Nintendo has a few more surprises for E3 this year. One of them is the fact that the original arcade version of Donkey Kong is finally coming to the Switch.
Earlier this May Nintendo announced it is killing the Virtual Console brand, which made fans extremely worried about its future plans for classic games. Donkey Kong's arrival pretty much cements that Nintendo is done with just the brand and not older games in general, so retro fans can finally relax.
Nintendo Switch Arcade Archives: 'Donkey Kong'
Until now, it was impossible to track down a legitimate copy of the original arcade version of Donkey Kong without finding an actual arcade cabinet that had it installed, reportedly because of complex legal issues over authorship of the game's code. Those issues appear to have been resolved, as the game is now live on the eShop for $7.99, notably through a new series called "Arcade Archives."
The release includes three versions of the game: the original Japanese variant, the more common Japanese version with bug fixes, and the international version. Gamers can rotate their Switch console to play the game in its classic orientation. It includes two score modes: standard and Caravan.
Nintendo Switch Arcade Archives: 'Sky Skipper'
Nintendo also announced that Sky Skipper, a highly rare arcade game that never made it stateside, is going to be part of the Arcade Archives lineup. The game lets players assume the role of Mr. You, tasked to rescue a royal family from angry gorillas. Nintendo got as far as testing the game on U.S. arcade cabinets back in the day, but for some reason it ended up never getting released. Sky Skipper arrives on Nintendo Switch this July.
Fun fact: Nintendo owns the "only known original Sky Skipper arcade cabinet," which contains an unmodified circuit board of the game. Nintendo used the ROMs on that board to make a digital copy for the Switch, as Polygon reports.
Donkey Kong, meanwhile, needs no introduction. It's the game that started it all, preceding Nintendo's most iconic franchise. In Donkey Kong, players must safely navigate a plumber through perilous platforms to save a princess from a furious, kidnapping ape.
Thoughts about Donkey Kong finally making its way to Switch? How about Sky Skipper — have you heard of it before? As always, if you have anything to share, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
