Submission #4592: adelikat's NES Donkey Kong: Original Edition in 01:26.97

Nintendo Entertainment System
baseline
BizHawk 1.9.1
5227
60.0988138974405
997
Unknown
Donkey Kong Original Edition.nes
Submitted by adelikat on 2/26/2015 12:36:14 AM
Submission Comments
This is an any% version of this Game.
It is actually an interesting version of Donkey Kong that I explain better in my 100% run.
It is important to note that the only difference between this game and the "original" NES Donkey kong is the 2nd level was added (making it 4 levels instead of 3). The other 3 levels are identical, and compared to the published movie this TAS is equally fast.

turska: Rejec Judging.

turska: Donkey Kong: Original Edition is official NES software originally released in 2010 included a 25th anniversary Wii bundle. The game is likely an official romhack and not a prototype from the 1980s (details here).
As it is enhanced re-release that adds new content that is emulated accurately, running this ROM in a NES emulator is a valid game choice for submission. Most VC re-releases only contain minor changes (if any) that are inconsequential for a TAS; the vast majority of them would have no notable differences from the original releases. In the case of N64, inaccurate emulation with Mupen is also a concern. Donkey Kong: Original Edition is highly exceptional in this, and accepting TASing the ROM on a NES emulator does not set a precedent for TASing Virtual Console games in general.
Content-wise, Donkey Kong: Original edition adds the second level from the arcade version and an animation of Donkey Kong climbing up the ladder while carrying Pauline - the original NES Donkey Kong lacks these. This TAS represents a superset of NES Donkey Kong's content - levels 1, 3, and 4 are identical and equally fast to their DK NES counterparts.
While we allow different ports of games even in the Vault (such as [2727] SNES Classic Kong Complete by Fortranm in 02:12.76), two ports of the same game on the same system that result in outright identical TASes push this rule, and I don't think having TASes of both NES Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong: Original Edition published makes sense.
As DKOE is a mostly superior port, this TAS could obsolete NES DK; it has the second level, includes the animation of Donkey Kong climbing, and represents a superset of a NES DK TAS.
On the other hand, DKOE is highly obscure and narrowly released compared to NES Donkey Kong, which is the most famous port of the game - DKOE was initially only available in promotional tie-ins for four years since its initial release in 2010 with a Wii bundle, until 2014 when it was released on 3DS Virtual Console in Europe (here). Its status as an official romhack likely made decades after the original NES port decreases its historical value compared to initial speculation of it being a lost prototype.
Considering these factors, I am rejecting this TAS and ruling that for an any% TAS of Donkey Kong, the initial NES Donkey Kong is the preferred game version. For an "all items" TAS, Donkey Kong: Original Edition is preferred and shows off the added second level. Between DK NES any% and DKOE "all items", both any% and "all items" TASes of every stage (except for an any% of DKOE stage 2 which is exclusive to this submission) are represented on the site without any redundant publications.
Last Edited by turska on 3/31/2015 8:43 PM
Page History Latest diff List referrers