Machine Guides

Game History

Donkey Kong is a 1981 platform game developed by Nintendo Research & Development and published by Nintendo for arcades. It was created by Shigeru Miyamoto as Nintendo's first major original video game, marking the debut of both Mario (originally named "Jumpman") and Donkey Kong in what would become two of gaming's most iconic characters.

The game emerged from Nintendo's efforts to create a hit arcade game following the disappointing North American release of Radar Scope in 1980. Miyamoto was tasked with converting unsold Radar Scope cabinets into a new game, and he drew inspiration from Popeye, King Kong, and Beauty and the Beast to create a story about a carpenter rescuing his girlfriend from a giant ape. Donkey Kong established the template for the platformer genre with its emphasis on jumping over obstacles and climbing ladders to reach the top of the screen.

Donkey Kong was a phenomenal commercial success, selling over 60,000 arcade units in Japan and 200,000 units worldwide by 1982, becoming Nintendo's highest-grossing arcade game of all time at that point. The game generated over $180 million in North America alone.

How to Play

Objectives

The main goal of Donkey Kong is to rescue Pauline from Donkey Kong by guiding Mario (originally named "Jumpman") through a series of challenging construction site levels. You must climb to the top of each level to reach Pauline while avoiding obstacles thrown by Donkey Kong. The game emphasizes jumping mechanics and platform navigation.

Controls

• Joystick: Use the joystick to move Mario left and right and up and down ladders
• Jump Button: Press to make Mario jump over obstacles and between platforms

Gameplay

• Starting the Game: Press the Start Button to begin your rescue mission.

• Level Navigation: Navigate through four different levels (25m, 50m, 75m, 100m) with increasing difficulty.

• Platform Climbing: Climb ladders and jump between platforms to reach higher areas and progress upward.

• Obstacle Avoidance: Avoid barrels and fireballs thrown by Donkey Kong that roll down the girders.

• Hammer Usage: Grab hammers to temporarily destroy barrels and fireballs, earning bonus points.

• Enemy Evasion: Avoid fireballs that emerge from oil drums and chase you across platforms.

• Pauline Rescue: Reach Pauline at the top of each level to advance to the next stage.

• Bonus Items: Collect bonus items such as purses, umbrellas, and hats for additional points.

• Lives System: The game begins with three lives, with additional lives awarded at certain score thresholds.

• Game Over: The game ends when you lose all your lives. Your final score is displayed based on your performance.