Congo Bongo

From Sega Retro

n/a

Congo Bongo Title.png

Congo Bongo
System(s): Sega Zaxxon hardware, SG-1000, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, DOS, Intellivision, MSX, TI-99/4A, VIC-20
Publisher: Sega,
ColecoVision
Coleco,
MSX
Philips,
TI-99/4a
Texas Instruments
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
ColecoVision
US
1983 $? ?
Intellivision
US
1983 $? ?
SG-1000
JP
¥3,8003,800 G-1007
SG-1000
EU
SG-1000
AU
G-1007
SG-1000
NZ
SG-1000
TW
Commodore 64
US
Commodore 64
EU
Commodore 64
UK
(Cassette)
£9.959.95
IBM PC compatibles
US
MSX
JP
Apple II
US
Atari 8-bit Family
US
VIC-20
US
TI-99/4a
US

Congo Bongo (コンゴボンゴ), originally known as Tip Top (ティップタップ), is a 1983 arcade platformer game developed by Sega. It is often considered an isometric equivalent to Nintendo's Donkey Kong, as it stars a protagonist chasing after a large ape (in this game, called "Bongo"). However, unlike Donkey Kong, the game is set in a jungle, the graphics are more detailed and there are more enemies and traps.

Congo Bongo runs on similar hardware to Zaxxon, known as the Sega Zaxxon hardware.

Gameplay

Levels

As Sega likely never gave Congo Bongo's levels official names, home conversions

Congo Bongo1.png Primate Peak/Jungle Mountain/Waterfall Pass
Snake Lake
The Atari, Intellivision and 1983 Commodore 64 versions omit this level.
Rhino Ridge
This level is also missing in the Atari, Intellivision and 1983 Commodore 64 versions.
Lazy Lagoon/The Great River

History

Legacy

Like many early Arcade games such as Space Invaders or Pac Man, Congo Bongo was widely ported to numerous home consoles and computers in the 1980s, including the Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, ColecoVision, DOS, IntelliVision, MSX, TI-99/4A and Commodore VIC-20. Two versions exist for the Commodore 64, from 1983 and 1985, respectively - the latter is more faithful to the arcade original.

The only Sega console the game has appeared on is the SG-1000, however it was featured as part of the PlayStation 2 Sega Ages 2500 series in Japan and was an unlockable in both Sega Mega Drive Collection and Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection.

Many of the weaker computers and consoles were unable to render isometric graphics, and therefore had to find other methods of rendering the game. The Atari versions for example uses an oblique perspective, whereas the SG-1000 game goes for a top-down approach. The Atari, Intellivision, 1983 Commodore 64, MSX, TI-99/4a and VIC-20 versions all omit levels 2 and 3, presumably due to storage restrictions, while the ColecoVision port only excludes level 2.

A ZX Spectrum version of the game was planned, but was later scrapped.

Gallery

Promotional material

Physical scans

Arcade version

Zaxxon hardware, US (upright)
CongoBongo ZaxxonHardware US Marquee.jpg
Zaxxon hardware, US (cocktail)
Zaxxon hardware, JP (cocktail)

SG-1000 version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
60 №11
SG-1000
60
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Computer Input (NZ)
55
[1]
SG-1000
55
Based on
1 review

Congo Bongo

SG-1000, JP
Congo Bongo SG1000 JP Back.jpgCongo Bongo SG1000 JP Spine.jpgCongo Bongo Box JP.jpgCongo Bongo SG1000 JP Spine2.jpg
Cover
Congo Bongo SG1000 JP Carttop.jpg
Congo Bongo SG1000 JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Congo Bongo SG1000 JP Manual.pdf
Manual
Congo Bongo SG1000 JP Inside.jpg
Inside
SG-1000, FR
Congo Bongo Box Back EU.jpgNospine.pngCongo Bongo Box Front EU.jpg
Cover
SG-1000, AU
Congo Bongo Box AU.jpg
Cover
SG-1000, NZ

SG-1000, TW

Apple II version

Apple II, US
CongoBongo AppleII US Box Front.jpg
Cover

Atari 2600 version

Atari 2600, US
Congo Bongo Atari2600 US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngCongo Bongo Atari2600 US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Congo Bongo Atari2600 US Cart.jpg
Cart
CongoBongo2600USManual.pdf
Manual
Atari 2600, EU
Congo Bongo Atari2600 EU Box Back.jpgNospine.pngCongo Bongo Atari2600 EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
CongoBongo2600E-GerManual.pdf
Manual
Atari 2600, BR
Congo Bongo Atari2600 BR Cassette Box.jpg
Cover
Congo Bongo Atari2600 BR Cassette.jpg
Cassette

Atari 5200 version

Atari 5200, US
Congo Bongo Atari5200 US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngCongo Bongo Atari5200 US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Congo Bongo Atari5200 US Cart.jpg
Cart
CongoBongo5200USManual.pdf
Manual

Atari 8-bit Family version

Atari 8-bit family, US
Congo Bongo Atari8bit US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngCongo Bongo Atari8bit US Box Front.jpg
Cover
CongoBongo Atari8bit US Cart.jpg
Cart

ColecoVision version

ColecoVision, US
CongoBongo ColecoVision US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngCongoBongo ColecoVision US Box Front.jpg
Cover
CongoBongo ColecoVision US Cart.jpg
Cart
CongoBongoColecoVisionUSManual.pdf
Manual

Commodore 64 version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
60 №1
Commodore 64
60
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Computer Gamer (UK)
50
[2]
Commodore 64
50
Based on
1 review

Congo Bongo

Commodore 64, UK
Congo Bongo C64 EU Box Back.pngCongo Bongo C64 EU Box Front.png
Cover
Commodore 64, US

CongoBongo C64 US Manual.pdf
Manual

DOS version

DOS, US

Intellivision version

Intellivision, US
Congo Bongo Intellivision US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngCongo Bongo Intellivision Box Front.jpg
Cover
Congo Bongo Intellivision US Cart.jpg
Cart
CongoBongoIntellivisionUSManual.pdf
Manual

MSX version

MSX, JP
Congo Bongo MSX EU Box.jpg
Cover

TI-99/4A version

TI-99/4A, US
Congo Bongo ti994a US Box.jpg
Cover

VIC-20 version

VIC-20, US
CongoBongo VIC20 US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngCongoBongo VIC20 US Box Front.jpg
Cover
CongoBongo VIC20 US Cart.jpg
Cart
  1. Computer Input, "November 1983" (NZ; 1983-xx-xx), page 25
  2. Computer Gamer, "April 1985" (UK; 1985-0x-xx), page 47