What Happens When You Beat Donkey Kong? The Elusive “Ending” Explained
The simple answer to “What happens when you beat Donkey Kong?” is, well, you don’t really “beat” it in the traditional sense. The original 1981 arcade game, a classic in gaming history, doesn’t have a conclusive ending screen or sequence. Instead, it loops back to the first level after you navigate through all four unique stages. This cyclical nature is not a designed feature, but rather the result of limitations and quirks in the game’s programming. While you might be led to believe that getting to the final level would trigger a victory screen or an end to the challenges you’d be wrong. There is a form of an “ending,” but it is not one that was intended.
The game is divided into four distinct one-screen stages, each representing an increase of 25 meters in Donkey Kong’s climb up the structure. The game proceeds through these stages in rotation. Once you complete the 100-meter stage, it restarts at 25 meters. You will continue to progress through the various loops, often increasing in difficulty with each subsequent loop. There is a point where the game’s programming falls apart, and instead of looping back to the beginning, the game will end abruptly due to a programming error.
The Infamous Kill Screen
The closest thing to an “ending” in the original arcade Donkey Kong is the infamous “kill screen.” This is not an ending that the game developers planned. It occurs due to a programming error, specifically at level 22. This level is colloquially known as the kill screen. Here, due to a timer that is too short for the level to be completed, the game ends abruptly. Mario dies after a few seconds due to time running out. While many attempt to get to the level, the game will always end the same way. It is a rather anti-climactic ending, but still an ending nonetheless. It is this anti-climactic end that has added to the game’s mysterious mystique over the years.
Unintended Design
Instead of a traditional victory, Donkey Kong has a perpetual loop. This loop continues endlessly until a programming error forces the game to end. So, you don’t get a congratulatory message or even a final showdown with Donkey Kong. You simply start over, ready to face the same four screens again, but with increasing difficulty. This lack of a clear, definitive end has become part of Donkey Kong’s unique charm.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Donkey Kong
Here are some frequently asked questions about the original Donkey Kong game, further exploring its unique aspects and features:
What Are The Four Original Stages In Donkey Kong?
The four unique screens in Donkey Kong represent 25-meter increments of Donkey Kong’s climb. They are as follows:
- The 25m Stage: This level features girders and ladders and is where Jumpman must avoid barrels.
- The 50m Stage: This stage introduces moving elevators and is the second stage you encounter.
- The 75m Stage: This stage features conveyor belts and fireballs, a combination of new challenges.
- The 100m Stage: The 100-meter stage is the final stage of the rotation and features a unique challenge, a rivet that allows you to break the platform and cause Donkey Kong to fall.
How Many “Levels” Does Donkey Kong Have?
Technically, Donkey Kong only has four unique screens. When these stages repeat it is often called rotations. The “level” that is often referred to is in fact the total count of rotations, thus resulting in level 22 being called the kill screen. There is also the 130 meter kill screen, also known as level 22.
What Is The Significance Of The 22nd Level?
The 22nd level, or the 130-meter stage, is significant because it contains a programming error. This error results in a timer that is too short for the player to complete the stage. As a result, time runs out and Mario dies, abruptly ending the game.
Is There A Final Level In Donkey Kong?
No, there is no official “final level” in the original Donkey Kong. The game is designed to loop indefinitely, repeating the four original screens with increasing difficulty until the programming error at level 22 ends the game.
Why Does Donkey Kong Not Have An Ending?
The lack of an ending in Donkey Kong was not intentional. It is due to programming limitations and errors present in the original arcade code. The game was not designed to have a traditional ending or win screen.
How Long Does It Take To “Beat” Donkey Kong?
Technically, you cannot beat Donkey Kong in the traditional sense. A full playthrough of all four stages, or one rotation, can take less than 19 minutes, depending on the player’s skill. Players trying to get to the kill screen can expect to take a bit longer than an hour.
What Is The “Kill Screen” In Donkey Kong?
The “kill screen” is the unofficial term for the game’s abrupt end at level 22, specifically, due to a programming error with the timer. It’s not a designed ending, but a consequence of the game’s code limitations.
Is Donkey Kong Still A Mario Character?
While Donkey Kong was originally an antagonist in the 1981 game featuring Mario, he is now a recurring character within the Mario franchise. He often appears as a guest character, participating in various games, sports, and parties with Mario.
How Do You Get To The Secret Level In Donkey Kong?
In certain Donkey Kong games, there are secret levels you can unlock by collecting all four K-O-N-G letters in each normal level. However, the original 1981 arcade version does not have hidden levels unlocked this way. It has no secrets or cheat codes in the traditional sense.
Who Is Cranky Kong’s Connection to Donkey Kong?
In most iterations, Cranky Kong is depicted as Donkey Kong’s grandfather. However, in the Super Mario Bros. Movie, Cranky Kong is depicted as Donkey Kong’s father, creating an interesting alternative family structure.
Is There A Female Donkey Kong Character?
Yes, Dixie Kong is a female Kong from the Donkey Kong series. She is Diddy Kong’s girlfriend and Tiny Kong’s older sister. She first appeared in Donkey Kong Country 2.
What Are The Various Endings To the Donkey Kong games?
There are multiple endings to the franchise, however, the first and original Donkey Kong game only has one way for the game to end. The end is simply the kill screen. The original game doesn’t have an alternate ending, a secondary ending, or anything else.
Why is Donkey Kong Called Donkey Kong?
Miyamoto used the word “donkey” to convey “stubborn” in English, while “Kong” was intended to indicate a “large ape.” The name Donkey Kong was meant to translate to “stubborn ape.”
What Animal Is Bowser?
Bowser is portrayed as the “King of the Koopas,” which are anthropomorphic turtles inhabiting the Mushroom Kingdom. He is distinctly different from other Koopas.
How Do You Get Infinite Lives On Donkey Kong?
There are no cheats in the original version of the game. In some later versions there are cheat codes. They often involve a sequence of commands such as losing all your lives on the first level, and then pressing a sequence of buttons when the Kranky Kong character reappears.