New York’s Strong National Museum of Play is creating the world’s largest, playable Donkey Kong arcade machine.
Home to the ‘World Video Game Hall of Fame’, the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester is working with Nintendo on the project.
The 20-foot recreation of the Donkey Kong arcade cabinet is part of the museum’s 90,000-square-foot expansion, which is dedicated to the history of video games.
The giant Donkey Kong arcade game, which will be around 370 percent bigger than the original, is expected to be completed this spring and available for play on 30 June.
Players will use a regular control panel that replicates the original joystick and buttons. In addition, the machine will run on a motherboard from an original Donkey Kong cabinet, mirroring the gameplay and experience.
“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,” said Jon-Paul Dyson, vice president for exhibits at the Strong.
“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.”
Nintendo providing input
The Strong National Museum of Play is the world’s only collections-based museum devoted to the history and exploration of play. Highlights include the ‘National Toy Hall of Fame’ and the ‘International Center for the History of Electronic Games’.
Elsewhere, Universal Studios Japan is expanding its Super Nintendo World land to include the world’s first Donkey Kong-themed area, scheduled to open in 2024.
Visitors will feel like they are playing inside the arcade game, which was released by Nintendo in 1981.
Images: Strong / Nintendo
