PixlBit

Yes! I slept on the GB version of DK for soooooo many years because I assumed it was just that same game in black and white. But I had noticed over time how many high review scores it got and I couldn't figure out why (I never bother to actually read the reviews). Then one day I decided to purchase it on the 3DS eShop to see what all the fuss was about. Man...after that initial 4th stage when the game reveals a city map with so many more levels, I was hooked!

Oh yeah! Mario Bros. is another arcade classic I should check out if I can.

My entry point to the Neo Geo was the Neo Geo CD system I purchased back in the mid-2000s. It was much less expensive than getting cartridge console, and the games were also much, MUCH cheaper than the often $200+ cartridges. Since the graphics were the same, that sealed the deal for me. I could finally play arcade perfect ports of stuff I had seen on 16-bit systems.

My favorite Neo Geo game is Viewpoint. That soundtrack is awesome.

Yeah, the fall damage aspect of Donkey Kong confused me as a kid because I had already played Super Mario Bros first before DK. So you can imagine my surprise when I learned the hard way that Mario couldn't survive a fall from major heights. Back then, I didn't know that the original arcade game came waaaay before the mechanics of the Mario series were ironed out.

Good points about the history of DK and the legal issues surrounding it. I currently have the arcade version on my Switch, as you mentioned in your comment. My comment in the review regarding the lack of means to play the 4th level was strictly aimed at the NES port (since there's no legal way to play DK Original Edition which reinstated that 4th level on the NES port).

I should get the arcade version of DK Junior on my Switch. I only have the NES version. While I know it probably isn't super different, I'm a sucker for those bright colors of the arcade.

Yeah, I was very late in getting around to Lifeforce. In the 90's I was only familiar with Gradius and Gradius III. I remember my brother telling me that Lifeforce was the sequel to the first Gradius, but I didn't get to play Lifeforce until the early 2000s when I started collecting NES stuff again. It's a great NES shooter.

I definitely played Gradius V (still haven't beat it though). I loved the part where you blow up the Zelos hearts and they all making that digitized "Waaah!" scream. Unforgettable.

Yup, I imported the Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus on my Sega Saturn. Salamader 2 is included on the disc and it was really something to see the scene you described as the first level boss. Nice callback to the first game!

XCloud might be a good alternative to purchasing the Xbox console itself. How much does the membership cost?

Really? You've never beat this game? That's cool. At least you'll always have something to look forward to finishing.