The highest possible score in the original 1981 arcade version of Donkey Kong, due to an integer overflow issue, is 1,047,200 points. To achieve scores anywhere near this number, players have to employ meticulous strategies that involve a deep understanding of the game's mechanics as well as a consistent execution of high-scoring maneuvers. Here are core strategies top players use to maximize their Donkey Kong scores: 1. **Points Pressing**: Players attempt to maximize the points they gain on each level. This involves 'leeching' points from smashing objects with the hammer, jumping over barrels, and collecting items. Each of these actions gives points, and milking these for as much as possible is key. 2. **Avoiding the Kill Screen**: Donkey Kong is notorious for its 'kill screen' at the end of Level 22 (the 117th screen), which is a by-product of the game's memory limitations. On this screen, due to a bug, the bonus timer counts down to zero in just a few seconds, ending the game. Top players must get to this level with as many points as possible since they cannot score many points on the kill screen itself. 3. **Saving Jumpmen (Marios)**: Accumulating extra Jumpmen (lives) is critical. In Donkey Kong, players can garner additional lives at certain point thresholds. However, they cannot have more than seven lives at any given time due to game limitations. Expert players might 'burn off' extra lives right before hitting a new threshold to ensure they do not waste opportunities to earn more. 4. **Understanding Barrel Patterns**: Barrel levels are often the best opportunity to score points because players can manipulate the barrels for grouping and smashing with the hammer. Recognizing the patterns and how to force barrels to come down ladders can lead to large point accruals. 5. **Maximizing the Rivet Level**: The rivet level allows for fewer points compared to barrel levels, but expert players can still optimize points by collecting all bonuses and destroying all fires with the hammer. 6. **Perfecting the Elevator and Cement/Pie Factory Levels**: These levels have more fixed patterns compared to the barrel levels. Expert players must execute well-known patterns perfectly to escape these levels with maximum points. 7. **Utilizing Point Pressing Techniques**: Certain risky maneuvers, such as grouping and smashing multiple barrels at once or bouncing off consecutive enemies for increasing point values, can significantly boost scores. 8. **Leveraging the 'Timer Trick'**: On the rivet stage, players can exploit a trick that involves completing the stage when the last two digits of the timer are the same (except for 00), which gives them 300 extra points. This is a small boost but essential when aiming for a high score. The chase for high scores in Donkey Kong is quite competitive, and beyond these strategies, it also requires a significant degree of skill, practice, and sometimes even a measure of luck. Notably, achieving the maximum score involves playing for several hours while executing these strategies flawlessly, which is a testament to the dedication and proficiency of the top players in the Donkey Kong community.