The video game Donkey Kong was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and is owned by Nintendo.
It follows the adventures of the eponymous gorilla and a clan of other apes and monkeys in an industrial construction setting – using barrels as weapons, vehicles, furniture, and lodging – and was originally introduced in a single-screen action arcade game in 1981.
The game was a massive success and was followed by two sequels released in 1982 and 1983.
The game also served as the introduction for the Mario character who would go on to fame in his own ‘Super Mario Brothers’ game and a global franchise including TV and a 1993 movie starring Bob Hoskins.
In 1994, the franchise was relaunched with Donkey Kong Country, in which Donkey Kong is antagonised by various anthropomorphic enemies, mainly the “Kremlings” – a clan of crocodiles led by King K Rool, who has stolen Kong’s banana hoard.
Other spin-offs include Donkey Konga, Diddy Kong Racing, and edutainment games such as Donkey Kong Jr. Math.
The Donkey Kong franchise has sold a total of over 80 million copies worldwide as of 2022.
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The game was a massive success and was followed by two sequels released in 1982 and 1983.
