PrinceWatercress plays Donald Duck in Deep Duck Trouble (SMS) - Part 1 of 6

Oh, hey, I'm finally playing this one. About time I did, because this is a fun game.

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The story begins with Donald Duck asking Huey, Dewey and Louie where Scrooge McDuck is. All of a sudden, Scrooge is floating around like a balloon due to a curse from a mysterious pendant he found in a shrine on an uninhabited island. The pendant must be returned to the neck of a goddess statue inside the shrine, or else Scrooge is cursed to be a balloon forever. He gives Donald Duck his adventurer's diary to retrace his steps and find the island so he can return the pendant.

Donald Duck arrives at the island...and the adventure begins.

At the beginning of the game, there are four places you can go: the jungle, the valley, the inlet or the volcano. I start with the jungle.

The Jungle

Only those who possess the jungle king's crown may pass.

Scene 1: Savanna

Left and Right on the D-Pad let you move left and right, Button 1 attacks, and Button 2 kicks.

The heads up display is pretty simple. In the upper-left corner is the amount of lives you have, and in the lower-left is the amount of health you have.

Instead of being able to swing hammers or throw flying discs, you kick at things like blocks...and that kick has some nice animation going for it. You will have to kick blocks into enemies in order to move on, but you can also jump on them if a box is not available. To kick blocks, you'll need to walk into a block, keep holding the D-Pad towards the block, and then press Button 1.

Enemies include wolves that poke their heads out of the ground, sugar gliders that fly off branches, jumping kangaroos, and rolling snakes, You can sometimes get ice cream for replenishing your health if you defeat them. You can use blocks and other things if you want, but you can also jump on them to defeat them.

Kicking blocks can also reveal power-ups, such as money bags for points and ice cream for health. While the light brown blocks just go up and crumble upon landing, the dark blue ones travel forwards and can bounce back and forth in pits. This allows you to travel across spike pits, which is good, because spikes hurt. 

Chests contain better power-ups. A chili pepper will make Donald Duck run very fast, allowing him to plow through enemies and large walls of blocks. The effect only lasts for a short time. You can also find a cooked chicken that restores all of your health.

The ostriches are like those horses in the first stage of Sunset Riders: you have to jump from one to the next and get to the tree branch at the right side, or else you're dead.

After you complete a section, you'll get bonus points for the round as well as for how much health you have left before going to the next one.

Scene 2: Jungle

Whenever you get hit, Donald will get angry and will be unable to move for a second. The animation is very much Donald and very well done, but it gets a little annoying after a while.

The snails slowly move back and forth and hide in their shells. The snakes pop their heads out of the trees to get in your way.

Look high and low for things. You never know what you'll find. You'll mostly want to stay on the top, however, if you want to get through the scene.

Some vines take you to other places, while there are also pairs of vines that raises one vine while you stand on - and lower - the other.

The red flower shoots out projectiles, but it only does it once.

The leaves in the trees have to be kicked loose with a block, and once you do that, you'll be able to ride it down to another area.

You'll eventually encounter a gorilla. Instead of fighting him, you'll be running away. Be ready to jump over spike pits and on top of walls, and watch out for the fruit that drops down from the top of the screen. For some reason, the blue flowers on the ground seem to hint as to when you need to jump. At the end, the gorilla will run into a huge tree, revealing the jungle king's crown and sending you back to the world map.

PrinceWatercress plays Rising Damp - The Longplay

Now for the game, minus commentary! Enjoy!

Let's Play

Despite having the same name as a 1970s British sitcom, this has nothing to do with the show starring Leonard Rossiter or Don Warrington. Instead, this is a type-in arcade-style game from Issue 4 of Acorn Programs from June/July 1984. In this game, you move left and right to collect all the droplets that you can in a bucket before the strength of the floor below your bucket completely weakens and gives way from all of the falling water droplets. In each stage, you have 60 seconds to survive until the carpenter shows up and re-strengthens the floor. The strength of the floor starts out at 100, but goes down by 5 every time a water droplet hits the floor. 

