5200 DK versus 7800 DK

[Paranoid]

I'm just curious which version individuals prefer, if they are familiar with both versions.

 

I actually think I enjoy the 5200 version more, although it is clearly far less faithful to the original *graphically*. Both games differ from the arcade in some significant ways, so I'm not really looking for an analysis of which plays "truer" to the arcade original (as far as level progression, barrel patterns, or whatever)...

 

Simply, which one do you have more fun with?

 

For me, this is a great example of how the 7800 games look gorgeous, but seem ultra-slow. The 5200 version, on the other hand, can be frustratingly quick. It actually feels faster than MAME emulation of the actual arcade ROM, to me.

 

Both are fun. My 5 year old daughter always wants me to play either the 7800 version or the arcade version, it seems. Has something to do with the color of the girl's hair between the versions, as best as I've been able to figure out.

[Shawn]

7800 by a mile

[jpfalcon2003]

7800 definitely has the graphics, although the 5200 isn't bad. it's way better than the 2600 version. I rather the 5200 because it includes the conveyor belt screen that wasn't done on any other home version, including the NES, which was odd since it's their game.

[jetset]

I'd give 'em a tie. The 5200's graphics are certainly impressive for the system, but fall short of the 7800's. However, the sound on the 7800 is positively horrible. Also, if comparing the controls using the original controllers meant for the system(s) the 5200 is much better. I still haven't found a way to tolerate those 7800 sticks. Then again you can easily use 2600 sticks without a redemption or masterplay adapter on the 7800.

Still, I do find myself playing DK much more often on the 5200, then again in general my 5200 gets way more use than my 7800 to begin with. It's sad that both systems fell far short of thier potential due to Atari's lack of effort.

[super_dos_man]

obviously the 7800 (duh)

[NE146]

Atari 8-bit DK is awesome.. but the feel of course is in a whole different ballpark from the arcade game. 7800 DK has a more arcade-like feel but it sounds horrible (as has been said) and is missing the 2nd level.

 

As far as the 2nd level goes (the pie factory level), the 5200 version gets a MAJOR aspect of it wrong. The amount of fireballs that comes out should only be equal to the level number. (i.e. Level 1 = 1 fireball, Level 2 = 2 Fireballs, etc.) Since the 5200 DK is based on the U.S. version you first see the pie factory on level 3... so you should see only 3 fireballs. But they throw FIVE at you! Anyway.. that's always bugged me. The fireballs should also only come out on the half of the screen you're standing in.. so if you're standing on the left side of the oil tank, they should all pop out to the left. I forget if that part is faithful though

[Paranoid]

So, I basically agree so far with everything that has been said. I've been playing BOTH a lot lately.

 

The pie factory is MURDER on the 5200, I've gotten past it once so far. Fireballs EVERYWHERE and they are super aggressive, if dealing with tins of molten metal moving at you on a conveyor belt wasn't challenging enough without half a dozen fireballs making a bee-line for you.

 

Of course, DK is on the right side, not the left, on the ladders level. Neither one is faithful to the advancement of arcade levels, or even faithful to the way objects behave in each level. Which is weird. Xevious is VERY faithful in timing to the arcade original. Enemies come out of the same place, at the same time, and behave the same way as in the arcade, more or less. It seems that every version SINCE the 7800 of Xevious has been more or less faithful in this aspect. It occurs to me that I've never seen a home version of Donkey Kong that is really faithful to the arcarde. That seems kind of a strange omission, with Galaga, Mappy, Xevious, Ms. Pac Man, Space Invaders, Qix, Wizard of War, Robotoron, and many other titles now available at home in very faithful versions on a variety of platforms. Donkey Kong is conspicious in it's absence. The most recent version of Donkey Kong that I saw was a water game at Target. It had the original SOUNDS, but it was one of those games where air is used within the water to move things around. I've seen some LCD games, too. I'm just surprised it isn't available as a PS2 or Xbox title. I can't recall ever seeing a Gameboy Advance version, even. Is this right?

 

And yeah, the 7800 version sound is pretty horrible. I mean, they did a good job for what they had to work with, but you can really see how the Pokey made a world of difference for the 5200 audio capabilities. If the audio were as important to the visuals for games, the 5200 version would be obviously superior.

