- Joined
- Jul 29, 2019
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Every time I buy a game from someone I tell myself it doesn't need much work, just a little cleanup and then I'll put it in the corner and play it. And every time, I end up tearing the machine completely apart and doing tons more work than I originally expected/planned. And this time is no different. So, before I get neck deep in this thing and have too much to try to document after the fact, I'm creating myself a thread/log for the "refresh" on my new DKJ.
I call my projects refreshes because they don't live up to the epic restorations that other members of this forum do on games. I'm a middle-of-the-road preservationist… I try to keep the major game components original, but if I have to find a substitute due to time or budget constraints, I will. I don't usually get hung up on finding original screws or NOS zip ties or buttons (unless the buttons are very particular). I don't mind some patina, but I also don't want my games to be rusty/smelly/musty/scraped/gouged in the name of preserving said patina. I'm slowly becoming more conservative and measured in my approach, thanks to this forum, but I'm definitely not an ultra-purist. I'm looking forward to feedback and comments on my project, but I'm recording this mostly just as a store of my notes, not with the intention of being instructive in any way. I'm no expert and just trying to figure out how to make these games nicer after I acquire them.
Anyway, here is my latest acquisition, a Donkey Kong Junior. I bought it from a guy in southern Delaware. The seller does a lot of partial restorations/flips. In this case the game had been converted several times. When the seller got it, it was themed for Vs. Golf, but he said it had a basketball game of some kind in it. He recapped the 20EZ monitor, sourced a board set, and a control panel and cobbled together some original and some repro artwork. The marquee and side art are repro, the bezel *looks* to me to be original, but I'm not positive. It's got some decent scratches on it, so it's not new, that's for sure.
The game was functional when I purchased it, but as most games I buy the power cord was sketchy as hell with a cut ground pin and exposed conductors peeking through cracked insulation jacket. So I am replacing the cord. It also sits crooked, as the bottom base has rotted out some and one side is the original 3.5" tall, while the other side is a scant 3" or less. I'll be building a new base for it imminently.
Other things I found once I got it home:
I call my projects refreshes because they don't live up to the epic restorations that other members of this forum do on games. I'm a middle-of-the-road preservationist… I try to keep the major game components original, but if I have to find a substitute due to time or budget constraints, I will. I don't usually get hung up on finding original screws or NOS zip ties or buttons (unless the buttons are very particular). I don't mind some patina, but I also don't want my games to be rusty/smelly/musty/scraped/gouged in the name of preserving said patina. I'm slowly becoming more conservative and measured in my approach, thanks to this forum, but I'm definitely not an ultra-purist. I'm looking forward to feedback and comments on my project, but I'm recording this mostly just as a store of my notes, not with the intention of being instructive in any way. I'm no expert and just trying to figure out how to make these games nicer after I acquire them.
Anyway, here is my latest acquisition, a Donkey Kong Junior. I bought it from a guy in southern Delaware. The seller does a lot of partial restorations/flips. In this case the game had been converted several times. When the seller got it, it was themed for Vs. Golf, but he said it had a basketball game of some kind in it. He recapped the 20EZ monitor, sourced a board set, and a control panel and cobbled together some original and some repro artwork. The marquee and side art are repro, the bezel *looks* to me to be original, but I'm not positive. It's got some decent scratches on it, so it's not new, that's for sure.
The game was functional when I purchased it, but as most games I buy the power cord was sketchy as hell with a cut ground pin and exposed conductors peeking through cracked insulation jacket. So I am replacing the cord. It also sits crooked, as the bottom base has rotted out some and one side is the original 3.5" tall, while the other side is a scant 3" or less. I'll be building a new base for it imminently.
Other things I found once I got it home:
- Holy shit it's filthy inside
- The joystick seems to have an 8-way restrictor, not a 4-way
- Button colors are wrong
- The control panel has multiple holes in it for buttons that are no longer present (although non-Nintendo leaf button holders are hanging there connected to terminals on the harness)
- Marquee bulb and starter are both not working (although when the bulb is fully inserted in the fixture I can see it trying to start, so the fixture appears to be getting power)
- Did I mention it's filthy?


















