Donkey Kong (game): Difference between revisions

{{articleabout|the 1981 arcade game|the 1994 Game Boy game|[[Donkey Kong (Game Boy)]]|the character|[[Donkey Kong]]}}

'''''Donkey Kong''''' is an arcade game that was [[Nintendo]]'s first big hit in North America. It marked the beginning of the [[Mario (series)|''Mario'' series]] games, and introduced several of the earliest characters, including [[Mario]] himself (originally known as "Jumpman"<ref>[http://www.arcade-museum.com/manuals-videogames/D/dk-tkg4u.pdf ''Donkey Kong'' Operation Manual], pages 2 & 5</ref>, a carpenter rather than a plumber), the original [[Donkey Kong]] (who, in later games, would become [[Cranky Kong]], the current Donkey Kong's grandfather<ref>''Donkey Kong Country'' instruction booklet, pages 6 & 27</ref>), and [[Pauline]] (originally known as the Lady), who now frequently appears in the ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong]]'' series. A version of the game was also created later for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], Nintendo's first home console. The game sold very well in the United States, becoming one of four games to be inducted into the Nintendo Hall of Fame. The original arcade version had four screen levels, but the Nintendo Entertainment System version only has three, with the stage [[50m]] cut from this version. This game was also the first title to be released on [[Virtual Console]].

Donkey Kong has kidnapped the beautiful [[Pauline|Lady]] (Pauline in the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] conversion) to a dangerous construction site. Jumpman (Mario in home ports and promotional materials) must climb to the top of this construction site and rescue the Lady from the giant ape.

*[[Pauline|Lady]] (Pauline) (Heroine, Unplayable)

*[[Donkey Kong]] (Cranky Kong) (Villain, Unplayable)

*[[Fire]]

*[[Pauline's lost items|Lady's lost articles]]

''Donkey Kong'' was created when [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], under the supervision of the late [[Gunpei Yokoi]], was assigned by Nintendo to convert ''Radar Scope'', a poorly selling arcade game in North America, into a game that would have more appeal to more gamers. Shigeru Miyamoto later admitted that he did not focus on the story of the game, instead creating a basic plot with colourful characters and music that he himself penned<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz0P_TcikwA&t=27m24s A Discovery Channel documentary on video games] reveals that Miyamoto wanted to make ''Donkey Kong'' tell a story, and also wrote the music for the game. ''YouTube''. Referenced March 22, 2015</ref>. He said that Jumpman (later to be renamed Mario) and the Lady were not intended to have a relationship, and he did not know where the connection idea came from, but he thought that it did not matter much. Regardless, the resulting game was a major breakthrough for Nintendo and for the video game industry, becoming one of the best selling arcade machines of its time. Its platforming gameplay also distinguished it from most other arcade games at the time.

*[[Donkey Kong (Game Boy)|''Donkey Kong'' (Game Boy)]]

*''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'': Cranky's line, "Whisking off maidens and chucking barrels seven days a week, I was!" is a direct reference to this game.

*''Donkey Kong'' was originally conceived as a Popeye game, Donkey Kong replaced Bluto, Jumpman replaced Popeye, and the Lady replaced Olive Oyl.<ref>http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/iwata/iwata_asks_new_super_mario_bros_wii_16795_16846.html</ref>