned awesome.

[@metalmaulergaming4345]

@@3vi1J That is an extremely thoughtful answer. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[@3vi1J]

@@metalmaulergaming4345 No worries. I've played with Atari 2600 programming and understand how difficult what you're trying to do is within the constraints of that system. What you've got now is better than anything I've ever made on it. Keep coding!

[@metalmaulergaming4345]

@@3vi1J I'd love to take credit as the coder of this, but I'm just a player of the game, not the designer. If you ever make something you want me to showcase, send it my way

[@nandino5202]

where can i download it?

[@metalmaulergaming4345]

forums.atariage.com/topic/222281-dk-arcade-2600-playable-demo/ Enjoy!

[@Swordslinger-hb1ns]

Now why couldn’t Garry Kitchen make Donkey Kong on the 2600 like this instead of the turd we got at retail?

[@ecernosoft3096]

Coleco. They put tight deadlines and plus he could only use 4K. Also, this was made in batari basic, something that didn’t exist back then.

[@patsk8872]

Coleco intentionally made the Atari 2600 port of Donkey Kong bad, as an insidious way to sell Colecovisions.

[@Swordslinger-hb1ns]

@@patsk8872 I’m well aware of this……

[@litjellyfish]

@@patsk8872and still they sold more carts of it on Atari 2600 than the total amount of sold colecovision units. I never believed this myth. It’s a competent port at the time if you compare to other games. Also it landed him the job at Activision so it can’t have been seen as too shabby at the time…

[@JustMe99999]

@@patsk8872 That's an urban legend.