Suppose I need help?

[Animalchild]

Firstly let me say thanks for reading, about three months ago I found a space invaders machine which led me down a rabbit hole of arcade games I never grew up with, since then my Atari lynx and master system collection has been gathering dust.. I guess I wasn’t ready to find donkey Kong And the damage it would do to my spare time. So for the last two months I have been playing one hour a day with a purpose built arcade stick I made for my raspberry pi. I was super excited to hit 119,800. I first was only getting to level 3 on a good day and slowly got better with my latest death on the 5th level elevator screen.  But enough of the backstory here’s where I need help galore.

Occasionally I die on level 3, elevator spring which I believe is before spring rates  factor in, I’ll run to the safe spot and usually wait for it to land on dks foot and get hit at the last possible moment climbing but most times I make it. Since it’s not the deadly elevator level on 4 I thought we don’t have to wait for certain springs so what could I be doing wrong?

Next question that would be most appreciated is sometimes on the 4th elevator level I’m getting hit by a spring running to the safe spot on the left side of the final ladder but I believe I’m running on the correct spring which is the one that fully bounces on the yellow part of the girder. Is there another technique I’m not aware of, the videos I’ve found start from the second safe spot on the left.

I haven’t used save states and I haven’t hit over 100k for 3 days now and I’m really confused. I’ve been forced to change tvs and wonder if this tiny cheap lcd I’ve started to use since my personal best could have any influence?

I do plan on buying a Jamma cab with my new found love, and a 60-1 with all games turned off so in my future I do see a better gaming screen but for now I’m struggling coming to terms with a 20k drop in scores lately. I haven’t started manipulating barrels but once I understand springs more I will start to try. Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[SithOfSpades]

You can always go between any 2 springs on level 3, but some gaps are tighter than others. Going between the shortest possible spring followed by the longest possible spring is a frame perfect execution. On this one, I usually wait for a spring that is gets a good amount on the yellow before going. Positioning at the right side of the safe spot and getting a good jump is also helpful. I want Mario’s feet right at the edge of the yellow and probably half on and half off. I walk when the spring I have picked is directly over Mario’s head.

Level 4 has a deadly combo crossing from over the ladder to the second safe spot. The short second spring is the killer. If you go on a long spring then the next spring is very short it will kill you. Wait for a short spring then start walking a little before it bounces around n front of you.This extra jump will be safe because the leading spring is short and gives you enough room to make it to the second safe spot on all the springs.

If you haven’t, look at this: https://donkeykongforum.net/index.php?topic=492.0 . There is a ton of detail, but also a lot of good information.

[Animalchild]

Thanks so much for the reply, I’m playing now so will implement that this game. That thread with a ton of info is a piece of work. I have read it before but a lot of it didn’t compute so well but I guess as I get better at the game I will keep referring to it and hopefully more of it willbmake sense. But if I delay my death on level 3 I can try and copy the method of some YouTube videos. It’s 50/50 for me at the moment. Trying to keep on track with a new high score every week.

[Mitch Mitchell]

    Springs are tough, you need to study how many spring lengths exist and to learn the furthest pixel you can stand on for both safe spots, and also which spring is the ideal spring to run on and precisely when you have to start running so you have a solid repeatable system.
    Leaving the 2nd spot going for the ladder adds in another variable of having to know not only which is the ideal spring to start running on, but the ideal next spring so you can make it, this means you will have to learn how to abort your ascent if necessary then reset and try again.
    The info is out there for each facet to the situation.
Good luck!

[Gettysburg1863]

Next question that would be most appreciated is sometimes on the 4th elevator level I’m getting hit by a spring running to the safe spot on the left side of the final ladder but I believe I’m running on the correct spring which is the one that fully bounces on the yellow part of the girder. Is there another technique I’m not aware of, the videos I’ve found start from the second safe spot on the left.

Try this: Go up the ladder and stand still. Wait for a short spring to land to the left of the first yellow platform piece, then run to the right of the escape ladder and pause (try using Jumpman's nose as a guide when to stop)..wait for the spring to bounce over your head and go to the second safe spot.

[Animalchild]

So since posting this things have gotten a lot better for me, my pb is 188700 and my average has gone up to around the 110-130 mark. Obviously I recognise luck as a rather large contributing factor and my rivet boards skills seem to be my strongest throughout the boards. I have not mastered running back to safety on the elevator screens but I guess once I have figured out how to save state on retropie I can sort that out.

It?s amazing how going at the right time on the spring boards will bring the success rate up a notch and find it?s about 5/10 times successfull.

If any beginner players read this I?d like to mention there will come a time where you start to reach lvl 5 with all lives left no matter how much you died on earlier levels when you first start playing and after nearly giving up and declaring progress only possible for the lucky few you do actually get better. I hope to report a 220000 pb in the next week or two.