The game starts out easy, but by the time you reach the third screen, the game becomes near-impossible to complete. It is very possible for a droplet to drop down in an area that you can't reach despite your best efforts, even when there are only so many areas in the ceiling where the water drops can drop down from at that point due to how fast the droplets are coming from. Good luck trying to reach even the fourth screen in this one. One session of this game will only last a few minutes, at most.

Is the game playable? Yes. Are there any problems with the controls? Absolutely not, from what I gathered. At the end of the day, this game gets really hard, really quickly, but at least it's enjoyable for what it is and how long it lasts. The graphics, while pretty crude, are easily identifiable and easy to pick apart. You'll only hear sounds when you either miss or catch a water droplet, but given how the BBC Micro is, especially with games from the first half of the 1980s, it's serviceable and something I can't complain about. It may be one of the earlier type in games for the system, but it's good for what it is.

PrinceWatercress plays Rising Damp

Not to be confused with the 1970s ITV sitcom of the same name.

Longplay

Despite having the same name as a 1970s British sitcom, this has nothing to do with the show starring Leonard Rossiter or Don Warrington. Instead, this is a type-in arcade-style game from Issue 4 of Acorn Programs from June/July 1984. In this game, you move left and right to collect all the droplets that you can in a bucket before the strength of the floor below your bucket completely weakens and gives way from all of the falling water droplets. In each stage, you have 60 seconds to survive until the carpenter shows up and re-strengthens the floor. The strength of the floor starts out at 100, but goes down by 5 every time a water droplet hits the floor. 

The game starts out easy, but by the time you reach the third screen, the game becomes near-impossible to complete. It is very possible for a droplet to drop down in an area that you can't reach despite your best efforts, even when there are only so many areas in the ceiling where the water drops can drop down from at that point due to how fast the droplets are coming from. Good luck trying to reach even the fourth screen in this one. One session of this game will only last a few minutes, at most.

Is the game playable? Yes. Are there any problems with the controls? Absolutely not, from what I gathered. At the end of the day, this game gets really hard, really quickly, but at least it's enjoyable for what it is and how long it lasts. The graphics, while pretty crude, are easily identifiable and easy to pick apart. You'll only hear sounds when you either miss or catch a water droplet, but given how the BBC Micro is, especially with games from the first half of the 1980s, it's serviceable and something I can't complain about. It may be one of the earlier type in games for the system, but it's good for what it is.

PrinceWatercress plays Donkey Kong for Game Boy - Part 11 of 11

In this entry, we beat Donkey Kong once and for all!

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Stage 9-8

Map (by Captain Drake)

There's wind this high up in the tower, and the barrels drop Mini Mushrooms when you throw them into Donkey Kong. Unless you use the handstand, the barrels will not stop at all.

When you beat DK here, you'll finally be reunited with Pauline.

Stage 9-9

Uh-oh! DK's back, and he's eaten some Mega Mushrooms to get bigger!

When he pounds the floor, you'll want to be out of the way. Some debris will fall, but some of it are barrels. One of them will continue to fall. Stop it with your handstand and throw it at DK's face.

The best place to stand is on DK's nose, since all you'll have to worry about is the debris.

After two hits, DK will smash his knuckles together to try to hit you if you're on his nose. To avoid it, stand on his nose and jump straight up. He'll still cause barrels and debris to rain from the sky, but you've got to be quick with the barrels. If you can't get your hands on one before DK shakes the screen, the barrel on the floor will disintegrate and you'll have to wait to get another one.

If DK lifts his hands up, he's going to do two fist crushes. If his hands slide sideways, he's about to clap his hands together.

After two more hits, DK will hide under the floor and pound at the ground with his fists. Stay at the center, and move away to avoid his fists and the debris. After this, you'll have to deal with the usual tactics from this battle and get two more hits in. Thankfully, these two hits are the last, and once you land them, it's over! You've beaten Donkey Kong for Game Boy!

