There are some arcade games that will forever live on in our hearts and one such game is Donkey Kong. There’s a whole generation of gamers out there who have tried their hardest to become the highest score record holder for this game. While it’s pretty much impossible now to beat any of those records, you can test your skills out on Castle Kong, an homage inspired by the classic. While Castle Kong is similar to Donkey Kong, it has its own unique features that make it different. Not to mention the fact that this game has the possibility to win real-world money during its first 3-months of release.

First, let’s talk about how Castle Kong and Donkey Kong are similar. Gameplay-wise, it’s a similar concept. You’re a prince who is trying to save the princess from an evil King. You have to make it up or down platforms in order to reach your goal while avoiding obstacles like enemies, enemy fire, and the occasional level trap. Speed will net you a score bonus, but survival is more important. Not only that, you can offset the time bonus by just point farming which is acceptable in this game. especially if you’re going to that high score challenge.

However, just like Donkey Kong, don’t expect the game to be a breeze. You’re going to die. A lot. The only way to get good at this game is practice. While the concept seems simple, it’s anything but. Castle Kong still has a slight clumsiness to it with its jumps and motions that are meant to mimic how classic games were, which only adds to the challenge and frustrations. Yet, you can’t help but try over and over again to beat your highest score.

While modeled after Donkey Kong, the graphics here are greatly an improvement. Donkey Kong graphics for the most part were very pixelated, not that many colors, and the levels sat on a plain black background. Castle Kong however is very colorful and features very detailed backgrounds, even though everything is still pixelated. There’s a lot more detail in this game which makes me wonder exactly what modern-day, retro reboot of Donkey Kong would look like. If it looks half as good as this, Nintendo would have a winner on their hands.

Aside from all this, you probably want to know about the real world prizes, mainly money. Basically from February 25, 2021 to May 25, 2021, players have a chance to post their highest scores to the leaderboard. Top 10 scores after launch day will receive a cash prize. You can win anywhere from $100 to $1250. There’s even a $5000 cash prize for the first person to hit the kill screen

Castle Kong is a very good retro homage to one of the great classics, Donkey Kong. The gameplay is a throwback to simpler days when cometing for that high score was everything. Who didn’t want their initials immortalized on the leaderboard screen at the arcade? With that said, fans of the classic will love Castle Kong and new players who have never experienced may want to check it out, even if it’s for the novelty of winning actual cash money.

Castle Kong will be available on the Nintendo eShop on February 25, 2021.

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Received game from developer and/or publisher for coverage purposes.
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