Back in the days of old when console games struggled to match those seen in your local arcades, ambitious Japanese software house Nintendo made an attempt to crack the arcade market with a game that saw hero Jumpman rescuing pixel-babe Pauline from the clutches of a barrel-rolling ape. That folks, was Donkey Kong.

That was back in 1981, it was a thoroughbred classic and is still held in high regard even today. And it's this world-wide fondness for the game that has brought the arcade clas ... more >>

Back in the days of old when console games struggled to match those seen in your local arcades, ambitious Japanese software house Nintendo made an attempt to crack the arcade market with a game that saw hero Jumpman rescuing pixel-babe Pauline from the clutches of a barrel-rolling ape. That folks, was Donkey Kong.

That was back in 1981, it was a thoroughbred classic and is still held in high regard even today. And it's this world-wide fondness for the game that has brought the arcade classic, or at least a remake of the NES port, to Game Boy Advance.

You'll not be surprised to hear that the premise of the game remains the same as it was back then. Assuming control of Jumpman, players must negotiate three troublesome levels before saving Pauline and sending ape Donkey Kong plummeting to his death in the final stage. Barrels and the occasional fireball are present to cause problems as your jump from stage to stage, but the aid of the game's only collectible - the hammer - will make your journey less troublesome.

Should you finish all four stages, you'll find yourself right back at the beginning as you attempt to run through a second time with slightly increased difficulty settings. And as an additional incentive to purchase a game more than 20 years old, Nintendo has included a two-player link-up option for your multi-player gaming pleasure.

As a direct port, Donkey Kong GBA is faithful not just with regards to gameplay - the visuals are also exactly how they were back then. It's a real nostalgia trip for ageing Nintendo loyalists and worth every penny. << less