#Donkey Kong Jr. Math

[arjorge1987]

Donkey Kong Jr. Math!!! Para la Nintendo Famicom!

[linkandorf]

Every Mario Character Update #11

Donkey Kong Jr. Math (NES, 1983)

When was the last time you stopped to appreciate Donkey Kong Jr. (II). You better be now.

If you think I missed anyone or you don't recognize someone, please let me know!

[everygame]

Donkey Kong Jr. Math (NES)

Developed/Published by: Nintendo Released: 27/08/1983 Completed: 29/03/2025 Completion: I can do basic arithmetic! I mean I could do it before. But I still can, so I didn’t get any worse at least.

After playing Gomoku Narabe Renju I had a choice: re-learn how to play mahjong so I could play the fifth ever game released on the Famicom or jump over to Donkey Kong Jr. Math because I hadn’t looked at that yet either.

I suppose there were other choices I could have made, but I got fixated on the fact I couldn’t find my copy of Clubhouse Games which I was pretty sure would teach me how to play mahjong again, so I decided what with me already knowing basic arithmetic, I should just look at one of Nintendo’s early attempts at edutainment (the other, “Popeye’s English Play” would only be released in Japan for obvious reason.)

Now, as we all know there’s “good” edutainment that we’re all fond of–your Oregon Trails and Carmen Sandiego’s–and there’s “bad” edutainment, things like Basic Math for the Atari 2600 (which I wrote about in exp. 2600). I think you can tell which one Donkey Kong Jr. Math is going to be.

It’s not just that it’s a maths game. It’s that like so many educational games, they somehow think that the action of doing something educational–in this case, a calculation–is enough to make it a game. Sure, in Donkey Kong Jr. Math you interact with the maths in the same way you’d play Donkey Kong Jr.–control Jr. and make him climb vines–but in every case you’re doing this to collect a number or operator to complete a calculation!

This is, obviously, very boring!

To be completely fair to Donkey Kong Jr. Math, I’m sure almost everyone played it single player, but it’s obvious that the game’s main mode, “Calculate” is meant to be played in two-player, competing to use the numbers hanging on vines and operators to calculate the number Donkey Kong is holding up before your opponent does. It’s entirely possible that the gang at Nintendo led by Toshihiko Nakago had great fun competing at this, and I suppose if you had an NES in a classroom this might be an entertaining way to do an arithmetic competition. 

But I’m absolutely grasping at straws, because absolutely no one did this and anyone who had this cart at home absolutely had Super Mario Bros. or literally any other cart that they’d rather play. Like if you had a friend round, they’d absolutely rather sit and watch you play Mario hoping you’d give them a go than do maths. No one wants to do maths!

Will I ever play it again? If I get hit very hard on the head and forget basic arithmetic… sure.

Final Thought: I’m sure that much like Gomoku Narabe Renju and Mahjong were Nintendo’s attempt to make the system suit adults, this was an attempt to offer a thin veil of respectability to the console as more than just a game system along with Popeye’s English Play, and was supposed to be followed by “Donkey Kong’s Music Play” which–in its Famicom rendition at least–was absurdly planned to feature the ability to sing karaoke via the second controller’s microphone! It seems not to have happened for a few possible reasons: that it wasn’t fun, that there were copyright issues with included songs, or that it was just too hard to fit a music game on an early Famicom cartridge.

Something I have to consider, actually is that above I said “anyone who had this cart at home absolutely had … literally any other cart that they’d rather play” but in 1983 some Japanese children could have a Famicom at home and such well-meaning parents that they only had this and Popeye’s English Play for the system! Absolutely tragic.

Every Game I’ve Finished 14>24 is OUT NOW! You can pick it up in paperback, kindle, or epub/pdf. You can also support Every Game I’ve Finished on ko-fi! You can pick up digital copies of exp., a zine featuring all-exclusive writing at my shop, or join as a supporter at just $1 a month and get articles like this a week early.

