DK: King of Swing Classic
Game Boy · Puzzle / Platformer
Donkey Kong
Certified classic
| System | Game Boy |
|---|---|
| Released | 1994 |
| Genre | Puzzle, Platformer |
| Developer | Nintendo |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Players | 1 player |
| Commitment | Quick session (Under an hour, or endless arcade fun) |
| Series | Donkey Kong |
| ESRB | E |
| Legacy | Certified classic · legacy score 16 |
Developed by Nintendo, Donkey Kong arrived on the Game Boy in 1994 as a puzzle game. It blends puzzle and platformer elements.
It landed about 5 years into the Game Boy's life. Other notable Game Boy releases from 1994 include Mega Man V, Space Invaders and The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk. Among the 76 Game Boy puzzle games in our database, it ranks #3 by legacy score.
It is part of the Donkey Kong series; on the Game Boy you can also try Donkey Kong Land, Donkey Kong Land 2 and Donkey Kong Land III. The series also appears on other systems with Donkey Kong 64 (N64) and Donkey Kong Country (SNES). Nintendo also made Pokémon Yellow, Super Mario Land and Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins for the Game Boy.
This is a solo experience: one player, no waiting on anyone else.
Pick it if…
- you want to think and plan
- you have time for a quick session (under an hour, or endless arcade fun)
- you want to experience one of the Game Boy's defining games
Maybe skip it if…
- you want story, exploration or action
- you are looking for something to play with friends
What playing Donkey Kong is like
Puzzle games challenge pattern recognition, planning and quick thinking, from falling-block games to single-screen logic puzzles.
Tip for newcomers: Puzzle games are perfect for short sessions and often have endless or score-attack modes, so they never really end.
Donkey Kong cheats & codes
29 codes on file (Game Genie, GameShark, Other codes). Here are a few Game Genie codes to start with:
| Infinite Lives | 009-4DF-3BE |
|---|---|
| Start With 36 Lives | 882-64F-F7A |
| Infinite Time | 00C-34F-E6E |
| Timer Is 2x Faster | 02C-34F-E6E |
| Practice Stage XX (Level Indicator Doesn't Work, Can't Go Onto Next Level) | 3E4-F3D-081
XX4-F4D-4CE
004-F5D-C49 |
Donkey Kong walkthroughs & guides
Stuck, or want to go deeper? These trusted sites have full walkthroughs, completion times and more for Donkey Kong.
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Playing Game Boy games today
Game Boy games were designed for short bursts on the go, which makes them ideal for a coffee break today. Many are available through Nintendo Switch Online, and original carts play on any later Game Boy model.
Donkey Kong FAQ
When did Donkey Kong come out on the Game Boy?
Donkey Kong was released for the Game Boy in 1994.
Who made Donkey Kong?
It was developed by Nintendo.
Is Donkey Kong multiplayer?
No. Donkey Kong is a single-player game.
How long does Donkey Kong take to play?
As a puzzle game, Donkey Kong typically falls into the "Quick session" category: under an hour, or endless arcade fun. Your time will vary with skill and how much you explore.
Read more about Donkey Kong on Wikipedia. Facts on this page are compiled from the open libretro database and Wikidata; "legacy score" reflects how widely a game is documented across Wikipedia's language editions. Spotted an error? Let us know.