Donkey Kong

Game screen from Muppet Babies

Donkey Kong is a video game franchise owned by Nintendo, starring a giant gorilla with a penchant for throwing barrels and taking damsels (in the manner of King Kong). The game was created in 1981 for arcades but later ported to the NES system. It introduced the character Mario (then known as "Jumpman") as Donkey Kong's opponent, and led to sequels (notably Donkey Kong Jr. and the later Donkey Kong Country series, among others) and an animated series. Donkey Kong has also featured regularly in the various Mario Bros. sports/competitor-themed games (including Super Smash Bros.)

References

• Rowlf the Dog is seen playing a "Doggie Kong" arcade game in the January 16, 1983 edition of The Muppets comic strip.

• In the seventh season Muppet Babies episode "It's Only Pretendo," Baby Gonzo plays a Donkey Kong-style game, with a Mario counterpart as player character. However, instead of Donkey Kong himself, a dragon named King Koopacabana throws things down. Screens from the actual Donkey Kong game appear in the episode.

• A Fraggle Rock bag from Graphic & More is modelled after the game, with Doozers in place of Mario.

Connections

See also Super Mario Bros.

• Peter Cullen voiced Mario in "Donkey Kong" segments of the animated series Saturday Supercade (1983-1984)
• Soupy Sales voiced Donkey Kong in segments of Saturday Supercade (1983-1984)
• Dale Schott wrote episodes of the animated series Donkey Kong Country (1998)
• John Stocker voiced Kutlass on Donkey Kong Country (1998)
• Frank Welker voiced Donkey Kong, Jr. in segments of Saturday Supercade (1983-1984)