Donkey Kong 64
Bonus Games High Scores Guide

By Jon Barber (Ngamer64)
E-mail  Mr1166@hotmail.com
Web Page  The Official JB Page - http://www.geocities.com/cyber1166

As I looked at all DK64 Walkthroughs and FAQs posted at GameFAQs.com, I was shocked and appaled to see that there were no guides to help you to get farther, get high scores, and show how to do better when you "play for fun" in the 4 excellent Bonus Games that Rare added:  Enguarde Arena, Jetpac, DK Arcade, and Rambi Arena.  I intend to fix that.
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Bonus Game I.  ENGUARDE ARENA

My score: 420

Proof:  Screen shot of Enguarde high scores.  Viewable at  http://jbpage.surf.to/dk64.html

First some basic info about this bonus game, which is my favorite, by the way.  There are 10 stars in the pool.  6 of them are below water, they each give you 5 points when you go through them.  There are also 4 stars above the water, and they give you 20 points each time you go through them.  There is also a Lap Bonus which will give you 50 points as soon as you complete your first full lap.  There are basically 2 different kinds of laps you can finish, a Full Lap and a Small Lap.  Now, imagine that you are looking down at Enguarde's pool from high above it.  It is in a rectangle shape, with a larger width than the heigh.  Now, off the left of the pool is the highly concentrated points section, where you will find 3 out of the 4 stars that are above water level. You'll also find all different little "rooms" that are sperated by the blue bars which you must jump over, and then go under, to collect the stars.  I will call this area the starting section.  On the other side of the pool, the right side, there is only 1 star above water.  Aviod spending alot of time here.  

To go the fastest, you must master how to move Enguarde.  You have to stay as close to the top of the water as you can, and when you jump out of the water, stay as low as you possibly can while still hitting the bottom of the star.  There are different strategies for how to hit the A button.  Some people like to hit it every few seconds, while others like to hold down the A button the entire time.  Personally, I like to tap the button the whole time.  Each of  these makes you go the same speed, as far as I can tell.  Experiment and decide which one you like the best. 

HOW TO GET A HIGH SCORE

I can give you the best strategy to use, but you still won't be able to hit a really high score unless you get very fast.  And you can only get fast through practice.  So that you'll be able to see if you're going fast enough, I've included the times that I get when I'm on a good 420 run.

When you start the game, you must first let the entire cut scene play, so that you float to the top of the water.  After this, make a 90 degree turn to your left, and head for the starting section that will be right ahead of you.  If you do it right, you'll go through the 5-ring right in front of you, and then through the 20-ring right behind it.  Keep on going, and you'll go 5, 20, 5,  and then 20 again.  You have to keep doing this until you get very fast at it, because if you get out to a bad start, you're in a lot of trouble.  If you get good at it, you can easily tie my time at this point

75 points  :50 seconds remaining

After this, continue going forward, hit the very top of the next star, then jump as low as possible and try to angle yourself toward the right as you hit the 20-point star.  (This is the hardest star to master.)  Come back down and hit the next 5-star to finish the lap and collect your 50 point Lap Bonus.

160 points (1 full lap) :41 seconds remaining

After collecting the lap bonus, continue on and do another full lap.  Remember to stay as close to the top of the water as possible.  You will not get another Lap Bonus for doing the lap a second time, unlike some people think.

270 points (2 full laps)  :22  seconds remaining

Once you finish it, continue on past the entire starting section one more time, through the 20, 5, 20, 5, and 20.  

345 points  :12 seconds remaining

After you hit the water, make a sharp turn to the right and go as fast as possible to the same 5-star where you started the game by hitting.  You have to be going very fast to have a shot at 420 by this point.  You have to be able to hit this first 5-star with

350 points  :08 seconds remaining

Now is where you have to be flawless.  Go up through the starting section one last time, past the 20, then down to that 5, and now be careful to stay very, very low as you hit the next 20.  If you're going fast enough, you'll be able to hit the top of the 5, and then power up and to the right and make it through the next 20, giving you that 420 total you've been dying for!

420 points  1/2 second remaining
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Another one of the best Enguarde players in the world is Chris Rayola.  He currently has a 415, and is very close to 420.  He recently wrote me and told his idea on how to break 420.  I'll share what his new strategy with you:

"I think that you can get 425. Here's how: Start off with the lap bonus and after you go through the last twenty in thesequence of 3 twenties, quickly turn right to the other side. Do another lap of twenties, then turn right again. Then do another sequence of twenties and turn right for the last time. (When you go to the other side all those times keep hitting the 5 points then jump up to the twenty) When you are on the other side you should hit them in this order: 5, 20, 5, 20, 5 for the last lap and end up hitting the last 20 just before time runs out.

~Chris"

That is a very good strategy, but I haven't been able to get it to work yet.  I do think that it is possible to complete, though.