PrinceWatercress plays Donkey Kong for Game Boy - Part 10 of 11

We chase Donkey Kong up his own tower in this entry. The end is in sight...

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Stage 8-11

Map (by Captain Drake)

Go to the left, get the magical ladder icon with the handstand jump and place it near the key. Place the key on the conveyor belt, get the magical ladder icon to the right, and use it to gain access to the other side of the conveyor belt. Hurry over there and get the key, then use the last magical ladder icon so you can climb to the exit door. This one will definitely require some crackerjack timing to pull off, but it is possible.

Stage 8-12

Map (by Captain Drake)

Stay underneath the dark, square-shaped platforms whenever possible. The boulders cannot tumble straight down from above them. As for the rest of the area, watch where the rocks are going, and remember that you have no safe spots and that it is pretty easy to 

The lava is instant death. Don't let the intermission fool you!

Stage 8-13

Map (by Captain Drake)

For this one, you'll want to place the magical bridge so that it's flush with the platform where the key is. From there you can throw the key up and get back to the door by using the seed-spitting flower as a platform. You can also place the magical bridge so that it's above where the seed-spitting flower is as a safe strategy.

Stage 8-14

Map (by Captain Drake)

There are four switches. The top switch will be called "Switch 1." The bottom three, from left to right, will be "Switch 2," "Switch 3," and "Switch 4." As you're moving through this stage, watch out for the fireballs that are shot downward by the Panzer.

Toggle Switch 3 first. From there, go up and go right to Switch 4, then go left and hit Switch 2. Go up and hit Switch 1, and wait for the block enemy to be right-side up before jump on and then over him.

Go back down and hit Switch 2 so the block guy on the left reaches the bottom, then hit Switch 4. When the block guy on the right hits the bottom, toggle it again. This will ensure that the door blocking the key is open. You can now grab the key and get out of here. Just wait on the fireballs that the Panzer spits out so they don't hit you.

Stage 8-15

Map (by Captain Drake)

Go up, and wait on the conveyor belt as the first crusher comes down. Jump onto it and jump on the moving platforms, and get the second crusher to come down. Jump onto it, then go to the right. Use the crumbling blocks to wait on the moving platforms nearby if you need to. Get the key, and use the rocks moving on the lava as platforms. Again, keep jumping on them so they don't sink into the lava, and watch your position as you do. Use the magical springboard to get to the ladder leading back to the starting point.

Stage 8-16

Map (by Captain Drake)

You'll be dealing with the wind as well as egg-pooping birds as you throw walking rocks at DK. Focus on throwing the walking rocks at DK, as DK may inadvertently kill the bird. Of course, the bird will respawn, but at least you won't have to deal with it for a few seconds.

World 9: Tower

Stage 9-1

Map (by Captain Drake)

For the final world, you will be dealing with Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr.

For this first stage, you'll have to brave the conveyor belts to get to Pauline and try not to get hit in the head by falling objects. At least you can backflip or handstand jump to the bridge if it's triggered, as DK Jr. will be playing around with the switch up top.

Stage 9-2

Map (by Captain Drake)

DK Jr. will be throwing springboards while DK Jr. will be toggling the bridges, but if you're quick enough you should be able to get through this without any problems. The backflip and the handstand jumps will both be your friends here.

Stage 9-3

Map (by Captain Drake)

For this one, DK Jr. will be playing with the switches, and you're going to be doing quite a bit of waiting. The switch will toggle both doors and bridges. Do not land on the walking horned skulls, as jumping onto them is instant death if you do.

You'll also be waiting on ladders to move their way up, and you'll also have the Mini Mushrooms to avoid again.

