AtariAge Forums: 4Ks - Viewing Profile

Donkey Kong was one of Nintendo's biggest hits in the Arcade, and was equally as successful on home systems. Coleco's versions for the 2600, Intellivision, and most importantly Colecovision, were runaway hits. Though no version managed to have all 4 levels until Atari released a version for their 8-bit computer line, and blew everyone away with it's awesomeness. Granted, the pie factory level wasn't the best, but it was still pretty cool to have here.Gameplay 9.5The gameplay is perfectly executed here, and is much smoother than the 2600 version. In the first level, you must jump over barrels and climb ladders to reach your girlfriend, Pauline. The second level has you dodge fireballs while getting rid of the rivets holding the platforms up, which, when gone, will collapse the whole level and give Kong a nasty fall. The third level forces you to jump across moving platforms to reach Pauline, and is definitely the best stage. The fourth and final level has you dodging pies and fireballs to get to the top and rescue Pauline. The game runs smoothly, and is a joy to play. Shame this game couldn't have been released for the 5200, but Coleco held the rights to make console versions of Donkey Kong (and it's sequel, DK Junior.), and Atari was only able to make computer versions.Graphics 9.5The graphics are superb, and everything looks incredibly like the Arcade version. Donkey Kong actually looks like Donkey Kong for once, and everything else looks fantastic too. There's not a single thing to gripe about here, as every stage in the game is drawn wonderfully, getting every little detail right. Of course, it's not as good as the Colecovision, but still.Sound 9.5The sound is also excellent, with every sound effect captured with style. When you die, the familiar death tune plays, and when you jump an enemy, you hear the points sound. There's nothing missing, and it rounds up the whole package quite nicely.Value: ExcellentThis is a game that is well worth your time and money, and you'll be very glad you invested in it. And it's a cheap game anyway, so what are you waiting for?Overall 9.5Donkey Kong is one of the best arcade ports for the 8-bit, and trumps almost everything else at the time. Though the graphics aren't as polished as the CV version, the inclusion of the pie factory level makes this the definitive home version.

Atari appears to have learned their lesson from the fiasco that was Atari 2600 Pac-Man, and actually put a lot of effort into the 5200/8-bit version. The maze and character sprites look very much like their arcade counterparts, and the sound effects are much more than just repetetive beep noises. So thanks to the 5200 and 8-bit, Atari was back in everyone's good books (including the Intellivision fans, because Atari did them the service of releasing a nigh-on perfect version of Pac-Man for them to obsess over, along with Centipede and Defender.)Gameplay 9.5The gameplay here is the same old classic material as the arcade, 5200, and Intellivision versions. You collect dots around the maze while avoiding (or eating) the ghosts. Eating a large dot will turn the ghosts blue and ripe for eating. Every 30 seconds a fruit appears, and you have five seconds to eat it for bonus points before it disappears. Touching a deadly ghost will cost you one of your lives.Graphics 9.0The graphics in this game are excellent, and do a fantastic job of reimagining the world of Pac-Man for the 8-bit. Pac-Man himself is an actual circle-with-a-mouth in this game, not just a creepy yellow blob. The ghosts are rendered well too, and their eyes point in the direction they're facing instead of simply barreling around in their heads like they just got off a very fast carousel. The maze looks superb, although it is stretched to fit the whole screen instead of being more of a vertical structure. The only gripe to be had with the graphics is that the ghosts look like they could have been done on an Atari 2600.Sound 8.0The sound is pretty good, and does a good job of setting the atmosphere for the game. The dot eating sound is as good as you could expect, considering that the wakka-wakka noise is very hard to do. The ghost siren is also here, and it isn't blaringly bad like the 2600 version. All the other sounds are reproduced faithfully as well, rounding out the package quite nicely.Value: ExcellentThis is a very good game, and is also thankfully one of the most common games in the 8-bit library. It's worth every penny.Overall 9.0Pac-Man is on of the true shining gems for the 8-bit, and stands the test of time remarkably well.