Donkey Kong (disambiguation) facts for kids

Donkey Kong is one of the most famous characters in video game history! He's a powerful ape known for his strength and love for bananas. Donkey Kong first appeared in a classic arcade game in 1981 and has since starred in many different video games, becoming a beloved part of Nintendo's family of characters.

Who is Donkey Kong?

Donkey Kong is a large, strong gorilla. He usually wears a red tie with his initials, "DK," on it. While he might look a bit grumpy sometimes, he's often a hero, protecting his home and his friends. He lives on a tropical island with his family and friends, including his sidekick Diddy Kong and his wise old grandfather, Cranky Kong.

The Original Arcade Game

The first game featuring Donkey Kong was released in 1981 by Nintendo. It was an arcade game where players controlled a carpenter named Jumpman (who later became Mario). In this game, Donkey Kong was the villain! He had kidnapped Jumpman's girlfriend, Pauline, and Jumpman had to climb up scaffolding, avoiding barrels and fireballs, to rescue her. This game was a huge success and helped make Nintendo famous around the world.

The Donkey Kong Video Game Series

After his first appearance, Donkey Kong became a star. He soon got his own series of games, where he was the hero instead of the bad guy.

Donkey Kong Country Games

One of the most popular series is Donkey Kong Country, which started in 1994 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). These games are platformers, meaning you jump and run through levels. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong team up to get back their stolen banana hoard from the evil King K. Rool and his army of Kremlings. These games were known for their amazing graphics and fun music.

Other Donkey Kong Games

Donkey Kong has appeared in many other types of games too:

• Donkey Kong (Game Boy) (1994): This game for the Game Boy handheld console was a puzzle-platformer. It brought back elements from the original arcade game.
• Donkey Kong (Game & Watch) (1982): This was an early handheld electronic game where Donkey Kong was again the antagonist.
• Donkey Kong 64 (1999): A 3D adventure game for the Nintendo 64, where players could control Donkey Kong and four of his friends.
• Donkey Konga (2003): A rhythm game for the Nintendo GameCube where players used special bongo drum controllers.
• Mario Kart series: Donkey Kong is a regular character in the popular racing games alongside Mario and other Nintendo characters.
• Super Smash Bros. series: He is also a fighter in these popular fighting games.

Donkey Kong Monster Truck

Besides video games, the name Donkey Kong has also been used for a monster truck! This truck is designed to look like the famous video game character and competes in monster truck shows, crushing cars and performing stunts. It's another way the popular character has made an impact outside of gaming.