[g4zdtechtv]

THE PILE PRESENTS: X-Play - PAX East '12, Night 2 | 4/7/12

Find out if your video game crap is valuable crap!

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[mario-fax]

The NES game Donkey Kong Jr. Math was the only North American title to be released under the “Educational Series” label.

The game consists of Donkey Kong holding up a sign with a number, and Donkey Kong Jr. having to find the numbers and math sign to get that number to a point.

Donkey Kong Jr. Math was the worst selling North American launch title for the NES.

(Mario Fax|Source)

[pokemonblog]

Seven classic NES games - Urban Champion, Golf, Donkey Kong Jr. Math, Mach Rider, The Mystery of Atlantis, SOLAR JETMAN and COBRA TRIANGLE - are now available to play for Nintendo Switch Online members

Nintendo has revealed more content for Nintendo Switch Online. Read on below to learn more: NES – July 2024 Game Update – Nintendo Switch Online It’s time to hone your fighting abilities, explore the mysteries of an ancient lost civilization and – oh yes – break out your math skills, because Nintendo Switch Online members can play an eclectic array of Nintendo classics on the Nintendo…

[miketendo-64]

NES - July Update 2024 | Seven More Titles Added To Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo has released a new video to their YouTube channel showcasing seven more titles to its NES – Nintendo Switch Online Library today. The next wave of titles includes Donkey Kong Jr. Math, Mach Rider, COBRA TRIANGLE, SOLAR JETMAN, Urban Champion, and The Mystery of Atlantis. All seven games are available right now for NES – Nintendo Switch Online upon updating the application. Do any of…

[weirdmarioenemies]

April 1st, 1983

"yawn... Ah, the start of a fresh new day! I've much to accomplish today. After school, I'm off to the library for my own independent studying. I've almost graduated second grade in Mrs. Wrinkly's class... I'm running out of time to study for my AP tests!"

"Now, what might today's date be...?"

"Egads! April first! April Fools' Day! That most wretched of holidays! Despite all my efforts, the one thing I could never understand is how anyone thought it a good idea to designate a day for celebrating foolishness. And the other Kongs delight in it! Am I the only one above such tomfoolery?

The answer is yes... for now. Because soon, things will be different."

"Finally, Nintendo Research & Development 2 have listened to my pleas, and are developing a game of my own concept! A game that puts mathematics at its forefront, sure to prove that the act of calculation is more fun than any high score-chasing drivel! This will change the landscape of video games forever. All the other children will come to their senses, and realize I've been right all along... as I always am. Enjoy it while it lasts, for this shall be the LAST April Fool's Day!

After the success of Donkey Kong Jr. Math for the Nintendo Entertainment System, the first of April every year shall be known as April Intellectuals' Day... or my name isn't Junior (II)!"

[is-it-a-mainline-mario-game]

[jazzmandd]

100 Mario character assemble Part 2

The sequel to the Mario character assemble since there's just too damn many characters to draw! Lots of RPG fellers, Wario Ware and Babies this time around.

[sniffing]

Trying to play through all the NES games in NA release order and before I even start I’m getting sidetracked trying to figure out if Donkey Kong Jr. Math was released in October 1985 or June 1986

[gaminghardwareingames]

Animal Crossing - Part 3

[lelegofrog]

i'm not very good at donkey kong jr. math

[hellman55]

Longplay of Donkey Kong Jr. Math

[janmisali]

At the start of her new video (VG Myths - Can You Beat Donkey Kong Country Without Bananas?) Gamechamp3000 claims that Donkey Kong Country is the thirteenth game in the Donkey Kong series. As the "how many Mario games are there" guy, can you explain the joke as to what the other 12 might be?

pretty straightforward:

Donkey Kong (arcade)

Donkey Kong II

Donkey Kong 3

Donkey Kong Jr. Math

Donkey Kong (Game Boy)

Donkey Kong Country

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

Donkey Kong 64

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Donkey Kong Country Returns

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Donkey Kong Bananza