How a failed arcade game and a gorilla named Donkey saved Nintendo from ruin
In short: In 1980, Nintendo faced a financial crisis after the failure of its arcade game Radar Scope. To survive, the company tasked a young designer with repurposing unsold cabinets. The result was Donkey Kong, a global phenomenon that turned a stubborn ape into one of gaming's most enduring and profitable icons.
The origins of Donkey Kong were born from necessity and a failed licensing deal. After the 1973 oil crisis made toy manufacturing expensive, Nintendo pivoted to arcade games. When Radar Scope flopped, CEO Hiroshi Yamauchi tasked Shigeru Miyamoto with creating a new game for the existing hardware. Miyamoto initially envisioned a Popeye-themed love triangle, but when the rights fell through, he pivoted to a gorilla. He named the creature Donkey Kong—'donkey' for stubbornness and 'kong' for gorilla—and cast a carpenter named Mario as the hero. Released in 1981, the game was a massive international success, grossing $4.4 billion and rescuing Nintendo of America from bankruptcy.
The franchise evolved significantly under the British developer Rare, which took the reins in 1994. With Donkey Kong Country, Rare utilized pre-rendered 3D graphics to create a lush, side-scrolling world that transformed the character from a villain into a hero. This era introduced iconic sidekicks like Diddy Kong and established the Kong family, expanding the lore far beyond the original construction site. Rare's work was so influential that it reestablished the franchise as a cornerstone of Nintendo’s portfolio, leading to a long string of sequels and spin-offs across multiple console generations.
Despite its success, the franchise has weathered several hiatuses and shifts in creative direction. After Microsoft acquired Rare in 2002, Nintendo retained the rights to the character, relegating him to spin-offs like Donkey Konga and various Mario-themed crossovers. It wasn't until the 2010s that Retro Studios revitalized the core platforming experience with Donkey Kong Country Returns. Most recently, the 2025 release of Donkey Kong Bananza marked a return to 3D platforming, utilizing advanced voxel technology to blend the character's classic expressiveness with a modern, adventurous spirit. Today, with over 65 million copies sold, the franchise remains a testament to Nintendo's ability to reinvent its most stubborn, iconic ape.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Donkey Kong
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