The Original Arcade Version of Donkey Kong Is Now Available on the Nintendo Switch

Nintendo’s Donkey Kong was originally released in arcades in 1981 and the complete arcade version has never been legally available outside of its original arcade form. Nintendo’s Arcade Archives initiative is set on faithfully reproducing Nintendo’s classic arcade experiences and the new Switch release of Donkey Kong seems to hold true to that mantra.

#ArcadeArchives Donkey Kong is the first-ever release of the complete arcade version outside of arcades, and it’s available now on #NintendoSwitch#eShop! https://t.co/vzeeHxnZoZpic.twitter.com/7YQh3h7JMT

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) June 14, 2018

Donkey Kong is all about saving a lady from the evil clutches of Donkey Kong and racking up the highest possible score along the way. The core gameplay loop has hooked generations of players and the Arcade Archives release features the original version, newer versions and the international version of Donkey Kong. Various game settings can be tweaked, from difficulty to being able to reproduce the atmosphere of the original’s arcade display settings, and there are online leaderboards so players can compete for the highest score on a worldwide scale. Recreating that score chasing feeling of competition that drew a whole generation to arcades is a key part of the Arcade Archives initiative.

Donkey Kong is available now on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop. For more on Donkey Kong, check out our coverage of the Billy Mitchell high-score scandal here and enjoy a full playthrough video of Donkey Kong below.