It opens as a faithful copy of the four arcade stages, girders, barrels and all. Then Donkey Kong grabs Pauline again and runs off, and the remaining 97 stages turn into something else entirely. This 1994 Game Boy cartridge, usually called Donkey Kong '94 to tell it apart from the arcade original, rebuilds the old game as a puzzle platformer: each stage asks Mario to carry a key to a locked door, flip switches, and set out temporary ladders and platforms.
Mario got a new set of moves for it, including a handstand that blocks falling objects, a backflip and a high jump off a quick turn, and it was one of the first games built to show off the Super Game Boy, with a custom border and colors. Every few stages ends in a showdown with Kong himself, and cutscenes play between the worlds. The design led fairly directly to the later Mario vs. Donkey Kong series on the Game Boy Advance.
Tips for Donkey Kong
Mario can drop the key and pick it up again, so set it down safely before trying a tricky jump.
Finishing a stage quickly with time left on the clock adds to your score and lives, so it's worth replaying early stages to learn faster routes.
Turning around and jumping in one quick motion gives a much higher jump than a normal one.
How to Play Donkey Kong
Click Play Now to launch Donkey Kong directly in your browser — no downloads or plugins needed. Arrows move and climb, Z jumps, and X picks up or throws keys and objects. Enter pauses the game. You can also connect a USB or Bluetooth gamepad for a more authentic feel.
Save states let you save your progress at any point. Create a free account to sync saves across devices. Press F11 for fullscreen mode.
Click the "Play Now" button to start playing Donkey Kong directly in your browser. No downloads or installations are needed — the game runs instantly using our built-in emulator.
Is Donkey Kong free to play?
Absolutely! Donkey Kong is 100% free on RetroVault.GG. No subscriptions, no hidden fees — just open the page and play.
What console is Donkey Kong for?
Originally a Game Boy game, Donkey Kong can now be played directly in your browser here on RetroVault.GG with no setup needed.
What genre is Donkey Kong?
Donkey Kong is a platformer game. It was made for the Game Boy.
Can I play Donkey Kong on my phone?
Donkey Kong is fully playable on mobile devices. Open this page in your phone's browser and tap Play Now — touch controls appear automatically.