Week 2: Demo or Die! - Donkey Kong Classic: Damsel In Distress

http://th08.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2010/345/c/e/donkey_kong_arcade_by_lwiis64-d34o8f7.png

Name of the Game: Donkey Kong Classic: Damsel In Distress

Number of Players: 2 - 4

When asked to make a board game based on a classic arcade game, the group we formed decided to make it based on the iconic Donkey Kong arcade game.

The object of the original game was to get to the top, on the same platform as Princess Peach. As Mario (originally named Jumpman) you make your way to the top, Donkey Kong would throw barrels which would travel down the level. If you were hit by a barrel you lost a life and were forced to restart. You could jump over barrels, or avoid them by climbing ladders.

After playing the original game, we decided that a race to the end game was the best fit, and Donkey Kong Classic: Damsel In Distress was born. The idea was that multiple characters want to save Peach first to win her love.

Object of the Game: The first player to reach Princess Peach wins the game and her heart.

Pieces:

• 4 player pieces
• 4 barrels

Rules:

• After 1 rounds of turns, a barrel is added to the board on the last space.
• After each player rolls, every barrel on the board moves 1 space
• If a player lands on a barrel or vice versa, that player has to return to the beginning and the barrel is sent to the last space on the board
• If a barrel gets to the end of the board it is returned to the last space
• Players can pass barrels without consequence
• If a player lands on a space with a ladder on it, they climb it to the connecting space above; players may not travel down a ladder

How to Play:

• On the first turn, players roll to see who goes first
• Players roll a die to move along the board

Because we didn't have much time to pitch all our ideas and debate about what mechanics are best, I found we completed the game much faster; it forced us to make decisions faster. This is definitely a useful exercise since every time you design a game you gain a little more experience. The next time I make a game, I'll know a little more about what might work and what might not.

As I look back, what could have been nice is to make the ladders themselves spaces on the board and with that allow barrels to go down ladders based on a die roll. This way a player could choose whether or not they wanted to go up a ladder, and if a barrel came down on them it would knock them back just like in the original game.