History VideoGame / DonkeyKong94

* DropTheHammer: Gets more uses in puzzles here than in the original.

* FragileSpeedster: While Mario is faster, more nimble and resists falls better than he did in the [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong original game]], he's still defenseless against enemies without [[DropTheHammer a hammer]] to hit them or without any barrel or key to throw on them, and because this game doesn't have any powerups, touching these enemies or failing to dodge one of their projectiles [[OneHitPointWonder steals him a life]].

''Donkey Kong '94''[[note]]tentative title used in development for differentiation, as it is officially known as "''[[RecycledTitle Donkey Kong]]''" and alternatively referred to on the title screen and Japanese logo as "''GAME BOY Donkey Kong''"[[/note]] is a PuzzlePlatformer released on Nintendo's UsefulNotes/GameBoy handheld in 1994. It is the first game to have UsefulNotes/SuperGameBoy enhancements: color support, some enhanced audio, and a custom border designed to look like an arcade cabinet. It is also the final game to prominently feature the original version of the title character, before Creator/{{Rare}}’s [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry take on the character]] the same year would go on to define him since.

''VideoGame/MarioVsDonkeyKong'' for UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance [[WhatCouldHaveBeen was originally planned]] as an [[VideoGameRemake remake]] of this game; the working title was ''Donkey Kong Plus'', and it was to feature UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube connectivity and a LevelEditor.

* TechDemoGame: It was the first game to support special functionality for the UsefulNotes/SuperGameBoy, and it goes all out with it. Not only does it include the usual custom border, it also features dynamic color palettes that avert the usual ColorWash problem the add on was known for (the palettes tend to have four distinct colors instead of just four shades of the same color), Pauline's cries for help are played through the SNES instead of the Game Boy so they come in much clearer, and the world maps are all individually colored with more than four colors using the tricks the system was capable of.

** The music for Iceberg invokes this.

* TheLostWoods: The "Forest" stage, which is a dense forest that introduces you to vines you can climb in the style of ''Donkey Kong Junior''. The first [=DK=] encounter there is even [[NostalgiaLevel a remake to that game's first level]].

* NostalgiaLevel: In addition to the first four levels, the game contains stages designed to resemble the levels from ''Donkey Kong Junior'' - [[spoiler:In fact, Stage 9-4 is basically ''Donkey Kong Junior'''s final stage - except the keys are locking Junior in the cage. As you might guess, it's the last stage where he appears. Stage 9-5 is also a full remake of 25m.]]

* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: Perhaps as an {{Homage}} to the original ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong'' / ''Film/KingKong'' trademark infringement lawsuit, the final boss [[spoiler:is Donkey Kong grown to giant size attacking Mario]].

* OffscreenTeleportation: In the end cutscene, Mario and Pauline somehow make it to the bottom of the tower and before DK falls all the way down.

* LazyArtist: The Poison Mushrooms that shrink Mario and the Super Mushrooms that make DK giant in the final level have the same sprite. Strangely when Pauline gives Mario a Super Mushroom later it as a flashing animation, which raises the question of why they didn't just do that earlier.

** This is what happens to Donkey Kong at the end of 9-8 battle [[spoiler:before turning giant]].

* PoisonMushroom: Donkey Kong and son will throw these at you on rare occasions. [[spoiler:In fact, these mushrooms are a power up to Donkey Kong himself.]]

The game starts with the pretense of being a straight UpdatedRerelease of the [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong original 1981]] UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame. The exact same ExcusePlot is used here--Donkey Kong has kidnapped [[DamselInDistress Pauline]], and [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] must chase him down. The game even opens with the same four levels of the original, but after the fourth level is beaten, the arcade ending begins, and is [[YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle immediately subverted]] when Donkey Kong comes back and takes Pauline again. What follows is 97 levels of {{lock and key puzzle}}s spread across nine more worlds.

** Donkey Kong is much more persistent compared to the arcade version. Here, it takes chasing him through ten worlds and fighting him in ten boss fights before he's finally defeated.
** While Mario still is a OneHitPointWonder, he can survive falls from greater heights compared to the original game.

* ArtEvolution: Donkey Kong is given his red "DK" tie in this game which was carried over to ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' (although technically it's still the future Cranky Kong in this game), while Pauline now sports her current [[AdaptationDyeJob brunette look]].

* DefeatMeansFriendship: [[spoiler:After Mario finally defeats Donkey Kong at the Tower, judging by the photo shown in the ending.]]

* DropTheWashtub: In most of the boss battles, Donkey Kong pounds the ground and causes debris to fall from the sky, including tires, barbells, 16t weights, and washtubs. Like with barrels, doing a handstand will protect you from getting crushed by any of them.

* GameplayAndStorySegregation: One cutscene has Mario fall into lava and ''live''. Needless to say, falling into lava in gameplay is lethal.

%%* LockAndKeyPuzzle: Pretty much the entire point of the game.
%%* TheLostWoods: The "Forest".
%%* MakeMyMonsterGrow: The final boss, although he seems to make himself grow.
* ManOnFire: Touching anything hot burns Mario to a crisp.

** For example-- touching fire or magma immediately causes Mario to burn to a crisp, and if you get too close to Donkey Kong in the levels he appears in, the ape will grab Mario by the head and bash him against the floor several times, before chucking him away like a ragdoll.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bu1rakny6rllptqaoakirvxp8he3vsg7lpht4aaaaasuvork5cyii.png]]

Not to be confused with ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'', which also released in 1994.

''Donkey Kong '94''[[note]]tentative title used in development for differentiation, as it is officially known as "''[[RecycledTitle Donkey Kong]]''" and alternatively referred to on the title screen and Japanese logo as "''GAME BOY Donkey Kong''"[[/note]] is a PuzzlePlatformer released on Nintendo's UsefulNotes/GameBoy handheld in 1994. It is the first game to have UsefulNotes/SuperGameBoy enhancements: color support, some enhanced audio, and a custom border designed to look like an arcade cabinet.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''VideoGame/MarioVsDonkeyKong'' was originally meant to be a [[VideoGameRemake remake]] of this game, but was decided to become this instead.

* UpToEleven: AND HOW! Not only is Mario more acrobatic than usual, but upon completing the stages from the arcade original, Donkey Kong hops back up to capture Pauline again and from that point onward the game turns into a much more fully-fledged puzzle-platformer.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: You can see the final tower world off in the distance in the jungle levels.

* OhCrap: One cutscene in the Jungle has Mario come after Donkey Kong and his son with a hammer. They both briefly freak out before making a quick escape.

* OneHitPointWonder: Mario will die from hitting just about anything.