Donkey Kong is a video game franchise created by Shigeru Miyamoto and published by Nintendo. Games in the franchise have been developed by a variety of developers including Nintendo, Rare, Paon and Retro Studios. While the first games were arcade releases, most Donkey Kong games have been released for Nintendo consoles and handhelds since the third generation.
It debuted in 1981 with the arcade game Donkey Kong , which was a sales success that brought Nintendo into the North American market. [1] With the original arcade games being ported into versions on third-party home consoles and developed by several companies. The Donkey Kong franchise has sold a total of 82 million copies as of 2022.
Most of the games in the franchise are platform games, although the series also includes spin-offs other genres such as racing and rhythm games. The franchise is centered on the anthropomorphic gorilla Donkey Kong and his clan of other apes and monkeys. Many of the Donkey Kong games use supporting characters throughout gameplay, allowing the player to control different members of the family. [1] The success of the series is commonly attributed to its technical innovation and entertaining platforming sequences. [1]
Title | Details |
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Original release date(s): [2] | Release years by system: 1981 – Arcade, Atari 2600 [2] [3] 1982 – Intellivision, ColecoVision, Tabletop miniarcade [1] [4] [5] [6] |
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Original release date(s): [1] [20] | Release years by system: 1982 – Arcade [1] [20] 1983 – Famicom, Intellivision, Atari 2600, ColecoVision, Tabletop miniarcade [6] [21] [22] [23] |
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Original release date(s): [1]
| Release years by system: 1983 – Arcade [1] 1984 – Famicom [1] |
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Donkey Kong: Jungle Fever Original release date(s): [34]
| Release years by system: 2005 – Arcade [34] |
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Donkey Kong: Banana Kingdom Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 2006 – Arcade |
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Title | Details |
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Original release date(s): [35] | Release years by system: 1983 – Nintendo Entertainment System [35] 2001 – GameCube (within Animal Crossing ) |
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Original release date(s): [37] | Release years by system: 1994 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System [37] 2000 – Game Boy Color [38] |
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Original release date(s): [41] | Release years by system: 1995 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System [41] 2004 – Game Boy Advance [42] |
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Original release date(s): [44] | Release years by system: 1996 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System [44] 2005 – Game Boy Advance [45] |
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Original release date(s): [47] | Release years by system: 1997 – Nintendo 64 [47] 2007 – Nintendo DS [48] |
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Original release date(s): [49] | Release years by system: 1999 – Nintendo 64 [49] |
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Original release date(s): [51] | Release years by system: 2004 – GameCube [51] |
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Original release date(s): [53] | Release years by system: 2004 – GameCube [51] |
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Original release date(s): [55] | Release years by system: 2004 – GameCube [55] |
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Original release date(s): [58]
| Release years by system: 2005 – GameCube [58] |
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Original release date(s): [60] | Release years by system: 2007 – Wii [60] |
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Original release date(s): [62] | Release years by system: 2010 – Wii [62] 2013 – Nintendo 3DS [62] |
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Original release date(s): | Release years by system: 2014 – Wii U 2018 – Nintendo Switch |
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Title | Details |
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Original release date(s): [64]
| Release years by system: 1982 – Game & Watch [65] 1998 – Game Boy Color [66] |
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Original release date(s): [64]
| Release years by system: 1982 – Game & Watch [65] 1998 – Game Boy Color [66] |
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Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 1982 – Game & Watch [65] |
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Original release date(s): [68]
| Release years by system: 1984 – Game & Watch |
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Original release date(s):
| Release years by system: 1984 – Game & Watch [65] 2002 – Game Boy Advance [70] |
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Original release date(s): [68]
| Release years by system: 1984 – Game & Watch |
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Original release date(s): [72] | Release years by system: 1994 – Game Boy [72] 2011 – Nintendo 3DS [73] |
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Original release date(s): [74]
| Release years by system: 1994 – Nelsonic Game Watch [74] |
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Original release date(s): [75] | Release years by system: 1995 – Game Boy [75] |
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Original release date(s): [76] | Release years by system: 1996 – Game Boy [76] |
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Original release date(s): [77] | Release years by system: 1997 – Game Boy [77] |
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Original release date(s): [78] | Release years by system: 2005 – Game Boy Advance [78] |
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Original release date(s): [80] | Release years by system: 2007 – Nintendo DS [80] |
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Title | Details |
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Original release date(s): [82] | Release years by system: 2004 – Game Boy Advance [82] |
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Original release date(s): [84] | Release years by system: 2006 – Nintendo DS [84] |
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Original release date(s): [86] | Release years by system: 2009 – DSiWare [86] |
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Original release date(s): [88] | Release years by system: 2010 – Nintendo DS [88] |
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Original release date(s): | Release years by system: 2013 – Nintendo 3DS eShop |
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Original release date(s): [89] | Release years by system: 2015 – Nintendo 3DS eShop [89] and Wii U eShop [90] |
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Original release date(s): | Release years by system: 2016 – Nintendo 3DS eShop and Wii U eShop |
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Title | Details |
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Diddy Kong Pilot Cancellation date: September 2002 | Proposed system release: Game Boy Advance |
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Donkey Kong Racing Cancellation date: [91] August 2002 [92] | Proposed system release: GameCube [91] |
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Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers Cancellation date: August 2002 [92] | Proposed system release: Game Boy Advance |
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Shigeru Miyamoto is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors as an executive since 2002. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in video games, he is the creator of some of the most acclaimed and best-selling game franchises of all time, including Mario,The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Star Fox and Pikmin. More than 1 billion copies of games featuring franchises created by Miyamoto have been sold.
