The first ever game programmed for the venerable FC/NES doesn't stand the test of time, but on its own still proves fun!
The object of the game is to guide Mario, whose real job is as a carpenter (not plumber by the way), through the construction sites to try and rescue Pauline from Donkey Kong. Graphically, its a fairly spot-on job of the original. But it doesn't have much more than 3 static screens. Sound wise, small jingles and sound effects are present. There is little here and therefore little to say.
Controls are fairly accurate, yet there is a slight lag on Mario when he climbs the tops of ladders, it seems like he is finished but is not. Also long jump will kill him, allowing for some deaths that feel kind of like a cheat. Trying to avoid the jacks after loop 2 gets troublesome as well.
However, despite three simple stages, Donkey Kong can still be a lot of fun, especially on game B with added challenge and with the Virtual Console saving feature you can try to best high scores each time. Bringing back the memories of the game and sharing it with first time players, added with the quick turn around time of a new game makes for a fun group experience. It is just lacking depth.