 

So... this kind of ties into JBanes discussion about how speed is an illusion. Are 7800 games purposely coded to be slow? Play the two versions side by side, and Mario jumping on the 5200 version feels almost like a real physical model of a jump. It is short, quick and "feels" like a physical action (he lands hard). Play on the 7800 and it seems like Mario kind of floats up, glides through the air, then gently floats to the ground. The barrels seem to come at you in rapid succession, and moving fast. The barrels on the 7800 seem to roll at you in lazy leisure. You feel like you could outrun them, if only you could run. It really gives the games two completely unique feels. So, speed being an illusion I get. But why do 7800 games often feel sluggish and 5200 games seem very quick? Is it that they were trying to move too much around on the 7800, or spent to many cycles actually drawing all those near-arcade graphics and didn't leave enough resources to MOVE them around quickly? Or did they actually slow the games down on purpose because typical home players wanted something that wasn't as challenging (or more so) than the actual arcade game?

[Gregory DG]

I prefer the Atari 8-bit/5200 version. I played it for years and pretty much mastered it.

 

Then I played the 7800 version... Ugh. The sounds are horrid. That alone makes the 8-bit version 10x superior. The controls are okay I guess. But not as tight at the 8-bit version. Plus the 8-bit version has all the levels. The only real knock against it is the lack of one girder on the barrels level. The only thing the 7800 version has going for it are the graphics. And I think Mario's nose is too big...

 

Now, let's compare Donkey Kong Jr. on the 5200 and 7800. Again, I'll take the 5200 version. It had great graphics, great sounds, great and responsive controls. Plus the cute little animation after the chains sequence.

[Paranoid]

Hmnnn. I'll have to look at these two side by side and get back to you. Jr. doesn't hold me well on any system, including MAME, though. It did, in the day.

[Shawn]

7800 definitely has the graphics, although the 5200 isn't bad. it's way better than the 2600 version. I rather the 5200 because it includes the conveyor belt screen that wasn't done on any other home version, including the NES, which was odd since it's their game.

 

 

Jeff,

 

All levels are in the 7800 version.

 

Shawn

[BrianC]

The 7800 DK seems to be a port of the NES version. Mario Bros and DK Jr. for the 7800 seem to have the same stuff missing that the NES versions do too.

[godzillajoe]

The 7800 DK seems to be a port of the NES version. Mario Bros and DK Jr. for the 7800 seem to have the same stuff missing that the NES versions do too.

 

The mud pie level is in the 7800 version?! If so, I SUCK AT IT

[NE146]

7800 definitely has the graphics, although the 5200 isn't bad. it's way better than the 2600 version. I rather the 5200 because it includes the conveyor belt screen that wasn't done on any other home version, including the NES, which was odd since it's their game.

 

 

Jeff,

 

All levels are in the 7800 version.

 

Shawn

 

 

I really do NOT remember that level being in the 7800 version... is it??

[BrianC]

The 7800 DK seems to be a port of the NES version. Mario Bros and DK Jr. for the 7800 seem to have the same stuff missing that the NES versions do too.

 

The mud pie level is in the 7800 version?! If so, I SUCK AT IT

 

Umm. You replied to the wrong person. The NES version is missing the mud pie level and the 7800 one is too. Both the NES and 7800 DKs are missing the "How High Can You Get?" screens. As for the other 7800 Nintendo lincensed games, Mario Bros is missing the introduction screens before some levels and the very same animations missing from the NES version. Donkey Kong Jr. is missing the introduction/intermission screens from the arcade, but has all of the levels, just like the NES one. I didn't reply to the post above mine since there were already posts that stated that the 7800 version doesn't have the mud pie level.

Edited July 10, 2006 by BrianC

[Lord Helmet]

I prefer the 5200 version. Not that I don't like the 7800 version, it's a great game and all. I like how fast the gameplay is on the 5200. Mario can really fly

[Paranoid]

I second that opinion, Helmet. At first, the speed of the 5200 version actually put me off. It was SO fast and difficult, it seemed harder than the arcade version. And of course, those non-centering 5200 joysticks make it a little tricky (I hate it when I'm running along and Mario decides to climb up a broken ladder). But, altogether, with a little effort invested, I'd say the 5200 version is one of my favorites, equal to or surpassing the actual arcade version in my actual enjoyment of the game. Kind of reminds me of the guy who was saying that the Starpath version of Frogger is his favorite. Sometimes, it isn't about how faithful the game is, but how much fun it is.

