A decent port of the decent sequel to Donkey Kong in the arcades.
The Bad: Short.
It can be tough for any sequel to live up to its predecessor's expectations--especially when you're talking about a classic like the original DK--but in fact Donkey Kong Jr. managed to get the job done well. As far as any early-80s game go (and with that I mean single-screen levels and only one action button) DK Jr. achieves an impressive solidity level in gameplay--I would say to the point it's not regarded as a "classic" just because it follows something bigger.
While in the first game you play as Mario against the deranged Kong here you'll fight Mario (who's got DK captive and cracks an evil whip every now and then lol) back as the gorilla's son. Going through four levels avoiding enemies, climbing ropes and doing some nice platform-action one can finally free DK just to see the game starting all over again a bit more difficult. The adventure is quite short but that's fair enough for a time when scores used to matter most--the inability to earn extra lives only adds up to that "one more try" arcade-ish feeling.
Presentation here is OK--one step further in the graphics color palette and theme music when compared to the original game--but as said above what really makes it survive the test of time is the gameplay. Climbing ropes can be tricky due to the nature of Jr.'s mobility (using both hands allows you to go up faster while sticking to a single rope will give you a quick descent) but it's so perfectly balanced in its execution that it acts much more as an important core mechanic than an annoyance--like such things should always be. Also, there are fruits scattered all over the levels that can be used for points only or for knocking enemies out while multiplying the score--another great risk/reward system working perfectly for an arcade game.
My final word is that we got some good levels design and great controls quite summing up for a standout gameplay here. The port itself is only decent because it's a bit slower and easier than its original arcade version and lacks a couple animations... but that's not an issue for a home console really. Donkey Kong Jr. is a nice videogame piece that's hard to put down.