Home /
Arcade

Don Doko Don

Arcade

Arcade

The players are bearded dwarves who must defeat various enemies by using a mallet to stun them. Players can pick stunned enemies up and throw them at other enemies to destroy them. Destroyed enemies leave behind fruit which can be collected for points. Once all enemies are destroyed play proceeds...

Download

0/5 Votes: 0

Report

Developer
Taito

Released on
1989

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Action

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

Wikipedia
View article →

Report this app

Images

Description

The players are bearded dwarves who must defeat various enemies by using a mallet to stun them. Players can pick stunned enemies up and throw them at other enemies to destroy them. Destroyed enemies leave behind fruit which can be collected for points. Once all enemies are destroyed play proceeds to the next level which is generally more difficult.

Throughout the game, various power-ups can be collected, which represent potions, hammers, or books help the players’ character speed up, receive more power, or kill in different ways. In certain screens various secret levels can be accessed.

Don Doko Don

Overview & History

Released by Taito in 1989 for the arcades, Don Doko Don is a charming platform-action game that shares the cutesy aesthetic and single-screen stage design of Taito's earlier hit, Bubble Bobble. Players step into the wooden shoes of Bob and Jim, two bearded dwarf lumberjacks drafted into saving the king's kidnapped daughters from a mysterious evil king who has unleashed an army of mechanical and magical monsters. Though it never achieved the ubiquitous cult status of its predecessor, the game stands out for its satisfying blend of puzzle-platforming and brawler mechanics. Operating on Taito's robust Z80-based hardware, the arcade original delivered vibrant, colorful sprites and catchy, upbeat chiptune melodies that cemented its identity as a quintessential late-80s arcade gem. Its modest success eventually led to a ported version on the PC Engine in Japan, but the arcade original remains the definitive way to experience its tight, cooperative gameplay loops.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike standard platformers where you jump on enemies to defeat them, Bob and Jim are armed with heavy wooden mallets. The core loop revolves around stunning enemies with a direct whack, picking up the dazed foes over your head, and hurling them across the screen to take out other adversaries in a satisfying bowling-pin fashion. Levels are presented as single-screen vertical and horizontal platforms packed with ladders, elevators, and hazards. Players must clear every enemy within a strict time limit, or else face a deadly, speedy phantom that pursues the lumberjacks. Defeated foes drop various point-scoring fruits and occasional power-up potions that grant temporary stat boosts, such as increased movement speed, extended mallet reach, or explosive hammers. Secret bonus rooms and coin-collecting mini-games are hidden throughout the stages, adding replay value for score-chasers. Boss battles punctuate every few rounds, demanding clever positioning and precise timing to land mallet strikes while dodging heavy projectiles.