Donkey Kong High Score Save Kit Features

[DonkeyKong]

I'm looking to buy a Donkey Kong high score save kit that I can put the D2K ROM set ($40) into, but I would like to have the ability to select the level I would like to play.  I read that Steve Wiebe did this with a Double Donkey Kong board to practice on the harder levels.  It sure would be nice to have that feature.  I don't see that feature listed anywhere though.  FWIW: You CAN do this in MAME if you have the cheat interface installed.  You can also do it by just saving the state any level right at the beginning of that level, but you save the EXACT configuration of how things are... and if things are in motion already on the screen, the randomness of it all will be reduced dramatically.  This is not really what I consider a good solution either because I want to play on a real DK machine.

Here are the features of the Braze HSSK ($45):

• Kit installs in just minutes. No board modifications or special wiring is required.
• Top 5 high scores and initials are remembered permanently, long after the game has been powered off.
• True "freeplay". No coins required. No need to open your coin door. Full (standard) attract mode while in freeplay mode.
• Selectable attract mode sound.
• Extensive powerup diagnostics automatically tests your board each time the game powers up.  Tests ROM checksum, Video & CPU RAM, NMI Interrupt, DMA, and high score save.
• On screen settings menu allows easy changing of game settings and erasing of high scores without having to crawl into your machine and remember complicated DIP switch settings.
• Replaces on-board ROMs and glue logic with 1 new ROM and PAL on the HSSK itself.

So this is the tried-and-true way of getting the high score save kit and/or the D2K ROM set into your Donkey Kong machine, but am I missing something here?  Which way would allow me to jump levels?

I know D2K is available for the Programmable Multi-Game JAMMA PCB, but I'm not interested in running that unless it lets me jump levels and the timing in the game is exactly the same.

How exactly does the D2K romset with a Braze HSSK work, in terms of how do you get to the old levels?  Is Donkey Kong truly preserved as a separate game, and how do you access it.  I didn't find this info on Jeff's site.

Also, check this idea out... If the HSSK replaces the ROMs, and the D2K truly has both D2K AND DK playable on it, why couldn't we get DK, D2K, DK Jr., and DK3 on one Braze High Score Save Kit (Call it Rev. 2, or the Pro version)???

[DonkeyKong]

Here is the reference to advancing levels on a double donkey kong board:

July 2004 -  Roy S. buys a second board for Steve Wiebe, which is a Double Donkey Kong Board for Steve Wiebe from Mike Holland for $112.00 through the Internet to help Steve Wiebe improve his score on Donkey Kong.  Why does Steve Wiebe need two different boards? On the Double Donkey Kong board you can advance to the harder stages and just play those stages over and over again until you find the most advanced ways to gain the most points.  This advance technique cannot be done in the Donkey Kong board so it is harder to practice on the upper levels of Donkey Kong without having a Double Donkey Kong board to practice with.

[pcb]

That is a bogus report, no truth to it.  You cannot select levels with either the High Score kit or Double Donkey Kong boards.  I saw this posted on a guys webpage who claims to be some sort of expert, but could not find an email address on it to correct him.

 - Mike -

PS. if you have questions about DKII, write the author.  I'm sure you'll find his site by using Google.

[CheffoJeffo]

OffTopic, but just wanted to say how nice it is to have Mike posting here ... I've learned quite a bit from his posts already. 

[DonkeyKong]

That is a bogus report, no truth to it.  You cannot select levels with either the High Score kit or Double Donkey Kong boards.  I say this posted on a guys webpage who claims to be some sort of expert, but could not find an email address on it to correct him.

 - Mike -

PS. if you have questions about DKII, write the author.  I'm sure you'll find his site by using Google.

Thanks for the info mike. I feared as much, but was hopeful that maybe I missed something in my research. I'll try to take this up with Jeff and see if he thinks it would be an easy addition to his D2K ROM.

[pcb]

OffTopic, but just wanted to say how nice it is to have Mike posting here ... I've learned quite a bit from his posts already. 

Thanks!  I do my best to be helpful.

[BrentRadio]

Way Cool! I didn't know Mike posted here!

What's up Mike! Brent in Vegas here!

As if Mike needs another good trader post, but Mike and his wife are GREAT traders. Don't heisitate to order from mikesarcade.com Very helpful, great service and great people.

Brent