
The success of Donkey Kong paved the way for Mario and the NES to reach meteoric heights.

Mario may be the face of the company, but there is another character that Nintendo can thank for its establishment in the global gaming picture: Donkey Kong.ĭonkey Kong was Nintendo’s first mega-hit, and it allowed the company to gain a foothold in the North American arcade market. That is thanks in large part to the world-famous mascot, Mario. Today, Nintendo is one of the most recognizable names in gaming. The game was a smash hit with fans and breathed life into the character, reintroduced tight 2D platforming levels, and brought back a lot of the familiar faces of the past. In 2010, Nintendo brought the DK character back to his roots with Donkey Kong Country Returns.

Donkey Kong Country was released in ’94, named Game of the Year, and sold more than 500,000 copies in the first week, making it the fastest-selling video game of all time at that time.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Donkey Kong, was ambitious in creating the game.Originally intended as a Popeye arcade game, Nintendo couldn’t secure the rights, so Donkey Kong, Mario (originally Jumpman), and Pauline were created.Donkey Kong was Nintendo’s first mega-hit – allowing the company to gain a foothold in the North American arcade market and to pave the way for Mario.
