Calling all Donkey Kong Masters!

[CrazyKongFan]

I would NEVER play that risky past the first level. 

But that is a FANTASTIC score.  I don't know how he controlled the barrels that well, maybe a fluke?  Or a modified ROM set where you could control barrels on the first screen.

I know over on the twingalaxies forum they were having a little competition to see who could get the hightest score on the first level.  If this is from that competition then it IS a legit ROM. 

The top score for that competition was 11,300, so it's definitely possibly he's using a legit ROM (the one on youtube was 11,400, so it's not the same one). I like the choice of songs too. Another good one would be "roll out the barrell", but that'd get annoying quickly

Haven't posted in awhile, but got some great news. This weekend I bought a DK cocktail! It's in pretty good condition too, sound is great, had some discoloration on the monitor, just needed some degausing (which I was actually able to fix with a refrigerator magnet! )

[TheShanMan]

Sweet! DK is definitely at the top of my wish list so hopefully it won't be too long before I get one.

[CrazyKongFan]

the conveyers switch every other time donkey kong hits the left side of the screen
I would have mentioned it before but assumed that that was common knowledge
hope that helps

I never noticed that before, but you're correct (well, sort of). They switch when Kong hits the left side, not every other time (it would be every other time he switches directions, but the bottom belt switches whenever he hits the left side)
Anyway, got a new high score the other day on my cocktail, and it looked so good to me, I ended up leaving it on for a few days...couldn't bear to erase it Got 373,200 on level 10-4. I still have trouble sometimes with those darn 3rd elevator patterns. Beat my previous high by almost 150K! Was really in the grove there for awhile

[fatfingers]

Beat my previous high by almost 150K! Was really in the grove there for awhile

Whoa!!!!!  Nice Job!

[javeryh]

This is kind of related - does anyone know why you do not get 100 points EVERY TIME you jump over a barrel?  It is very frustrating to jump a barrel and not get any points... 

[fatfingers]

The zero points barrel jumping has to do with the algorithm for how barrel jumping detection works.

Short story: Always push the joystick left or right while in the air over the barrel, then you will get your points (always)

Long story (some details not quite right): The default barrel jump detection looks at the 5 (?) pixels below Mario, and if a barrel is in that range, the jump is detected.  However, if at the height of the jump the joystick is pressed left or right, then the jump detection expands the number of pixels checked to 15 (?).

Since reading this somewhere I have modified my game play to always, always be pushing the joystick left or right while in the air, and I always get the 100 points awarded.

Good luck!

[javeryh]

The zero points barrel jumping has to do with the algorithm for how barrel jumping detection works.

Short story: Always push the joystick left or right while in the air over the barrel, then you will get your points (always)

Long story (some details not quite right): The default barrel jump detection looks at the 5 (?) pixels below Mario, and if a barrel is in that range, the jump is detected.  However, if at the height of the jump the joystick is pressed left or right, then the jump detection expands the number of pixels checked to 15 (?).

Since reading this somewhere I have modified my game play to always, always be pushing the joystick left or right while in the air, and I always get the 100 points awarded.

Good luck!

Perfect answer.  I'm sure I can increase my 46,000 high score now!  Thanks!!!

Yes, I stink.   

[CrazyKongFan]

Sometimes I won't get points jumping them doing a moving jump. I've even jumped two and didn't get any...that's really frustrating to lose the 300 points you're expecting
Fatfingers is correct on his description. It's also why you can stand right next to Kong's foot and jump and get 100, but you only have to be within the vertical pole holding up the top row and jump and push the stick while Mario's in the air to also get the 100.

[fatfingers]

I suspect that if you're missing points when moving while jumping it's because you're releasing the joystick before jumpman reaches his peak.  If you do this, not enough pixels are being scanned for you to get your points.

[pupu]

Finally, after a week of being stuck in the high 90s, I finally got 113,500.  I can get to the 3rd elevator with 2 or three men, and would lose them all there, only getting though about 10% of the time, and I lose my life on the fist move on the springs, I am about 99% getting up the later, it is the first part that is killing me.  So today, I get there with 3 men plus my current man, end up making it on my last man, and then made it past the next elevator stage also.  I think I have it now, I had just been timing it wrong.  My heart was beating crazy fast.  After some 97k games and they dying on something stupid pisses you off something major.  This thread has been nice, now I got the controlling down pretty good so the barrel is not my bad level anymore, if I do die, it is one of those random crazy barrels.

I just let that be my last game for today, might as well end on a high note, lol

[TheShanMan]

Great progress, pupu!

After a long hiatus from playing DK, I decided to play some last night, and man do I have some rust to knock off. I was in the 80-100k range with 3 games! Once I lost my last life right before the 3rd elevator stage! Then I played some Galaga and sucked on that for a couple of games too, getting scores way below my average. So I'm writing it off as a bad gaming night, and plan to get myself back into the 200's this weekend. Gotta get on the high score table again!

[Paul Olson]

The other day I finally had a chance to play a little DK. I played 3 games: 70k's, 150k's, and 40k's. I don't know what happened on the last game. I died on the first screen! It didn't get much better after that. I usually get to the 100k range on my first life, and then rapidly burn through them at some point after that. Nothing hard, just stupid mistakes. I usually end up using all of my lives within a 10k spread. I don't know what the problem is, I guess I am just losing focus.

[pupu]

If i die on the first couple of screens, I just end it and start over.  I usually have a good game ( for me at least ) followed by some pretty bad games, but on average i am in the 80s to 90s.  For the most part, I am pretty solid till the third elevator, there has been a couple of times i dont trust my judgment and run out of time, lol.  and I get to the top with over 5000 points left, I just sit there.  I played a couple more games, but only got to the 90s.  I am content for now, I can only play a about 5 games, and my first or second game is usually the best.  After that, I tend to go downhill.  I seem to post better scores if I give it a break. 

