Donkey Kong (video game) facts for kids

Donkey Kong is a classic arcade video game created by Nintendo in 1981. It was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi. This game is super important because it's the very first game to feature Mario (who was called Jumpman back then) and the famous gorilla, Donkey Kong. In the game, Mario has to climb a tall construction site to rescue his girlfriend, Pauline, from Donkey Kong, who has escaped!

Gameplay: Saving Pauline from Donkey Kong

In Donkey Kong, you play as Jumpman, who later became known as Mario. Your main goal is to climb to the top of each level. You need to reach Pauline, who has been kidnapped by Donkey Kong. Donkey Kong is a giant gorilla who broke out of the zoo!

Levels and Obstacles

The game has four different levels. In each level, Donkey Kong uses different ways to stop you. He often rolls barrels down the construction site. Mario must climb ladders and jump over these rolling barrels to reach the top.

You can also find a hammer in each level. If you grab the hammer, you can smash obstacles like barrels for a short time. Each level also has three of Pauline's lost items. Collecting these items gives you bonus points!

Game Progression

Once you beat the fourth level, the game loops back to the first level. But don't think it gets easier! Each time you loop, the game gets harder and faster. Like many old arcade games, Donkey Kong has a point where it can't go any further. In this game, Mario sadly "dies" about ten seconds into the final, impossible level.

Music: The Sounds of Donkey Kong

The music for Donkey Kong was created by Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka. The tunes from this game are so famous that they've been remixed. You can even hear them in other Nintendo games, like Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Development: How the Game Was Made

Shigeru Miyamoto led the creation of Donkey Kong. He worked with other talented people, including Gunpei Yokoi. The idea for Donkey Kong came after an older Nintendo game called Radar Scope didn't do very well in the United States. So, Hiroshi Yamauchi, who was the president of Nintendo at the time, asked Miyamoto to create a new game to replace it.

The Name: Donkey Kong

There are a few interesting stories about how the name Donkey Kong came to be. One popular story says that someone might have misheard or mistranslated "Monkey Kong" into Donkey Kong during a phone call or fax. Another story suggests that Miyamoto used a Japanese-to-English dictionary. He was looking for words that meant a stubborn gorilla, and he came up with Donkey Kong.

Sequels and Re-releases: The Legacy of Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong was such a hit that it led to many other games. Two direct sequels were Donkey Kong Jr. and Donkey Kong 3.

Mario's Rise to Fame

The character Mario (Jumpman) became incredibly popular. He went on to become one of the biggest video game characters ever! Mario has starred in over 200 games, making Nintendo a huge amount of money.

Donkey Kong's Own Series

Donkey Kong also got his own series of games, separate from Mario. This started with Donkey Kong Country for the Super NES. Donkey Kong has appeared in many more sequels and spin-off games, like the Donkey Konga music games.

Re-releases on Different Consoles

The original Donkey Kong game has been released many times on different game systems. It came out on the Nintendo Entertainment System, though that version was missing the second level. It also appeared on Atari consoles. A special sequel for the Game Boy called Donkey Kong included the first four levels plus 100 brand new levels!

You might also find Donkey Kong as a bonus game in the Frantic Factory level of Donkey Kong 64.

It's important not to confuse this arcade game with the Game & Watch Donkey Kong Jr. portable game. In that version, the main character is Donkey Kong Jr., who has to save his father, Donkey Kong, from Mario! This Game & Watch version was even released for the Nintendo DSi as a downloadable game.

Images for kids

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  The first stage, with Mario holding a hammer

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  On the final screen of each level, Mario and Pauline are reunited.

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  Small model based on original arcade cabinet

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  Game & Watch Donkey Kong

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  Hank Chien at the Kong Off 3 tournament in Denver, Colorado