Donkey Kong Jr. - Month of NES, day 6

While people most fondly remember the original Donkey Kong, it did get a sequel that flipped the premise on its head. In it, you do not play as Mario, but much rather the titular Donkey Kong Jr, as he tries to rescue Donkey Kong (his father) from Mario, who is now the villain. The gameplay reflects how the premise is flipped, with DK Jr. primarily climbing vines to advance. The gameplay is definitely shaken up enough to feel fresh, while staying true to the proto-platforming that defined the original. However, while there are now four stages instead of three, it falls into the same pitfall of looping afterwards, which leads to high-level play becoming repetitive. Regardless, this game is worth playing, even if not for very long.