It’s all about apes, rolling barrels and rescuing damsels in distress this week
It may not be every gamer’s cup of tea, but Nintendo’s moustachioed plumber is one of the most recognised and successful characters in the history of the videogame world. However, he wasn’t always the star of the show. Many years ago, he had a pet ape.
Donkey Kong first appeared in the arcade hit of the same name on 9th July 1981. A carpenter called Jumpman once owned him, and after many months of ill treatment Donkey Kong ran off and took with him The Lady, later named Pauline. It was then up to Jumpman to rescue Pauline from the clutches of Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong, the game not the ape, was an instant hit for Nintendo, which hadn’t had a huge amount of success in the arcades. The sequel, Donkey Kong Jr, followed a year later, which saw you playing as Donkey Kong’s son, attempting to rescue him from Jumpman, now named Mario, and his brother, who have you locked in a cage.
Donkey Kong was a massive hit in the US, and with a huge global distribution of 40 million units, it soon became a Nintendo icon.
Its History
Created by Shigeru Miyamoto in 1981, Donkey Kong came about while Miyamoto was working on a conversion of Radar Scope for Nintendo.
The idea was to create a game that American audiences could get behind, which was easy to play and needed very little instructions, but also required fast reflexes and timing. The result was an arcade game that not only spawned Mario, but also one that’s still going strong today, with the latest Donkey Kong game launched in 2014.
After Donkey Kong Jr., Donkey Kong 3 was released in 1983, then there was a bit of gap for 11 years until Donkey Kong Country. Return of Donkey Kong was scheduled for release in 1989 but was ultimately cancelled.
The gradual improvement of gaming technology meant that Donkey Kong, the character, began to appear in various forms throughout the Mario universe. Whether it was racing, in a 3D environment or as a secret, unlockable stage, Donkey Kong has remained a favourite in the Nintendo world.
The game Donkey Kong, has also appeared on various home platforms. Game and Watch, other handhelds, the N64, the Wii, the Atari 7800, the ZX Spectrum and the Commodore 64 have all had the pleasure of Donkey Kong – not to mention a legions of clones.
More recently, a Donkey Kong clone appeared in Fallout 4 named The Red Menace, which you can get to play before you escape the Vault.
The Good
The game side of Donkey Kong was great fun. Who doesn’t love jumping over barrels, climbing ladders and rescuing fair maidens?
The Bad
I always felt sorry for Donkey Kong, the character, so I really liked Mario. I still pick Donkey Kong when I have the chance in Mario Kart.
Conclusion
You’ve got to hand it to Nintendo: when it gets behind a concept, there’s no stopping it. Donkey Kong was one such idea, and thanks to its popularity and Nintendo’s clever marketing, the games industry has never been the same since.
Did You Know?
• There’s a hidden Easter Egg in Donkey Kong for the Atari 400, where the developer’s initials appear on screen under certain circumstances.
• The Lady, Pauline and soon to be named Princess Peach, was modelled after Fay Wray. For obvious reasons.
• In 2010, Game and Gamestation had a promotion in which the first dozen customers could get a copy of Donkey Kong Country Returns for a bunch of bananas.
• Donkey Kong, which was hoped would translate into Stupid Ape, was originally modelled on a character from a Popeye cartoon.