Become a Donkey Kong Master!

Below I've compiled and organized all the tips and techniques discussed in my BYOAC thread called "Calling All Donkey Kong Masters!". While that thread was geared towards intermediate players, I've tried to add some basic tips in here too. But for beginners, I suggest reading the pdf book in the links section (I had that book as a kid, and while it isn't always right, it is very helpful for beginners).

I'm going to keep this discussion closed because I don't want the same thing that happened to the BYOAC thread to happen here (it became so large that it was hard to find all the good tips). But if you have any new tips or corrections, be sure to send them to me!

Barrel Screens

• Don't be on a ladder when a barrel passes overhead - this will frequently cause the barrel to come down on you.
• Don't run up to a barrel with hammer - it can kill you. Stop before you reach it.
• On level 2 and later, immediately start running and jump once while running in order to position yourself for a 100 pt jump with the wild barrel.
• Forcing barrels to fall down a ladder (barrel control): Running towards a ladder from either direction as a barrel passes over that ladder may cause the barrel to fall down it. Works best on level 3 and beyond (75% of the time). You don't even have to be right next to the ladder - it can be a remote ladder. This is a skill that must be mastered to become great at the barrel screens!
• I haven't taken the time to determine all the safe and dangerous spots with regard to wild barrels, but my main tip is that you want to get up to the upper hammer as quickly as possible, and then wait to the right of the broken ladder, using barrel control to force all barrels down it for smashing. That is a safe spot to stand, and often you can smash wild barrels from that spot. I find that the longer I take to get there, the more likely I am to get hit by a wild barrel. Use barrel control to aid in getting up there quickly!
• When going up the ladder right below DK, wait until DK commits to rolling it normally (i.e. turns to the right) to make sure you don't get a wild barrel dropped on your head. Then proceed up the ladder.

Rivet Screens

• Important thing to keep in mind while proceeding through this level: firefoxes always spawn on the opposite side as Mario! You need to use this to your advantage. Initially you want all firefoxes to spawn on the right side, so avoid the temptation to get the prize on the bottom girder!
• There are several patterns that people have demonstrated, but bear in mind that no pattern works all the time. Mine works most of the time but you always have to be prepared to improvise and plan ahead, particularly on later levels. My approach: Go up left ladder, across rivet, jump back across, up left ladder, skip the rivet where the hammer is and go up the next ladder, across the rivet, up the ladder to the top, across the rivet, and go back down and grab the bottom hammer at an opportune time. Try to be on the right half of the screen when smashing firefoxes because when they re-spawn, they appear on the opposite side, and you want them trapped on the left. When done, go down and get the bottom rivet and head up the ladder right below the top hammer. Use the hammer if advantageous, then get the rivet on the right. Go up top and finish the level (possibly with the bonus points trick, below).
• For free bonus points, stand so you're touching the blue beam to the right of DK and jump. While in mid air, hit the joystick to the right. You'll get 100 points without any risk, and you just keep doing it until the timer hits zero, then cross the rivet to your right. This works for all levels, but it's not worth it after level 3 because the bonus timer counts down too fast. Even level 3 it is kind of questionable - you'll get some extra points that way, but it'll only be about 50% of the points left on the bonus timer, and frequently I am too impatient to bother. But if you're point pressing you will want to do it.
• It is also worth mentioning that on the lower hammer, you can walk partially off the girder and then jump straight up to grab the hammer. This is an important move if you have a firefox close to you - it is much faster than bouncing off the invisible wall. (Thanks Brett for suggesting this tip!)