Mario Bros. is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo as an arcade video game in 1983. It was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi, Nintendo's chief engineer. Italian twin brother plumbers Mario and Luigi exterminate creatures, like turtles (Koopas) and crabs emerging from the sewers by knocking them upside-down and kicking them away. The Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System version is the first game produced by Intelligent Systems. It is part of the Mario franchise, but originally began as a spin-off from the Donkey Kong series.
Donkey Kong 64 is a 1999 platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It is the only Donkey Kong game to feature 3D gameplay. As the gorilla Donkey Kong, the player explores themed levels to collect items and rescue his kidnapped family members from King K. Rool. The player completes minigames and puzzles as five playable Kong characters—each with their own special abilities—to receive bananas and other collectibles. In multiplayer modes, up to four players can compete in deathmatch and last man standing games.
Excitebike is a motocross racing video game developed and published by Nintendo. In Japan, it was released for the Famicom in 1984 and then ported to arcades as VS. Excitebike for the Nintendo VS. System later that year. In North America, it was initially released for arcades in 1985 and then as a launch game for the Nintendo Entertainment System later that year, becoming one of the best-selling games on the console. It is the first game in the Excite series.
Donkey Kong Jr. is a 1982 arcade platform game that was released by Nintendo. It is the sequel to Donkey Kong, but with the roles reversed compared to its predecessor: Mario is now the villain and Donkey Kong Jr. is trying to save his kidnapped father. It first released in arcades and, over the course of the decade, was released for a variety of home platforms. The game's title is written out as Donkey Kong Junior in the North American arcade version and various conversions to non-Nintendo systems.
Donkey Kong is a 1981 arcade video game developed and published by Nintendo. As Mario, the player runs and jumps on platforms and climbs ladders to ascend a construction site and rescue Pauline from a giant gorilla, Donkey Kong. It is the first game in the Donkey Kong series as well as Mario's first appearance in a video game.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a 2004 puzzle-platform game developed by Nintendo Software Technology and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. The game is the spiritual successor to Donkey Kong, which was released in 1994 for the Game Boy.
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is a 2004 platform and score-attack game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It follows the gorilla Donkey Kong as he sets out to defeat a series of evil kings to conquer the jungle. Jungle Beat is designed for use with the DK Bongos, a bongo drum-style GameCube controller created for the Donkey Konga (2003) rhythm game. The player controls Donkey Kong through various side-scrolling levels as he collects bananas, swings on vines, chains combos, rides animals, and defeats enemies and bosses.
Donkey Kong is a 1994 puzzle-platform game developed by Nintendo and Pax Softnica and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. Donkey Kong is loosely based on the 1981 arcade game of the same name and its sequel Donkey Kong Jr.
Donkey Kong Jr. Math is an edutainment platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is a spin-off of the 1982 arcade game Donkey Kong Jr. In the game, players control Donkey Kong Jr. as he solves math problems set up by his father Donkey Kong. It was released in Japan in 1983 for the Family Computer, and in North America and the PAL region in 1986.
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Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis is a 2006 puzzle-platform game developed by Nintendo Software Technology for the Nintendo DS. Serving as a direct sequel to the Game Boy Advance game Mario vs. Donkey Kong, the gameplay involves the player guiding several Mini Marios through platform stages with the touch screen as they attempt to defeat Donkey Kong. The game also marks the return of Pauline, who had not been seen since 1994's Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast is a 2007 racing game for Nintendo's Wii video game console. The game was shown at the E3 convention in May 2006 for the GameCube under the title of DK: Bongo Blast, but this version was ultimately cancelled in favor of a Wii release. It was released for the Wii in Japan and the United States in 2007, and in PAL regions in 2008 with the title Donkey Kong Jet Race.
Donkey Kong is a video game series and media franchise created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto for Nintendo. The franchise follows the adventures of Donkey Kong, a large, powerful gorilla. Donkey Kong series include the original arcade game trilogy by Nintendo R&D1; the Donkey Kong Country series by Rare and Retro Studios; and the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series by Nintendo Software Technology. Various studios have developed spin-offs in other genres such as racing and rhythm. The franchise also incorporates animation, printed media, a theme park, and merchandise.
Mario is a Japanese multimedia franchise created by Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto for video game company Nintendo which produces and publishes its installments. Starring the titular Italian plumber Mario, it is primarily a video game franchise, but has extended to other forms of media, including television series, comic books, a 1993 feature film, a 2023 animated film and theme park attractions. The series' first installment was 1983's Mario Bros., although Mario had made his first appearance in 1981's arcade game Donkey Kong, and had already been featured in several games of the Donkey Kong and Game & Watch series. The Mario games have been developed by a wide variety of developers including Nintendo, Hudson Soft, and AlphaDream. Mario games have been released almost exclusively for Nintendo's various video game consoles and handhelds, from the third generation onward.
Donkey Kong Country Returns is a 2010 platform game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii console. The game was released first in North America in November 2010, and in PAL regions and Japan the following month. The game's story focuses on an evil group of Tiki-like creatures known as the Tiki Tak Tribe that are unleashed on Donkey Kong Island and hypnotize the island's animals to stealing Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong's banana hoard, prompting the two to traverse the island to reclaim it.
Super Mario Bros. is a platform game developed and published in 1985 by Nintendo for the Famicom in Japan and for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in North America. It is the successor to the 1983 arcade game Mario Bros. and the first game in the Super Mario series. Following a US test market release for the NES, it was converted to international arcades on the Nintendo VS. System in early 1986. The NES version received a wide release in North America that year and in PAL regions in 1987.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a puzzle-platform game series published by Nintendo. A spin-off of both the Mario and Donkey Kong franchises, the series marks the return of both Pauline and the rivalry between Mario and Donkey Kong.
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