Let’s be real for a second. If you grew up playing video games, you probably think of Donkey Kong from Mario as that big, lovable gorilla with the red tie who occasionally beats up Bowser in Super Smash Bros. or throws bananas in Mario Kart. But if you actually look at the history, it’s a lot messier than that. The relationship between the plumber and the ape isn't just a friendly rivalry; it’s the literal foundation of the entire gaming industry as we know it today. Without their 1981 debut, Nintendo would likely be a defunct playing card company and Shigeru Miyamoto might just be another name in a long list of forgotten industrial designers.
It all started because Nintendo couldn't get the rights to Popeye. Seriously.
They wanted to make a game about the spinach-eating sailor, Olive Oyl, and Bluto. When the licensing deal fell through, Miyamoto had to pivot fast. He swapped Popeye for a stout carpenter named Jumpman, Olive Oyl for a lady named Pauline, and Bluto for a stubborn, barrel-tossing gorilla. That gorilla was Donkey Kong, and honestly, he wasn't even the hero back then. He was the antagonist. But calling him a "villain" feels a bit harsh when you realize the lore actually suggests he was a mistreated pet who escaped.
The Identity Crisis: Is This the Same Donkey Kong?
One of the biggest misconceptions people have about Donkey Kong from Mario games is that the guy wearing the tie today is the same one who kidnapped Pauline on those girders in the 80s. He’s not. According to Nintendo's own internal logic—which is admittedly a bit loose—the original Donkey Kong from the arcade era grew up to be Cranky Kong. You know, the grumpy old ape in the rocking chair who complains about 16-bit graphics and modern gameplay.
The Donkey Kong we play as now? That’s actually his grandson.
This creates a weird dynamic in the Mario universe. While Mario seems to stay perpetually in his mid-twenties to thirties, the Kong lineage is aging in real-time. It’s a strange bit of world-building for a series where a turtle flies on a cloud, but it matters because it changes how we view their interactions. When you see Mario and modern DK together in Mario Party, you aren't seeing two old enemies. You're seeing a hero and the descendant of his former captor just trying to get through a board game without losing their friendship.
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The Legal War That Almost Killed the Gorilla
You can't talk about Donkey Kong from Mario history without mentioning the time Universal City Studios tried to sue Nintendo into oblivion. They claimed Donkey Kong was a blatant rip-off of King Kong. It was a high-stakes moment that could have ended Nintendo’s American expansion before it really began.
Nintendo hired a lawyer named John Kirby. He found evidence that Universal had actually argued in a previous case that the original King Kong was in the public domain. This discovery basically nuked Universal's argument. Nintendo won, and as a thank you, they reportedly gave John Kirby a sailboat named Donkey Kong and later named a certain round, pink, puffball character after him.
Why the Mario vs. Donkey Kong Series Still Hits
While the main platformers moved on to bigger things, the Mario vs. Donkey Kong sub-series kept the original 1981 spirit alive. It’s a puzzle-heavy franchise that leans into the toy aesthetic. Basically, Mario owns a toy company (because apparently being a plumber, doctor, and pro-golfer wasn't enough) and DK wants the "Mini Mario" toys.
The 2024 remake for the Nintendo Switch proved there is still a massive appetite for this specific rivalry. It’s not about world-ending stakes or saving the Mushroom Kingdom from a dark dimension. It’s just petty theft and clever level design.
- The gameplay focuses on "Mini Marios"—automated toys you have to guide to an exit.
- It honors the arcade roots by making you think about movement and timing rather than just raw speed.
- The cutscenes are surprisingly charming, showing a more expressive, slapstick side of DK that we don't always see in Donkey Kong Country.
The Power Dynamic: Who Actually Wins?
In the early days, Mario was clearly the dominant one. He had the hammer. He had the agility. DK was stuck at the top of the screen just throwing stuff. But as the years went on, the power shifted. In the Donkey Kong Country series, developed by Rare in the 90s, the Kongs became the stars of their own massive adventures. They weren't just "Mario characters" anymore. They were their own thing.
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Honestly, if you look at their stats in games like Super Smash Bros., Donkey Kong is a powerhouse. He’s got the "Giant Punch" and the "Cargo Throw." Mario is the all-rounder, the "Jack of all trades." If they actually had a fair fight without power-ups, my money is on the ape every single time.
There's also the weird fact that Mario hasn't really been a "carpenter" in decades. He’s fully leaned into the Mushroom Kingdom royalty-adjacent lifestyle. Meanwhile, Donkey Kong stayed in the jungle, protecting his banana hoard. They represent two different paths: the one who sought fame and became a global icon, and the one who just wanted to be left alone with his fruit.
Common Myths People Still Believe
One thing that drives me nuts is when people say Donkey Kong is Mario's "pet." That hasn't been true since the early 80s. They are peers. In the Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), they portrayed the relationship as a sort of "jock vs. nerd" rivalry. DK was the popular, loud-mouthed prince of the Jungle Kingdom, and Mario was the scrappy outsider. This felt way more modern and fitting for their current status.
Another myth? That Donkey Kong is a "bad guy." He’s really not. He’s impulsive. He’s driven by his stomach. If you steal his bananas, he will wreck your entire civilization. But he doesn't want to rule the world like Bowser does. He just wants to hang out with Diddy Kong and listen to music.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of Donkey Kong from Mario, don't just stick to the modern stuff. You’ve gotta see where the DNA comes from.
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Start with the Classics (but with a twist)
Don't just play the NES version of Donkey Kong. It’s missing an entire level (the factory/cement plant). If you want the real experience, find the arcade original or the 1994 Game Boy version. The Game Boy version starts like the arcade game but then turns into a massive 101-level puzzle platformer that is arguably one of the best games Nintendo ever made.
Check the Switch Online Library
If you have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, you can play the original trilogy.
- Donkey Kong (Arcade/NES version)
- Donkey Kong Jr. (Where Mario is actually the villain holding DK in a cage!)
- Donkey Kong 3 (The weird one where you’re a guy named Stanley spraying bugs up DK's butt)
Watch the Competitive Scene
The documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters is legendary. Even if you don't care about high scores, the drama surrounding the world records for the original game is better than most reality TV. Just keep in mind that some of the "villains" in that movie have had their scores disputed or removed in recent years due to the use of emulators.
Explore the Rare Era
If you want to understand why DK is so beloved, play Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. It’s widely considered the pinnacle of the 2D platforming genre. The music by David Wise is literally life-changing.
The relationship between Donkey Kong from Mario is the oldest story in gaming. It’s a tale of a carpenter, a gorilla, and a bunch of falling barrels that accidentally built a multi-billion dollar empire. Whether they are racing go-karts or fighting on top of a skyscraper, their chemistry is undeniable. They need each other. Without Mario, DK is just a lonely ape. Without DK, Mario is just a guy with a hat and no one to challenge him.
To really appreciate this history, go back and play the 1994 Game Boy Donkey Kong. It bridges the gap between the mindless arcade loops and the complex adventure games we love today. It's the "missing link" in the evolution of both characters and still holds up perfectly as a masterclass in game design.