Elevator Screens

• Immediately run and jump on the 1st elevator platform.
• Some people like to jump to the prize on the left, and double jump across to the middle area. I don't like to because there isn't much room for error - it's easy to hit your head during the jump and die. Not worth it to me. If I have to jump left to avoid the fireball I just go down the ladder before jumping to the elevator. By the way, I generally only jump across and grab the prize in the middle on level 2. Beyond level 3 I find that the fireball moves down the ladder so quickly that you risk dying if you attempt it.
• You can jump from the 2nd elevator to the upper platform, but there is little room for error and not a lot of payoff. Even though it's a greater distance, it's fairly easy to jump across to the platform below it though. It's not worth going down to the bottom and working your way back up to the top.
• On level 2, you can make it to the top by finding the spot just a little to the left of the ladder you just went up (as close to the spring bounces as possible without ever getting hit), and as soon as a spring passes, shoot up the ladder. This works every time.
• On level 3, watch where each spring makes it's first bounce. When you see a spring that bounces close to the left side, make your way to the yellow elevator mount. Wait there (as close to the spring bounce as possible) until a spring bounces on the left elevator mount, closely follow the spring and head up the ladder.
• On levels 4 and on, make your way to the elevator mount just like on level 3. Here is the most difficult skill you must master in DK: you want to train yourself to be able to run to the ladder and go up it without watching Mario! It definitely takes practice to master (use mame save state or infinite lives), but once you do, this level isn't so hard. My method is to keep your eye fixed on the girder's "^" immediately to the left of the left elevator mount. If a spring bounces to the right of that "^", take off running. Keep watching that spot to observe where the second spring bounces. If it bounces to the left of that spot, head up the ladder. If it bounces on the "^" or to the right of it, turn back - you have plenty of time to make it back to the safe spot. Keep trying until you get a combination of springs that allows you to go up the ladder without getting nailed. The key to learning to operate Mario without watching him is to always stand in exactly the same spot, and then you'll get used to how long you have to run before heading up the ladder.

Pie Factory Screens

• Important thing to keep in mind while proceeding through this level: fireballs always spawn on the same side as Mario (unlike rivet screens)!
• Jump straight up right away. On level 3 you can run to the 3rd ladder without stopping and all fireballs will be on the left side. On levels 4 and beyond you may have to pause briefly before passing the middle of the screen, waiting for the final fireballs to emerge (level 3 has 3, level 4 has 4, and level 5+ has 5). Head up the ladder. If unthreatened, go up the next ladder, across to the right, and all the way to the top.
• Sometimes you cannot make it all the way to the top before fireballs reach the top and congregate around the upper right ladder. If this is the case, you can try to influence them to move (see general tips section), or what usually works better is to go back down and work your way over to the ladder on the left. Fireballs are less likely to congregate there - they tend to migrate to the right. However, you always want to try to make it up the right side first since the fireballs will emerge on the left and only go to the left side as a last resort.
• The bottom conveyor belt changes direction whenever DK reaches the left side of the screen. Once a fireball is on the upper girder, he will never come down, so it is safe to wait on the ladder below it until you have a chance to finish heading up.
• I am not a fan of using the hammers on this level, but if you do remember that fireballs will re-spawn on the same side as you.
• An important thing in the pie factory screens is to remain patient. Be willing to go all the way back down to the bottom girder if threatened, and wait for an opportunity to work your way back up. There's generally plenty of time as long as you follow these techniques, so don't take unnecessary risks!

General Tips

• It seems that you have some influence over where fireballs and firefoxes go, so if they are in your way, you can try "directing" them by moving in the direction you want them to go. You can do this technique while on a ladder too, so that you don't have to move as a side effect. Try either repeatedly hitting the joystick or just holding it for a while. Your power to influence isn't great, but it can be helpful at times.
• Ever notice that if you jump over a barrel when not running you will sometimes not get any points, but you always do if you're running? You can solve this by moving the joystick right or left while in mid air - you'll get points every time that way (also see rivet level bonus points tip - same principle).
• Each level has an invisible wall on the left and right sides, and you can jump into it and you will bounce back. This is most helpful as a technique to grab the bottom hammer on rivet levels, but can come in handy elsewhere as a means to avoid danger such as when you're momentarily trapped by firefoxes.

The levels in Donkey Kong (U.S. version) are arranged in a specific order. All levels after Level 05 are the same. Use this key to determine the order of playing fields within a level:

G = GIRDER; R = RIVET; E = ELEVATOR; PF = PIE FACTORY

HEIGHT	25m	50m	75m	100m	125m	150m
LEVEL 01	G	R	---	---	---	---
LEVEL 02	G	E	R	---	---	---
LEVEL 03	G	PF	E	R	---	---
LEVEL 04	G	PF	G	E	R	---
LEVEL 05	G	PF	G	E	G	R