Stage 9-4

Map (by Captain Drake)

This one is similar to the final stage of Donkey Kong Jr. For this one, you'll have to move five keys to the top while avoid the eggs of the bird as well as Mini Mushrooms. When you move all five keys up to the top, you'll lock DK Jr. in a cage. We won't be seeing him again.

Stage 9-5

Map (by Captain Drake)

Just use your backflip to get to the top. This is simple.

Stage 9-6

Map (by Captain Drake)

For this one, you're spinning on wires to get to the top. For the final, diagonal wire, spin five or six times to land in front of Pauline. Any more and you'll be sailing straight into DK. Just make sure the switch is triggered so that the door blocking the end is open.

Stage 9-7

Map (by Captain Drake)

For this level, all the blocks will dissolve. You'll want to avoid the Mini Mushrooms, otherwise you'll have to time your jumps carefully so you don't screw it up at the end. You definitely don't want to fall to the bottom here.

PrinceWatercress plays Donkey Kong for Game Boy - Part 9 of 11

In this video, we tackle one of the wildest stages that the game has to offer.

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Stage 8-3

Map (by Captain Drake)

You can swim inside the waterfalls, and you can ascend if you hammer the A button fast enough. Use this to your advantage to swim to the top of the stage, then go down the ladder and toggle the switch to open the door to the exit. Go back up, get the key, drop down while avoiding the spikes, and ride the crusher to get to the door.

All this time, you'll have to avoid both the bird and the eggs it drops, so watch the skies.

Stage 8-4

Map (by Captain Drake)

Avoid the hedgehogs, and go for the switch as soon as you can get to it (DK will be playing with a switch that controls the bridges).

The intermission shows Mario standing on rocks to try to get to DK.

Stage 8-5

Map (by Captain Drake)

Just use the Super Hammer to get rid of the bricks and the hedgehogs. This is easy. You don't even need the ladder, since you can get around easily with the handstand jump.

Stage 8-6

Map (by Captain Drake)

Place the magical springboard under the handbag, then use it to get up. Avoid the crushers as you go right. Go down and get the key. Take the moving platforms, flip the switch just under where the key was. Avoid the crushers as you make your way to the door.

That's one way to do it. The other way is to hit the top switch to the right, then the bottom one to get to the top. You can then hit the switch in the upper right, get the key, then bring the key back down to the exit.

Stage 8-7

Map (by Captain Drake)

The Panzers make their first appearance since Super Mario Bros. 2 and all of its ports. 

Avoid the Panzer, get the key, hit the magical bridge platform and use the platform to break your fall. DK Jr. will be playing with the switch, but all he'll be doing is reversing the direction of the conveyor belts. The hammer is only there if you want to grab all the bonus items.

Stage 8-8

Map (by Captain Drake)

All you're really doing here is avoiding the rocks that Donkey Kong throws as you make your way towards Pauline. You can ride on top of them just like in the intermission, too, and you'll actually need to do that in order to get across the spikes and up the second ladder to get to DK and Pauline.

In the intermission, Mario jumps higher to make it easier to get across the waterfall.

Stage 8-9

Map (by Captain Drake)

If you want to skip the water, you can always get hit by a Mini Mushroom so you can take the bottom route. Otherwise, be careful around the fish and don't let them bite you. As for the switch, you'll want to move it to the left.

Stage 8-10

Map (by Captain Drake)

For this one, get to the magical springboard with the handstand jump and position it so you can get the key. Make sure that the tiny, singular bottom platform does not fall down. Once you grab the key, stand on that platform and ride it down to the door. You could continue to collect magic springboards, but you might find this to be easier.

You've also got the wind working against you much like in some of the Airplane stages here, so be careful. In this stage, it is all too easy to fall to your death.

When it comes to getting the key down to the exit, if you can get the key to land on the left side of the left spike pit, then hold Left after picking the key up from the spike pit, you're good.

PrinceWatercress plays Donkey Kong for Game Boy - Part 8 of 11

We're getting close to the end, and we've still got plenty of levels to go.