The only bad part is that once you get better, the games start taking longer.  Mine are still only about 15 minutes, but once you get good, would suck to be playing for an hour or so and then just fall apart.

[Bender]

The only bad part is that once you get better, the games start taking longer.  Mine are still only about 15 minutes, but once you get good, would suck to be playing for an hour or so and then just fall apart.

Hallelujah! ain't that the truth!

[TheShanMan]

Well my major slump is over. Last night I played for probably 1 1/2 hours and the night ended in frustration. This morning as I was getting ready I saw a token on the floor, and I knew it was a sign. "This will be the game". I got 288k, which is my #3 score. A mere 1000 below my #2 score . So the good news is I got a great score and the slump is over! The bad news is that means I now have to get over 260k to get onto the high score table.

It meant running late this morning, but it made my morning!

[fatfingers]

Well my major slump is over. Last night I played for probably 1 1/2 hours and the night ended in frustration. This morning as I was getting ready I saw a token on the floor, and I knew it was a sign. "This will be the game". I got 288k, which is my #3 score. A mere 1000 below my #2 score . So the good news is I got a great score and the slump is over! The bad news is that means I now have to get over 260k to get onto the high score table.

It meant running late this morning, but it made my morning!

 

[TheShanMan]

I went through this entire thread, extracted all tips and techniques, organized them, and posted them in the ning community that Jeff Rothe set up, in the DK group there. Become a Donkey Kong Master! - Tips and techniques for reaching 100,000 and beyond!

[fatfingers]

Thanks!

 

[Ummon]

I went through this entire thread, extracted all tips and techniques, organized them, and posted them in the ning community that Jeff Rothe set up, in the DK group there. Become a Donkey Kong Master! - Tips and techniques for reaching 100,000 and beyond!

Lotta work, that.

[TheShanMan]

You're right about that, Ummon. Probably at least 3 hours. I see it as my way of contributing since I learned so much from other people in this thread, resulting in a huge increase in my high score.

[Lutus]

Hey strangers, it has been a LONG time.  Too long.  I have been super busy with wedding plans, work travel (overseas) and plain ol life.  I am ready to get back on the DK ban wagon.  Just letting everyone know that I am still alive and hope to post some scores on my road to DK recovery.

Cheers!


PS, weird new emoticon...... playing DK with the king!   

[Paul Olson]

Hey Lutus, join us in the DK group at coinopspace.com. We are starting to get quite a few people in there, and a lot of them are very good players.

[Ummon]

I'll ban ya, Lutus. Oh, you mean BANDwagon!

[Lutus]

I'll ban ya, Lutus. Oh, you mean BANDwagon!

HAHA, yes,   BAND wagon.

I have a high score to report..... kinda.

I set my starting guys to 6 on my come back game.  First game I got a score of 442,400.  Made it half way through level 12 I think.

Even if I would have set it for 3 men I would have still beat my old high score by 20,000.

I love this game.  I will see you at coinopspace as well pcolson.

[Ummon]

Well, I just hit a new record for myself, and quite a leap, too. Last high score was 141K. It was a strange game. Didn't lose my first guy till pies on level 4. Then I lost two more! But I managed to get past it, and then I had this idea that maybe I would just....keep going. Indefinitely, perhaps! Well, not quite. But still, from about 90k on, on my last dude. And really I should've gotten past here, but I sketched while going up the ladder and thought maybe I was gonna get his so went back down. I think I would've made it. Another interesting thing is that I hadn't been playing at all for a couple months maybe till recently, and then this was the last of only a handful of games.

[Lutus]

Sometimes that last man can be the best no doubt.

My new high scores.....

6-men start 630,000 range

3-men start 366,000 range

I can get to level 12 or 13 on 3-man setting and level 17 with 6-man setting.  Would love to hit that kill screen.

[audihere]

Does anyone have a link to a guide on jumping in Donkey Kong.  Such as, what can be jumped, what can't be jumped, when to jump straight up, jump and move, combinations of both, how to jump repetitively quickly etc.?

[javeryh]

you guys are insane.  I spent a few hours over the weekend playing DK and my high score now stands at 43,600.  I have only seen the pie level a few times and only beaten it once.  DK is probably my third favorite game (after Ms. Pac-Man and Mr. Do!) but man do I suck at it.

[Ginsu Victim]

Yeah, I love this game, but man does it kick ---my bottom---.

[ghettodish]

I haven't played DK since King of Kong was on tv 

 

[Ginsu Victim]

I haven't played DK since King of Quarters was on tv 

 

Kong

[Ummon]

Hahah, king of quarters. I took a break from the game and can't break 90 grand without trying. Just not an ingrained game.

[renodakota]

hey everyone first time poster been lurking and reading as much as i can this thread is awesome and i learned a ton from it. thank you guys for sharing all this info about dk and everything else that goes on this website. i am finally breaking 100K with 13700 being my current high. i'm stuck in a rut of getting really unlucky on loops 3 and 4. the elevators don't phase me anymore thank god.i still struggle with barrel control but i'm learning. it's all about getting your technique down and getting that perfect game, you know the one no wild barrels, you can run right up the pie factory. does any one have a working link to the twin galaxies thread about the randomness of hammer points? again i understand this thread is dead but figured i would give it a shot and say thanks for all the great tips.
-eddie

[jacklance]

Looks like DK has this. He's just superior in every sense. (Bigger, faster, and stronger too, one might say.) Link doesn't have anything close to DK's strength and agility, or any means of restraining him. The Master Sword shouldn't really make a difference. Haven't played a Zelda game in a while, but isn't it made specifically to counter Evil? DK is morally dubious at his absolute worst.