The sequel with reversed roles: Junior saves his father DK held by Mario. Original climbing mechanics. Less memorable than the original but honest and well-thought-out in its mechanics.
Your verdict
Category
Arcade1 player3+
Description
Platformer in which Donkey Kong Jr. battles Mario to save his captured father. Published by Nintendo, released in Japan in 1983. DK Jr. in side-scrolling view climbing vines and chains and Mario's enemies to avoid. Donkey Kong sequel with reversed roles on Famicom.
Donkey Kong Jr. review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
The scenery reads from a single screen: vertical vines, short platforms, a cage suspended at the top of the image. The young gorilla is drawn in round proportions that set him clearly apart from his captive father, and the creatures descending the vines keep silhouettes broad enough to be anticipated from afar.
Gameplay
"Solid"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
This time it's the gorilla's son who climbs vines to free his father: the role reversal nicely refreshes the formula. Swinging from one rope to another demands precise timing and a fine read of each board. The satisfaction of chaining smooth climbs is instant. Clever, tense and replayable, an old-school dexterity puzzle.
This 1983 Famicom release belongs to Nintendo's first wave of arcade conversions, predating the standardized cardboard sleeves of later years. Its desirability rests on the title's founding role in the Donkey Kong line and the role reversal that put Mario as the antagonist. Loose copies stay affordable while sealed Japanese stock is genuinely scarce given how early the print run shipped.
Is Donkey Kong Jr. still worth playing in 2026?
A founding Nintendo platformer, Donkey Kong Jr. reverses the roles of the first game: this time DK's son climbs vines and chains to free his father, captured by Mario. The climbing mechanic, the sense of positioning and the precision challenge keep a timeless arcade charm, a milestone in video game history. The content stays thin and the formula very simple. An essential piece of history, to be savored by fans of retro arcade and the curious about Nintendo's roots.
