Donkey Kong (Donkey Kong)

Donkey Kong was a villain in the Donkey Kong franchise. He later appears as the anti-heroic character Cranky Kong in the Donkey Kong Country franchise.

Donkey Kong
Based off of King Kong, Donkey Kong kidnaps Mario's girlfriend Pauline and climbs to the top of a tower made up of ladders and griders. It was the player's job to climb the ladders to get to the top, avoiding obstacles created by Donkey Kong, involving barrels, fireballs, and spring-like objects. He was the original antagonist in the Mario games.

Donkey Kong 3
Doneky Kong attacks the greenhouse of the games protagonist Stanley the Bugman. He has to be defeated in all three stages.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Mario's popularity in the Mushroom Kingdom has grown so much, that Mario starts his own toy company, that sells "Mini-Mario" wind-up action figures. Donkey Kong really wants one of these toys, but they were all sold out. In frustration, Donkey Kong robs the Mini-Mario Toy Company and steals many Mini-Marios. It is Mario's job to navigate various landscapes in pursuit of Donkey Kong to get the stolen toys back.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong II: March of the Minis
Now, Donkey Kong is an employee of the Mini Mario Toy Company, which now sells Mini-Donkey Kong, Mini-Toad, and Mini-Peach toys. One day, the company announces the grand opening of a "Super Mini-Mario World", and Mario's guest of honor is Pauline. Mario holds out a Mini-Mario toy to her, but Donkey Kong holds out a Mini-DK. Pauline takes the Mini Mario, which infuriates Donkey Kong, who grabs Pauline and runs for the elevator. Mario chases after, but cannot catch up, as DK goes to the top floor. Mario must control the Mini-Mario toys to get through each floor and battle Donkey Kong.

The Simpsons Game


Donkey Kong unofficially appears in The Simpsons Game as an antagonist in the sixth level. He kidnaps Professor Frink and Bart and Lisa have to chase and use Mario-style transport pipes to get to him. His fighting arena is modeled after one of the stages from the Donkey Kong video game from the 1980s. He gets blown into a sea of green fluid and as he dies his hand shows a thumbs up, parodying the ending of Terminator 2.

Donkey Kong Country series
After many years, old age hits Donkey Kong and he takes the name Cranky Kong, while his son takes the name Donkey Kong and the protagonist role. In Donkey Kong Country, the old Kong gives advice at his cabin about the levels of the game.

Trivia

 * The Donkey Kong that appears in the Donkey Kong franchise is not the same as the one who appears in the Donkey Kong Country franchise. The first one has his name replaced by Cranky Kong, while the main character of the second franchise is actually Donkey Kong Jr., who took his father's name.