Appendages Out For Harambe With This New Donkey Kong-Esque Arcade Game
It’s been over a year since famed gorilla Harambe was infamously gunned down by a zookeeper after a toddler fell into his enclosure. The tragic ape has since become a hugely popular internet meme, involving everything from “dicks out” remembrance to a Harry Potter Harambe patronus. Further cementing the gorilla’s legacy, a new arcade game called Harambe Kong has debuted in Boise, Idaho, and it has become a popular draw among patrons.
Similar to Donkey Kong, the new game sees players run, jump, and collect food as the gorilla, ranking up a score in the process. Strategy drops in quite literally in the form of children scattered over the level, where any slight contact will end in Harambe’s horrific demise.
Boise programmer Tyler Saling is the mastermind behind Harambe Kong, having completed the project in his free time for over a year. Under the collective name of Digital Berzerk, Saling and friend Zack Rowland leveled-up the gorilla game to an arcade experience after partnering with local gaming hub Space Bar.
It’s fun, it’s great to produce something that people enjoy,” Saling said. “It does validate my work and I want to continue that.”
A game like this is sure to attract controversy, with some players finding the experience to be “too lifelike” when considering its real-world inspirations. The Digital Berzerk duo have stated their intent was not to offend, but to express their dislike of zoos, a disgust that originally began with the death of Harambe.
I think someone who is ultimately offended by this game may need to question themselves a little bit and maybe question their morals,” said Saling. “Why am I offended by a pixelized gorilla being shot?”
Space Bar is not Saling’s final stop on the Harambe hype train, as he also wants to make the game available to the public as well. The programmer teases to have both mobile and Xbox ports in mind for the future, as well as a potential Harambe Kong trilogy. What a world we live in.
What do you think? Is Harambe Kong a joke gone too far, or a harmless game that looks pretty fun? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more gorilla-related news, check out these next few links below:
Eric Hall2712 Posts
Phone-browsing Wikipedia in one hand and clutching his trusty controller in the other, the legendary Eric Hall spreads his wealth of knowledge as a writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. Be sure to catch his biweekly "Throwback Thursday" segment for a nostalgic look at trivia from the past.