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Bonus Game II.  JETPAC

Now on to my second favorite bonus game.  Who ever thought that an atari-type game from 1985 could be so much fun!  Now,  maybe you're thinking "What?  Fun?  Jetpac is such and easy boring game.  I got my Rareware coin and 5,000 points on my first try."  That's true, playing Jetpac for a high point total is an experience that may require enormous amounts of caffine to keep you awake. The reason that I like it so much is because I play for farthest Level Reached, which is a whole lot of fun.  The average DK player only gets to Level 5, which is the first challenging level.  Once you get good enough to pass this level, it really opens the whole game up for you.  Well, first I'll tell you how to get a great point total, if that's what you're into.

HOW TO GET A HIGH POINT TOTAL

My score:  999,995 points

Yes, I really have that score, and you can have it too.  In fact, if you hurry, you can have it within 2 hours of right now!  And here is how:

Start out a new game of Jetpac.  Get past the first 3 levels, you really shouldn't have any problem doing this.  Just hold down the B button so that you keep on shooting, and if anything gets in front of you, you'll kill it right away.  Even if you die a few times, it's no big deal, just keep on going.  

Once you get to Level 4, the one with the airplanes, go and stand on the far-right platform, the highest one.  Now, stand as far to the right on it as you can.  Look to the right, and start shooting.  Your shots will go across the screen and come out on the other side, killing all the airplanes that form over there.  Also, the airplanes will keep on trying to kill you, but they can't fly high enough and will crash into the bottom of the platform you're on.  Every time a plane crahes or gets shot down, you get 150 points or so.  So you'll be on a course to go over 1 million points in around 2 hours.

But now you're thinking, "What?  I have to sit here holding this controller and watching little planes crash for 2 hours?"  You see, this is where the genius part comes in.  Go and find yourself a piece of tape, preferably stoch.  Now, rip off a piece, and tape that B button down on your N64 controller.  Make sure that it's taught!  There, now set that controller down, be careful not to touch the controller stick.  Now go away and do something for the next hour and a half or so.  A really good idea would be to try to read every single word and look at every picture that's posted at my web page  http://www.geocities.com/cyber1166/  .  After that, go and post something on the GameFAQs message boards about how much you're enjoying reading this guide.   Now go and read a book or something.  Ok, now you can come back to your TV, and you should be somewhere in the 900,000 range.  For a real challenge, try to stop yourself right exactly when you hit 999,995 points.  Then take a picture of it and show it to your friends.  Also, send me the .JPG.   Mr1166@hotmail.com   You may very well have the only screenshot of 999,995 on the internet today. 

By the way, I would like to give credit to the person who I first found out this strategy from.  Thank you, Steven Zwartjes.
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HOW TO GET FAR/ PLAYING FOR LEVEL REACHED

My score- Level 16

Proof:  Screen shot of me in Level 9 (the only screen shot of Jetpac beyond Level 8 on the internet today?) Viewable at  http://jbpage.surf.to/dk64.html

This is where it gets fun.  I'll break it all down, level by level.

Level 1-  Difficulty=  2  (out of ten)  You really shouldn't have any trouble with this level.  Good god, I hope not.  What I like to do is to hold down the the B button the whole time and stand on the middle platform.  Then you just have to keep moving back and forth, collecting the fuel tanks when they land on the platforms next to you.   Try to catch them in the air before they land to save yourself alot of time.  If you're really worried about getting hit, stand on the right platform and fire right while you wait.  It's almost imposible to get hit this way.

 Level 2- Difficulty= 4  You might die once or twice here.  The little furry alien heads (that's what they look like to me) bounce up and down, but they are not all that hard to avoid.  I use my basic straegy here, just stay on the middle platform and shoot the entire time.  If one is bouncing on it's way up, try to slip under it, and if it's coming right at you, shoot it down.  You ought to be able to beat this level without dying after a little bit of practice.

Level 3- Difficulty= 5  This one gives me a little bit of trouble once in a while.  The big bubbles here move slower than the alien heads, but it's a little harder to predict which way they will bounce.  Sometimes one will come up from under me and take me out.  I use the same strat. as usual here, just keep that gun shooting and stand on the middle platform.  If you get into trouble, stand on the far right platform and fire to cover yourself.  

Level 4- Difficulty= 1  The easiest level in the game, if you know the right way to do it.  Stand on the right platform and face to the left.  Now, wait for the wave of planes to crash themselves into the platform you're stannding on, then hurry out and pick up the fuel tank and drop it into the ship.  Then go back and stand on the platform again.  Keep this up until you're all fueled up and ready to leave.  You really have no excuse for dying here.

Level 5-  Difficulty= 7  The first real challenge.  You get chased by UFOs that actually follow you where ever you go.  The only way you will be able to make it through is if you keep moving.  What I like to do it to hold down the B button (didn't see that coming, did you) and then jet myself in one direction as much as possible.  When I reach a large wall of UFOs, I'll turn around and go the other way.  It's always risky to cross the screen and go over to the other side, because you can't see what will hit you, but I do it pretty often.  The biggest problem is if you end up dying, and the next fuel tank is way off to the left.   If you get in this situtation, you are in big trouble.  Just try to grab it and get back to the ship as fast as you can.  You'll probably end up dying almost half the time, but there isn't much you can do about it.