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Stage 7-5

Map (by Captain Drake)

The icicles, when they fall, will act as platforms. When they shake, they're about to disappear before they slowly respawn on the ceilings. You'll have to be ready to jump from one icicle to another.

Stage 7-6

Map (by Captain Drake)

For this one, wait for the walking flames to fall after running out of ice blocks to melt, then wait for two of them to get on the bridge above the moving platforms. Toggle the switch and the rest of the ice blocks will be melted.

The switch also reverses the direction of the moving platforms, so grab the key, go up on the moving platforms and toggle the switch when you have fire near the exit again.

From there, you'll want to place one of the magical bridges so that the fire will walk on them and melt the ice blocks surrounding the exit. Place another one directly under the exit, and you're good to go.

Stage 7-7

Map (by Captain Drake)

For this one, grab the key and get in the water. You can use the key to take out all of the underwater enemies by throwing it at them.

You can use a handstand jump to get the purse underneath the exit.

Leave the key there, then use the magical platforms and bridges to make your way to the door. Watch out for the squid when you get back in the water.

Stage 7-8

Map (by Captain Drake)

After keeping the icebergs on the surface of the water, you'll be taking a quick ride on conveyor belts while avoiding a (literally) crushing defeat. Thankfully, the conveyor belts go in the direction where you want them to go, so if you can time your movements perfectly, you can get to Pauline before DK shakes the screen again.

Stage 7-9

Map (by Captain Drake)

Head to the right and flip the switch, and carefully ride to the bottom of the moving platforms with the icicle. Stand on the walrus to trigger the icicles into falling down, then go up and cross the icicle bridge. Just remember that you'll need to walk underneath the spike pit to get the icicles to come down first. Use the magical ladder to reach the nearby switch and toggle it. This switch causes a bridge to appear to your immediate right and also causes the moving platforms to go back up. You'll also open the door blocking the key, so get the key and get back to the start.

Stage 7-10

Map (by Captain Drake)

You'll need to use the icicles as platforms to get to the end. You'll want to run across the second icicle as it's falling. For the ladder before the end, you'll want to get on the last icicle while it's in mid-air in order to climb the ladder, as you cannot grab a ladder while jumping.

The three bonus items are at the end. You'll need to get to them and jump back as quickly as possible; just watch which platforms come down.

Stage 7-11

Map (by Captain Drake)

The invisible door is in mid-air between the magical bridge and ladder icons. It's not exactly between them (it's a little higher up), but it's in that relative location.

Use the magical ladder at the top to get to the switch and toggle it. You can get the key, but there's still the problem of getting to the door. Let the walking flame run out and melt the ice blocks in your way, then drop down from the left and get the magical springboard. Place it in Mario's fall path, and you'll save yourself from falling too high.

If you put the magical bridge where the door is, the game won't let you position the bridge there as it will overlap the door. From there, you can use the magical platform and springboard to get to the bridge. The bridge must be touching the top half of the fourth wall block of the bottom.

Stage 7-12

Map (by Captain Drake)

The icicles make it slightly harder to grab some of the barrels. Thankfully, there are three spots where the barrels will stop moving and stand upright, so you should have plenty of ammunition to hit DK with.

World 8: Rocky Valley

Stage 8-1

Map (by Captain Drake)

Get in the water, grab the key and toss the key up once you're all the way to the right. Go up, plant the magical ladder so that you can climb upwards. Toss the key up over where the hat is. Climb up and get the key before it disappears. If you need to take out the fish, keep in mind that the key will reappear where it is found when it falls into a pit. Avoid the armadillos on the way to the door. You're done.

Stage 8-2

Map (by Captain Drake)

Go to the right, hit the switch, then jump over where the hedgehogs are on the way back. When you reach the platforms, stand on the platforms on the bottom to get rid of them, then throw the key on the conveyor belt and duck to get under the gap. Grab the key, then take the platforms upwards and avoid everything that gets in your path.