Congo Bongo
Name: Congo Bongo
Programmer(s): UNKNOWN
Publisher: Sega
Year: 1983
Description:
Congo Bongo emerged in 1983 as SEGA's response to Nintendo's Donkey Kong. The Apple II version, released by SEGA, brought this arcade hit home with some notable adaptations for the platform's capabilities.
Players control a safari explorer named Safari Sam who must chase the mischievous ape Congo Bongo through multiple screens of challenging terrain. The game features an isometric perspective, which was innovative for its time and made the platforming elements distinct from other games of the era.
The first screen presents players with a mountain that must be climbed while avoiding coconuts thrown by Congo Bongo. The second screen involves crossing a series of platforms and rivers while dodging hostile wildlife. This two-screen design repeats with increasing difficulty as players progress.
The Apple II version maintains the core gameplay of the arcade original but adapts to the hardware limitations. The graphics use the system's six-color palette to create recognizable characters and environments. While simpler than the arcade version, the game preserves the core challenge and entertainment value.
Control uses either the keyboard or a joystick, with players guiding Safari Sam through precise jumps and carefully timed movements. The isometric view can make judging distances tricky, adding an extra layer of challenge to the platforming elements.
Unlike many contemporary games, Congo Bongo incorporates multiple gameplay styles. Players must master both climbing segments and river-crossing challenges, making the game more varied than single-concept titles of the period. The difficulty increases naturally as players progress, with faster enemies and more complex obstacle patterns.
Though not as well-known as Donkey Kong, Congo Bongo represents an important piece of early 1980s gaming history, showing how developers adapted arcade experiences for home computers while working within technical constraints.
The game received mixed reviews upon release, with praise for maintaining the arcade gameplay but criticism for the simplified graphics compared to other home versions on competing platforms. Despite these limitations, it remains a notable example of early isometric game design on the Apple II.