Donkey Kong Jr. NES - Guide & Manual

Released as a launch title for the Nintendo Famicom/NES, Donkey Kong Jr. turned the tables on the original game's plot. This time, Mario is the antagonist who has locked up Donkey Kong in a cage, and you play as Donkey Kong's son, climbing and swinging through traps to free him. Known for introducing vertical vine-climbing physics, the game remains a beloved 8-bit platforming classic. This manual details the climbing rules, scoring mechanics, and walkthroughs for all four stages.

1. The Vine-Climbing Physics System

The core gameplay mechanic revolves around grabbing and climbing vines, chains, or ropes. Understanding the physics is key to avoiding enemies and moving fast:

• One-Vine Climb: Grabbing a single vine with one hand allows you to climb up or down, but at a relatively slow speed. However, it makes your horizontal profile narrower, helping you squeeze past passing hazards.
• Two-Vine Climb: Holding onto two adjacent vines (by pressing Left or Right when positioned between them) allows you to climb upward at twice the speed of a single vine. This is essential for escaping ground threats.
• Two-Vine Descent: Conversely, sliding down while holding two vines is very slow. To drop down quickly, let go of one vine and slide down a single rope.
• Jumping between Vines: Press the jump button while holding a vine to leap horizontally to a nearby vine. Make sure to time this carefully when enemies are patroling.

2. Fruit Dropping & Scoring

Hanging throughout the stages are various fruits (apples, bananas, pears). You can hit these fruits to drop them onto enemies walking or flying below. Dropping fruit is a primary high-score technique:

• 1st Enemy hit by a single fruit: 400 points
• 2nd Enemy hit: 800 points
• 3rd+ Enemy hit: 1200 points
• Defeating a Nitpicker (bird) or Snapjaw (crocodile) directly: 200 points

3. Stage-by-Stage Walkthrough

Stage 1: The Jungle (Vines)

The introductory stage features snapjaws patrolling the floor and ropes. Climb the vines to reach the upper platforms. Drop the fruit to clear out Snapjaws that guard the ladders. Reach the flashing key at the top left corner to progress.

Stage 2: The Springboard & Chains

This stage introduces a springboard that launches DK Jr. high into the air to grab moving chains. Wait for the springboard to compress fully before jumping. Jump onto the chains, watch out for the flying Nitpicker birds, and navigate across the moving platforms to reach the top right.

Stage 3: The Circuit Board (Electrical Spark)

Set in a glowing electrical grid, sparks travel along the platforms and wires. You must time your climbs and jumps to avoid these sparks. Keep a close eye on the spark patterns: some move in circles, while others walk in straight paths. Drop the fruit from the wires to clear them safely.

Stage 4: The Key Locks

The final stage requires you to push six keys up chains to insert them into the locks at the top, which opens Donkey Kong's cage. Multiple Snapjaws and Nitpickers guard the chains. Focus on pushing one key at a time, moving to safety whenever enemies get close. Once all locks are open, the cage drops and the game loops with increased difficulty.