Something went wrong. Try again later
    Follow

    Kill Screen

    Concept »

    A level that is impossible or nearly impossible to complete because of a programming error or oversight. Often times the screen number is a power of 2 or 10.

    How does Donkey Kong have 2 kill screens?

    Avatar image for deathawk
    Deathawk

    348

    Forum Posts

    32888

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 1

    #1  Edited By Deathawk

    Or rather how do people know about both kill screens? If by definition a kill screen is an unbeatable screen, than how is it possible that people even know about the second one? Is it hackers? Is it just hypothetical? Or is the first Kill Screen actually possible to beat?

    Avatar image for powerserj
    PowerSerj

    993

    Forum Posts

    1684

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 1

    #2  Edited By PowerSerj
    Avatar image for edenspresence
    edenspresence

    73

    Forum Posts

    170

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 5

    #3  Edited By edenspresence

    Right, so I have also been thinking about this. Maybe I am being stupid here. but why level 85?
     
    So, the timer is calculated as so 
     
    bonus = 100*(10*(level + 4))
     
    and the 10*(level +4) part works modulo 256 due to the 8 bit counter (this is where I might be wrong). Which is why at level 22 we get
     
    10*(22 + 4) = 260 = 4 mod 256.
     
    so the bonus timer will be 100*4 = 400, resulting in the kill screen.  So where does the value of 85 come from as being the other kill screen?
     
    10*(85 + 4) = 122 mod 256   and   122*100 is definitely bigger than 8000, resulting in just having 8000 as normal.
     
    Here are the other levels under 100 which have timers less than 8000 in format [level, bonus] 
     
     [[1, 5000], [2, 6000], [3, 7000], [22, 400], [23, 1400], [24, 2400], [25, 3400], [26, 4400], [27, 5400], [28, 6400], [29, 7400], [48, 800], [49, 1800], [50, 2800], [51, 3800], [52, 4800], [53, 5800], [54, 6800], [55, 7800], [73, 200], [74, 1200], [75, 2200], [76, 3200], [77, 4200], [78, 5200], [79, 6200], [80, 7200], [99, 600], [100, 1600]])
     
    48 seems like it would be the next kill screen

     Please do tell me I am an idiot if I am but there is no need to let me know I am sad, I already know.

    Avatar image for jerusahat
    Jerusahat

    141

    Forum Posts

    1

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 3

    #4  Edited By Jerusahat

    The game has levels, and each level is split into 4 stages. The first screen of level 22 is stage 85. So there's only one kill screen.
     
    (I'm not a DK expert, I'm just going by the wikipedia page)

    Avatar image for edenspresence
    edenspresence

    73

    Forum Posts

    170

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 5

    #5  Edited By edenspresence

    @Jerusahat 
    Duh! thank you... I have never played it and made a mistake.
     
    Thank you again :D

    This edit will also create new pages on Giant Bomb for:

    Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along with your edits. Make sure this is what you intended. This will likely increase the time it takes for your changes to go live.

    Comment and Save

    Until you earn 1000 points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Giant Bomb users. This process takes no more than a few hours and we'll send you an email once approved.