The main thing with this level, and all the other hard ones, is that you shouldn't go in thinking that you're going to beat it easily.  If you do, you'll be dead within a few seconds and then just give up on Jetpac alltogether.  You have to try this a few times to get the hang of it, and then you'll be able to beat it pretty easily.

Level 6- Difficulty= 6  This is alot like a cross between Level 2 and Level 3.  There are plus signs, or little crosses that bounce up and down throughout the whole level.  They move a little faster than anything you saw in 2 and 3.  But this is still not hard at all compared to level 5.  They won't follow you around, so you should be able to blast them all you want.  I pretty much try to do the same things I usually do for Levels 2 and 3 in this level.  You might die once here, but that should be all.

Level 7- Difficulty= 1  I'm not sure if Level 4 or Level 7 is easier, but they're both very, very simple.  In this level, you have ships that look kind of Star Wars-ish that always move from right to left.  Also, they go very, very slow.  No one should ever die in this level, so I don't really need to write any kind of strategy.  I'm usually able to pick up all the fuel tanks as soon as they start to fall, so I'm done with this level within a minute.

Level 8- Difficulty= 8  Now, here we go!  This is a very tough level, and only an elite group of Jetpac-ers are able to get by it.  You get chased by a half-dozen crazy frog-heads (once again, I can call them whatever I want...) that follow you even better than the UFOs.  They are a little bit bigger than the UFOs, in fact, they are the widest enemy that you will face.  This makes them a little easier to shoot, but also a whole lot harder to avoid.  I generaly get out of plenty of close situations where I'm almost traped in by the UFOs, and these are even harder to get out of with these frogs.  I end up using the same strategy as for Level 5, just lay on the B button and try to keep moving as much as possible.  If you beat it, you've got to be pretty good.  But like I said before, I can't give you a strat. that will work all the time.  You've just got to play it a couple times and get the hang of it.

Levels 9 through 16-  Coming soon!!!  Probably tomorrow
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I've chatted with the the best Jetpac player in the world,  Joaquim Mendes, who has gotten all the way to Level 20.   We talked a little bit of strategy, and here is how he described his methods for beating the levels.   You guys at GameFAQs probably know him better as "Joca64".  You'll like how he describes how he does it.

"I have 3 main strategies, I call them “The Pacifist”, "Rambo” and "Chicken”.

The Pacifist

- I rarely fire, only when I have no other escape. I try to make the enemies group. Sometimes I get lucky and get them to behave like if they were only one.  I use this technique when facing enemies from level 5 and 8. I do this mainly because if you kill one ofthem they reappear on another place of the level. And may appear right in front of you.

Rambo

- I always have the fire button pressed. I stay at the safest place I know. On top of the highest platform, firing to the right. This way I can kill both enemies that come from the left and right. I wait for the fuel to drop and when the path is cleared I go get it. I use this technique when facing enemies from levels 2, 3 and 6.

Chicken

- I stay on top of the highest platform and wait for the fuel to drop. I go get it then I return to the same place. I never fire. I try to use the middle platform as a shield.I only use this technique when facing enemies from level 4.

I don’t use any particular technique when facing enemies from level 1 and 7.

~Joca64"

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Bonus Game III.  DONKEY KONG ARCADE

This is a pretty fun little game, I'm really glad that Rare deceided to add it.  I'm not very good at it, because I always have trouble with the spring in Levels 3-3 and 4-3.  Actually, I got level 4-3 one time, but then I was too worn out and got killed right away in 4-4.  I would really like to break 100,000 points in this game.

My score- 94,400

HOW TO GET A HIGH SCORE

My review is coming soon.  Also, I would like to ask David Wonn for help.  David is the world's best DK Arcade player, with a score of over 277,000.  He is also a world-famous glitch master.  You may not know him, but if you've played Nintendo alot, you've probably used them.  Check his website out.  http://davidwonn.turokcave.com  I've sent him a few glitches that I found in DK64.  You can check that section to see them.

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Bonus Game IV.  RAMBI ARENA

This game looked so cool when I first saw it.  I mean, you get to be a big rhino and ram into little blue and yellow beavers!  What could be more fun than that?  Well, alot of things, it turns out.  This game just got boring too fast.  Also, I don't like how much it relies on luck.  You could know just exaclty what to do, but if the yello beaver shows up on the wrong side of the arena, you lose time and can't get a good score.  I don't know, I just can't really get into this game.

My score:  196

HOW TO GET A HIGH SCORE

I'll write a short little walkthrough giving you all the basics, but I'm hoping that one of the best players,  Steven Zwartjes or Alex Penev will help me out with this one.  They both have a score of 228.

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V.  CREDITS

I'd like to thank the following people for helping to make this guide better

Chris Rayola  
Joaquim Mendes

This guide is copyright Jon Barber, 2000.