Donkey Kong Jr Math for the Nintendo Entertainment System brings numbers to life (attempts to) – help Donkey Kong Jr learn to add, subtract, divide and multiply. But its not as easy as it sounds, to select answers you’ve got to climb to them, jump on them etc before time runs out. Two player mode even means you can bring a friend to the fun, the game features various cameo appearances of Donkey Kong himself.

Donkey Kong Jr, Math, and videogames: what could go wrong? That was the thought that went through the heads of the marketing department at Nintendo as they developed and released this game. Donkey Kong Jr. Maths was the only educational NES game to make the leap from the Japanese markets to the United States and European markets. With a complicated concept and very little in the way of entertainment value, the game was received rather poorly.

Donkey Kong Jr. Maths had some of the most complicated gameplay of its time. There are two modes that you can choose from in order to get started. The first mode of the game is called the Objective Mode. The basis of the objective mode is to enter the answers to math questions that are posed at the top of the screen by none other than Donkey Kong. The questions involve addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication. You answer several levels of these questions until you reach the end of the mode.

The other mode of this game is a multiplayer mode where two players can face one another. A number is shown at the top of the screen by Donkey Kong, and the two players have to run around to make a math problem that will equal the number. If the number was two, then the players would have to find a 1, then an addition symbol, and then another 1. This takes place in a platform style game, much like Donkey Kong Jr. The two players have to leap around and climb vines in order to get the numbers that they need. For some of the higher level problems, you have to get multiple numbers and symbols in order to be successful. The problem with this became the order of operations, which would not always let the person get to the number that they needed.

• Donkey Kong Jr. The main character that you would get to play as was Donkey Kong Jr. He could leap around the levels, climb vines, and perform math at levels that is impressive for any monkey!

• Pink Donkey Kong Jr: If you were the younger sibling or over a friend’s house, then the chances are that you would end up playing the Pink Donkey Kong Jr. While the same in terms of abilities as his brown counterpart, his shiny pink fur was a major detractor for many players.

• Donkey Kong: Laying down some knowledge on his son is Donkey Kong Sr, who was not a playable character but had a significant role in the game as he prepared the math numbers.

• Bird: Another non-playable character that would appear to give hints if the player was taking too long.

A screenshot from the NES version of DK JR Math showing standard DK JR on the left and Pink DK JR, right (player 2)

Player 1 swings into educational combat, whilst player 2 continues to come to terms with being landed with Pink Donkey Kong Jr. #ragequit

Donkey Kong Jr. Maths had abysmal sales and a reception with the general public to match. Some of the game rankings that were given out by GameRankings rate the game at 32%, saying that the game was made without enthusiasm, the movements in the game were poor, and there were few redeeming qualities about the game overall. Other game ratings gave the game a miserable 3 out of 10 and gave the game such harsh criticism that the game would be too expensive even if it were free.

In terms of sales, this game had the worst release of any NES game that was ported across the globe, and no particular sales numbers are available.

The reception might have been bad for his game but Donkey Kong Jr. looked to be in high spirits, as he partied on down to some rigorous division and multiplication.

• Although it experienced terrible sales, the game was eventually ported to the Wii and the Nintendo 3DS through the virtual console.

Donkey Kong Jr. Math features three distinct game modes, each combining basic platforming with arithmetic challenges:

Calculate A

The player controls DK Jr. and moves around the screen collecting numbers on the chains and mathematical symbols on the platforms to build equations whose solution matches the number on Donkey Kong's placard. The solution of one equation carries over to the next as its starting number. Apart from the carried-over total, only single-digit numbers can be used. The game ends when the player matches Donkey Kong's number five times.

Calculate B

Identical mechanics to Calculate A, but with two key differences: the player starts each round with a number already in their equation, and negative numbers can appear on Donkey Kong's placard. Considerably trickier than Mode A. Both Calculate A and B support two-player simultaneous play, with Player 2 controlling the pink Junior (II).

+−×÷ Exercise

A more traditional practice mode for younger learners. Single-player only, designed to drill basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division without the head-to-head pressure of the Calculate modes. The setting visually resembles the Chain Scene from the original Donkey Kong Jr.

One of the most fascinating things about Donkey Kong Jr. Math is that it was built on top of a hacked Donkey Kong Jr. ROM rather than being written from scratch. The game's cast, setting and many graphical elements are reused directly from the NES port of its predecessor — this isn't inference, the ROM still contains unused Donkey Kong Jr.–exclusive graphics embedded in the cartridge data.

Visual evidence is everywhere:

• Calculate A and B's setting resembles the Jump Board Scene from Donkey Kong Jr.
• +−×÷ Exercise's setting resembles the Chain Scene from Donkey Kong Jr.
• The DK Jr. and Donkey Kong sprites are pixel-for-pixel identical to the platformer version
• The Nitpicker enemies (in both large and small variants) carry over directly

Additionally, the game's title screen music is reused from Popeye no Eigo Asobi (a Japan-only Popeye English-learning game from the same era), where the same melody served the same title-screen purpose. The whole project has the feel of a rapidly assembled educational tie-in — a Famicom Yume Kōjō first-year obligation, slotted into the launch window calendar.

For a game that everyone forgot, Donkey Kong Jr. Math has surprisingly persistent callbacks in later Nintendo titles — particularly in the Super Smash Bros. series:

• Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001): Donkey Kong Jr.'s collectible trophy explicitly mentions that one of his skills was in mathematics — a direct nod to this game
• Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010): Donkey Kong's sprite while holding a sign is reused as a background element in Wonky Waterway — the same sign-holding sprite from this game's placard scenes
• Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U (2014): Donkey Kong's pink alternate costume is directly based on Junior (II), this game's pink Player 2 sprite. Most players never realised the reference
• Virtual Console & NSO re-releases: Wii VC (2007), Wii U VC (2014-2015), and the Nintendo Switch Online NES library (2024). Nintendo has remained committed to keeping this title in circulation despite its reputation, likely for historical-completeness reasons

Nintendo's own modern marketing copy for the game on the Switch Online service positions it as a wholesome family edutainment title:

Learning can be fun, especially when you play along with Donkey Kong Jr.! Practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division by directing Junior, a cute little monkey, who must climb up and down vines to collect numbers and symbols in order to solve the math problems his father gives him. Compete with a friend in a race to solve problems in Game A, or add more challenge with Game B. Of course, you can also practice on your own! This game is perfect for younger players who are looking for a fun and easy way to develop their math skills!

The official copy notably omits the +−×÷ Exercise mode (referring only to Game A and Game B). It also pointedly markets the game to younger players — Nintendo has clearly accepted that this is a niche children's educational title rather than a serious Mario-canon entry.

The original Japanese title and the international title diverge interestingly:

• Japanese (Famicom): «ドンキーコングJR.の算数遊び» (Donkī Kongu Junia no Sansū Asobi) — literally “Donkey Kong Jr.'s Math Play”. The Japanese title makes the educational intent very explicit and friendly — “math play” rather than “math”.
• International (NES): Donkey Kong Jr. Math — the more matter-of-fact Western retitling that strips out the “play” / “asobi” nuance.
• The game was never given a major non-English, non-Japanese localisation. The international NES version is English-language only and was sold under the same name throughout PAL territories.

Sub-pages and cheats for Donkey Kong Jr. Math.

Box art gallery and screenshots for Donkey Kong Jr. Math.