Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong is an arcade platformer created by Nintendo, widely considered one of the first video games to introduce story-driven gameplay and iconic characters. It introduces the character of Mario (and his originally named Jumpman), and includes Donkey Kong, the large gorilla who kidnaps Pauline and initiates the rescue mission that is the hallmark of the game.
The gameplay is also quite basic; you are in charge of a machine in the form of Mario who lives and works on top of ladders, jumping over barrels, dodging fireballs, and speeding on slanted platforms to the very top of every stage where Pauline is imprisoned. Donkey Kong keeps on throwing things to make you fall on your way and a single slip up, a wrong jump or an attack by an enemy kills you. Timing, pattern reading, and fast reflexes are all necessary since each stage becomes more difficult than the previous one.
Donkey Kong Game Controls
- Left Arrow / Right Arrow – Move Mario
- Up Arrow / Down Arrow – Climb ladders
- Spacebar / Ctrl / Z – Jump
What Makes Donkey Kong So Special
- Uncut, Uncolored Arcade Action: Simple to learn, difficult to acquire. Each leap is purposeful and each failure is yours.
- Mario's First Adventure: It was here before pipes, mushrooms, Koopas, that Mario first appeared--hammer in his hand, and bravado on his breast.
- Donkey Kong's Origin Story: The villain that would later be the likable character in his own franchise.
- Iconic Level Design: Ramps, ladders, elevators, and bouncing fireballs make every map a movement and time puzzle.
- An Otherland in the History of the Video Games.: Donkey Kong is one of the earliest games in which the plot was integrated into the gameplay, and the amount of cutscenes was minimal, which seemed groundbreaking at that moment.
Donkey Kong's Lasting Legacy
Donkey Kong was not merely a hit, it was the game that defined modern gaming history. It also brought the jump mechanic that is almost universal in platformers nowadays. It introduced two iconic figures that would spearhead some of the largest franchises at Nintendo. And it spawned countless spin-offs and reimaginings, like Donkey Kong Jr., and Donkey Kong Country on the SNES, and more recently, the attempt of experiments, such as Donkey Kong Bananza.
Mario has since appeared in a wide range of Super Mario Bros. to Mario Kart, and Donkey Kong established his own brand with rhythm games, platformers and even partying games. There are not many arcade games that have as much diverse history and have such an extensive reach.
Donkey Kong is not just a bit of nostalgia, it is a part of the history of gaming. Its minimalist design, recognizable characters, and fraudulently harsh levels still hold the players after 40 years. The timeless essence of Donkey Kong will be at home should you love fast platforming games like Cuphead, physics runners or even the oddball action games such as Crazy Cattle 3D.