Donkey Kong

Name: Donkey Kong
Programmer(s): Michael Cranford
Publisher: Atari
Year: 1983

Description:

In 1982, Nintendo’s iconic Donkey Kong made its way to the Apple II computer, marking a significant milestone in home gaming. While the arcade version had taken the world by storm a year earlier, this home port brought the climbing and jumping action to personal computers.

The game follows Mario (originally called Jumpman) as he attempts to rescue his girlfriend from the giant ape Donkey Kong. Players guide Mario through four different screens, climbing ladders, jumping over barrels, and dodging other obstacles. The Apple II version, programmed by Atarisoft, captures the core gameplay of the arcade original despite technical limitations.

Players use simple keyboard controls to move Mario left and right, climb ladders, and jump. Each level presents a different challenge, from dodging rolling barrels to navigating conveyor belts and avoiding fireballs. The goal remains constant: reach the top of each screen where Pauline awaits rescue.

The Apple II version features simplified graphics compared to the arcade, using the computer’s six-color palette to represent the action. The character sprites are smaller and less detailed, but still recognizable. Sound effects are basic beeps and boops, typical of Apple II capabilities.

Technical limitations meant some arcade features had to be cut. The famous introduction animation is missing, and only three of the four original arcade levels made it to this version. Despite these compromises, the game maintains the addictive gameplay that made the arcade version a hit.

The conversion was successful enough to become one of the better-selling Apple II arcade ports. It demonstrated that home computers could deliver arcade-style entertainment, even with reduced graphics and sound. The game helped establish the platform jumping genre on personal computers and paved the way for future platformers.

Today, the Apple II version of Donkey Kong serves as an important example of early arcade-to-home computer game conversion, showing how developers adapted arcade hits to work within the technical constraints of 1980s personal computers.