AGH Atari 8-Bit Computer Review: DONKEY KONG by Atari When Donkey Kong first debuted on the Colecovision, it was believed to be the pinnacle of arcade-to-home translations. With the Atari Home Computer version of the same game, Atari essentially laughs in the face of those who believed the CV version couldn't be topped. The most striking difference is the speed -- no longer is Mario's climb such a tedious chore. He scoots along the girders and up the ladders with ease, and you don't have to struggle to find the bottoms of those ladders. Audiovisuals are also superior in every way. The barrels roll down with fluidity with zero flicker, and Donkey Kong himself jumps up and down on the girders if you don't start the game in a minute and 13 seconds. Furthermore, the girl now looks like she might almost be worth rescuing, and she shouts, "HELP!" The Atari Computer version also has all four screens. In comarison, the 2600 version had two and the NES and Colecovision three. Yep, Girders, Rivets, Elevators and Conveyer Belt screens are all there. There are five difficulty levels to test the skill of every gamer, each of which can be played by one or two players. While the Atari Computer cartridge version of Donkey Kong wasn't the most publicized home edition of Shigeru Miyamoto's classic, those who have experienced Atari's translation know that they're playing the best version available on a classic machine. Title Donkey Kong Publisher Atari System Atari 400/800/XL/XE Graphics 9 Sound 8 Gameplay 9 Overall 9 Reviewer Keita Iida