Is there any way to determine the version (PRG0 or PRG1) of the NES/Famicom DK JR cartridge from the packaging, labelling, number of screws, etc.? I own three versions of the cartridge and none seem to be the PRG0 version:

- 5-screw NES cartridge
- Famicom cartridge with the cartoon label
- Famicom cartridge with the text label

I'm only aware of two other versions of the cartridge:

- Donkey Kong Classics
- 3-screw NES cartridge

There's surprisingly little documentation about the PRG0 version online, and I haven't been able to find anyone selling one. Is it just incredibly rare?

From what I could find, the famicom with the text label should be it, should be from 1982 as well I believe. That's the best I've got honestly.

Thanks for the quick response! Both my famicom cartridges are dated 1982, so the mystery continues...

You are using PRG0. You can't do the skip on Stage 3 in the PRG1 version. Your run on the leaderboards includes this skip, which means you are 100% using PRG0. Hirexen states this in this thread: https://www.speedrun.com/dkjr/thread/3dp9y

While I have no idea how to identify them via physical features, you can play them to easily find out: if you can do the skip on Stage 3, they are PRG0. If it's impossible, it's PRG1. I started with a PRG1 ROM myself so I can verify this, as I had to locate a PRG0 one for that exact reason: Stage 3 skip.

The stage 3 glitch is possible on PRG1 as Lojen states in this thread: https://www.speedrun.com/dkjr/thread/bxint

The big advantage with PRG0, so far as I know, is that you can just hold down to get a backwards jump in PRG0. The trick is very difficult and inconsistent to pull off in PRG1 because you have to perform a standing backwards jump and quickly switch to holding down before grabbing the vine (my video on the leaderboard takes 3 tries to do the trick because of this.)

You can also get a pixel perfect forward-facing jump to pull this off on PRG1, but this is also very inconsistent, see this submission from Japisman:
https://www.speedrun.com/dkjr/run/zp8dnv8y

I was able to find some documentation on other differences between the versions/revisions as well, such as differences in color on the fruit: https://tcrf.net/Donkey_Kong_Jr._(NES)

We'll put Hirexen and Lojen's comments aside, Hirexen is a mod but Lojen holds WR so his abilities exceed most. I invite you to attempt this Stage 3 skip on the Donkey Kong Classics version of DK Jr., as you are underestimating the difficulty of it, if it's even possible. I have stood there attempting thousands of jumps, not one succeeded. This is far from the "3 fails" you claim that makes you think this version is PRG1. Once again, you need to locate a PRG1 version of this game and attempt it, and you will see the difference for yourself.

But let's focus on "Is SalaryMan using PRG0?", and you have further proven the answer is yes with this link: https://tcrf.net/Donkey_Kong_Jr._(NES)

The color of the fruit only changes when they fall. The key factor to focus on is the color of the chains. I have taken a screenshot of your video, and overlaid both images from this website of the PRG0 and PRG1 versions. Compare the chains on the side of the level, as well as the ones you climb:

Another way to test that I can show in a video if required: Hold Select at the main screen. If your cursor keeps scrolling, it's PRG0. If you hold Select and it only scrolls once, it's PRG1.

Here's that Select test in action. I think this is really the easiest way to tell:

I hope that helps more than my original post!

Hey HowDoUPlay - I really appreciate you looking into this man! I put together a quick video of the 3 cartridges I'm using and what I'm seeing - The honest answer is that I don't know which versions I have, but I can't press down to get the backwards jump, and I can't do the TCRF menu-cycling thing on any:

Here are the interesting timecodes:

2:53 - Example of no ability to backwards jump while holding down
3:32 - Example of stage 3 trick on Famicom cartridge (text only label)
4:14 - Example of holding select on menu (no cycling per TCRF)
7:32 - Example of stage 3 trick on Famicom cartridge (cartroon label)
10:43 - Example of stage 3 trick on NES cartridge (5-screw)

It may be that there are more than 2 versions, it may be that I'm not doing the backwards jump trick correctly... I have no idea! But I 100% cannot get the backwards jump by holding down, and my understanding is that THAT'S the main reason to use PRG0. Appreciate you looking into this either way - just followed you on Twitch, looking forward to watching you stream

Based on what your video is showing, your cart is behaving much more like PRG1 than PRG0. I attempted to perform the backwards jump on Stage 2 as you did, and he does indeed backwards jump onto the ropes and glitch high enough that the only way to get out of it is to fall and die. In addition to this, your select test is like PRG1, as well as you having the press right for those skips (in PRG0 it's quite easy and you only press down).

While your stage 4 still looks more PRG0, this is the only thing, because your game definitely doesn't behave like PRG0. I can show you what PRG0 does in most situations (down + A normally jumps right regardless of which direction DK Jr faces, not always backwards though).

I'll have to look into it a bit more, but yeah I'm glad you posted that video. I would say whatever versions those are, they definitely are not PRG0. I know you use original hardware, so the only thing I could suggest to find a true PRG0 version if you're interested: you could grab a PRG0 version online and put it on an Everdrive.