[Vic George 2K3]

The 7800 version was like a somewhat weak copy of the NES version, containing only 3 of the 4 arcade screens.

 

The 5200 and 8-bit computer version's ramps screen looks like a copy of the ColecoVision version done with bad colors, though the rivets screen makes me think of the 7800 and NES versions'.

[BrianC]

The 7800 version was like a somewhat weak copy of the NES version, containing only 3 of the 4 arcade screens.

 

As I said before, I'm pretty sure that the 7800 Nintendo lincensed games are based on the NES versions. Same theme music (albit in lower quality), same things included, and same things missing. The NES versions are superior since they have better graphics and music, though.

 

I prefer the Atari 800 version of Donkey Kong over the NES one. The graphics aren't as good, but the control seems to be a bit better and all of the boards are intact.

Edited July 11, 2006 by BrianC

[+Cafeman]

I love the A8 version of Donkey Kong. It is more challenging, faster, and more fun than either the NES or 7800 versions IMHO. The graphical trade-offs don't bother me, and probably don't bother anyone who loves to play the A8 or 5200 (that's just the way it is, sang Mr. Hornsby, and we don't mind!).

[jetset]

...And I change my vote. I completely forgot the 7800 doesn't even have the pie factory level.

5200 gets my nod for the better of the two.

[NE146]

Ok.. let me put it this way. I really really like the Atari 8-bit version. But for some reasons stated above the 8-bit version falls apart as the game gets more difficult as you just can't use the regular DK strategy a lot of us have come to know (i.e. grouping the firefoxes in the rivet level, the pie factory having the wrong # of fireballs, etc)

 

That's why to me the arcade version is king I still love playing the arcade version either on actual machines or in Mame. I grew up on the Jap version with the 1-2-3-4 level progression, but have grown to love the u.s. level progression better even though you never see the pie factory or elevator level in their level 1 difficulty.

 

I just wonder why aside from emulation we have yet to see a really accurate Donkey Kong port And no the one in DK 64 isn't really all that either...

[Paranoid]

NE, I mentioned this above. Xevious, Ms. Pac Man, Mappy, Rally X, Space Invaders, QIX, etc., etc., etc.... all of these old classics have been ported everywhere time and time again in increasingly more faithful versions... but Donkey Kong just seems to fall of the face of the earth after the NES. Obviously any modern console could do an authentic arcade Donkey Kong... I'm surprised, in fact, that there isn't a DK anthology with DK, DK Jr. and Mario Bros. all included on one disk.

 

Hell.. the GBA could do it.

 

I also agree that DK arcade strategy is out the door with the 5200 version. But, IMHO, it may actually IMPROVE the game. Grabbing the hammer on the ladders level is sometimes a GOOD idea. You have to pay attention to barrels on the level above you, because you can jump up and get killed by them, and some of the ladders that you would NEVER use in the arcade are actually sometimes your best bet in the 5200 version. All together, it makes it a fresh and new take on the old game. But, I do find that my arcade skills suffer if I play the 5200 version too much.

[Lord Thag]

Easily the 5200. The 7800 one has horrible sound, missing levels, and the level order is botched. The 5200 has everything in the right places. It gets my vote for the best 80's DK port (tied with the C64 one in my book)

[godzillajoe]

The levels aren't botched, they're just based on the Japanese version of the game minus the mudpie / cement factory or whatever it's called.

 

The 5200 has DK on the wrong side of the screen and other problems.

 

But they ALL seem to have problems.

 

As was said earlier, the arcade version is still the best.

 

The 7800 version has TERRIBLE sound, the first hammer on the first screen is on the wrong side, you don't get extra points for jumping multiple barrels at once etc...

 

BTW I remember hearing that the "How High Can You Get?" was changed to "How High Can You Try?" in later revs. because of the drug use reference

[Jetboot Jack]

Old Similar thread - http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?s...=75481&st=0

 

For all it's faults the 800 (5200) version rocks my world, it came out when the arcade machine was still around (not some years later port), and fulfilled by teenage needs for home Donkey Kong to a tee, and now it IS my defining memory of Donkey kong, first loves die hard

 

sTeVE

Edited July 13, 2006 by Jetboot Jack