Blocky Kong (life-size, playable, Donkey Kong clone)

[evank]

Hi everyone,

Evan here, from NJ, US.

@Toastie asked me to share some updates on my unfinished "Blocky Kong" game. I started building this about a year ago, and my goal is to finish by the end of July, in order to display at Brickfair (Chantilly, Virginia, which is in the Washington DC metro area.)

Context: Almost everything I build is based around "Interface A" which is the mid-1980s Lego computing system. It's available for the Apple II, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, and PC, and you program in languages such as assembly, BASIC, LOGO, or the proprietary Lego Lines. My preference is an Apple II and Applesoft BASIC. Read all about this system on my personal site (www.brickhacks.com) or in the Interface A reference thread here on Eurobricks. More context: I only build with parts from the 1970s-1980s, or older. I do not use any parts that debuted in 1990 or newer. Still more context: my best creation thus far is a life-size Chevy 454 big block, which you can read all about at www.brickhacks.com/v8.php. It took me the whole pandemic to build!

Anyway, back to Blocky Kong. The model is shaped like a suitcase, standing on its short edge, with the wide side facing you. It's about 25 inches tall, 18 inches wide, and 12" deep (I know, "inches" ... I'm American, don't hold it against me!) :) I designed the whole thing to fit inside my largest luggage.

Mario will start at the bottom left and your goal will be to reach the top left, where Blocky Kong and the princess will be located, just like in the real game. You'll jump over moving barrels and climb ladders. There will not be a hammer: it's way to complicated to build that process. The machine will also have a functional .25-cent coin slot and lots of lights, decorations, etc.

The best part is, I built the entire rear gantry frame separately from the front game board frame. They attach to each other modularly. That means I can snap off the Blocky Kong game and re-use the gantry frame for other things! It could be various 2-D sprite games ... Breakout, Frogger, Night Driver, and Pong are on my ideas list. It could also be a kick-megablocks vertical pen plotter.

Here is a short video (20 seconds) showing the frame and gantry, as controlled by a joystick on my Apple II in good old BASIC, via Interface A. You'll notice the frame is wobbly: that will change when I build a back panel, entirely in black.

I also post smaller updates in my Facebook group called "Square Pistons".

 

Edited April 25 by evank

[2GodBDGlory]

Impressive, especially with the parts limitations you're working with!

[evank]

Thank you. I'm extremely motivated by my nostalgia for the 1970s-1980s "Expert Builder" theme. I love showing what was possible, if only you could've acquired enough parts back then.

[Toastie]

Thank you for sharing here, Evan!

Yes, I believe this is some "true Technic" (4.5V TC ) and truly deserves its own thread. As this is "just" the mechanical part, there is so much more: The electrical control, the program control - all from the 1980s ... I find this truly fascinating. Yes, I am old, nostalgic, old schoolish, etc. pp. but - this is technical and artwork combined.

Really looking for updates!

  On 4/25/2025 at 3:42 PM, evank said:

18 inches wide, and 12" deep (I know, "inches" ... I'm American, don't hold it against me!)

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No problem, as long as the Department of Education does not remove the converters!

Let's see: This should correspond to about 17.5 x 11.6 Prussian Zoll. Easy ;)

Best wishes
Thorsten   

 

  On 4/25/2025 at 3:42 PM, evank said:

kick-megablocks vertical pen plotter.

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The A*S Police caught this one!

They never catch French; "merde" is allowed, as well as "cul". But kick-cul vertical pen plotter sounds a bit lame. Kick-butt sounds better, but is less a*s, more bottom or bum ... kick-bum ... no.

Lets see, Google's AI says "Arsch" is the best translation of a*s into German - so a Kick-Arsch vertical pen plotter is meant here, right?

Oh my - yes, this is an adult forum.

Best
Thorsten