Donkey Kong's Original Arcade Game Is Now Available For Nintendo Switch

Last week was a surprising one for the Nintendo Switch, with some new content becoming available for the system. This included the long-awaited port of Fortnite; the multiplayer hit Paladins; the Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion; and the indie hit Hollow Knight.

But apparently that's not all, as an arcade titan also made its way to the eShop, and it's none other than the game that started it all for Nintendo. Yep, the original Donkey Kong!

The game is now available to purchase and play for the Switch, going for $7.99. It's the latest entry to Hamster's Arcade Archives program, which also includes the arcade edition of Punch-Out!!, as well as Vs. Super Mario Bros., which the NES version was based on.

The game is close to its arcade counterpart, though its sound is remastered a slight bit, but still true to the game. It also has a caravan mode where you can play it vertically on your portable Switch screen, just like the arcade version.

"Players can change various game settings such as game difficulty, and also reproduce the atmosphere of arcade display settings at that time. Players can also compete against each other from all over the world with their high scores. Please enjoy the masterpiece that built a generation for video games," the company noted on the game's product page.

The company also made note that the older, newer and international versions of the game are available with slight difficulty tweaks. Other settings can be adjusted as well.

Donkey Kong initially debuted in 1981, with the hero, Mario (also being introduced for the first time) taking on the big ape as he attempts to rescue his beloved Pauline. The game introduced us to a young mastermind by the name of Shigeru Miyamoto, who has since become a legend in the industry. It's always nice to see where he got his start.

So if you're taking a break from Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze or you just want to show your appreciation for Nintendo's arcade roots, this classic is well worth adding to your library. Now the only question is what game we'll be getting next. We've heard that Vs. Balloon Fight, Vs. Ice Climbers, Vs. Pinball and Vs. Clu Clu Land are coming, but no release dates have been given yet.

Arcade Archives: Donkey Kong is available now. You can buy it online here or through the eShop.