

Most of the little presentational elements, such as the initial climb and stomp sequence that opens the arcade version and the "how high can you get" screen that precedes each stage, have been cut from this version of the game. The largest omission is the game's most elaborate level, an entire stage set in a pie factory. The NES version of Donkey Kong, which provides the basis for this Game Boy Advance edition, is missing quite a few elements from the original arcade version. Play continues until you run out of lives. However, the reunion's not for long, because the game then loops back to the first stage-but with a slightly higher difficulty. You must knock out a series of bolts to cause a series of girders to collapse, thus sending Donkey Kong crashing to the ground in a daze. The third and final stage is where Mario gets his sweet revenge. Again, you must make your way to the top, but you'll have to navigate a trickier level layout and time your movements so that you don't get clocked in the head by the constant stream of large jacks that Donkey Kong flings at you. Stage 2 is the elevator stage, which puts two moving platforms in the level. The barrels roll down the girders toward you, so you'll have to either jump over them, avoid them by climbing ladders, or bust them up with a hammer, which acts as a sort of superweapon. Donkey Kong tosses barrels down at you, and you have to reach the top to proceed. The first is a simple stage full of girders. It's up to you, as Mario, to get her back and defeat the evil ape.

Donkey Kong has stolen your lady friend, Pauline. The story and gameplay in Donkey Kong is as simple as it gets. The arcade game's look had to be altered considerably to fit onto a standard TV screen. It does a great job of playing the NES version of the game, but since the original NES version cut a few corners compared to the original arcade version, DK aficionados may notice that a few things are missing. This rerelease is part of the Classic NES Series, which takes old 8-bit games for the Nintendo Entertainment System and runs them on a Game Boy Advance. The original game, Donkey Kong, marked the first appearance of both the antagonistic ape, Donkey Kong, and his nemesis-and Nintendo's flagship plumber-Mario. Now the company is digging into its vaults to rerelease the very first chapter in the battle. Last week, Nintendo released a brand-new Game Boy Advance game that depicts the never-ending struggle between the company's first two breakout stars, Mario and Donkey Kong.
