Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY is set to unveil the world’s largest playable Donkey Kong arcade machine, one that definitely won’t fit in the Futuro House. The cabinet stands nearly 20-feet tall and will be visible all the way from the first-floor welcome atrium of Strong’s expansion and be playable just outside the ESL Digital Worlds gallery on the second floor.
More specifically, it’s 370% larger than the original and features an aluminum frame with MDF fiberboard. To play, guests will stand at a pedestal beneath the massive screen and use a standard-sized control panel that replicates the original joystick and buttons. The game runs on a motherboard from an original Donkey Kong cabinet, so the original gameplay and experience is replicated as closely as possible. It will be available for play on June 30, 2023.
- Join the legacy: Library of 14 iconic games, including Ms. Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Galaga, Galaxian, Rompers, PAC-Mania, Mappy, and more!
- Authentic gaming at its finest: Relive the golden era of arcade gaming with original licensed artwork, real-feel joysticks and buttons, light up...
- Enjoy Wi-Fi enabled gaming and unlimited free play: Compete with friends, post scores to leaderboards and download the Companion App to join a...
Donkey Kong is a true titan in the video game world—both in terms of character size and the iconic status of the game—so it lends itself perfectly to this playful, whimsical installation. The museum’s expansion will provide a new and bigger home for the World Video Game Hall of Fame, and fittingly, Donkey Kong was inducted into the hall in 2017. We’re thankful to Nintendo of America for providing guidance as we create this unique game feature as authentically and true to the original game as possible,” said Jon-Paul Dyson, PhD, vice president for exhibits at The Strong.
