We're the first to admit that the 'Donkey' in Donkey Kong is one of the more mystifying title choices in video game history (right behind the 'Final' in Final Fantasy), but it was just that - a choice, not a mistranslation.
It was also the brainchild of legendary Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto, who was handed the reigns of this, his very first video game, back in 1981.Based loosely on the comic strip Popeye, Donkey Kong erupted into the public consciousness and skyrocketed to worldwide fame. As Nintendo's first bona fide hit in North America, it also launched the career of carpenter-turned-plumber Mario.
WATCH DONKEY KONG TRAILER NOW
So what about thatoddball name? For years, thepopular theory was thatsomething funnyhappened on theway to production- a blurred fax, perhaps - and those wacky Japanese misprinted the word "Monkey" as "Donkey." Inexplicably, this was accepted as fact by most gamers until Miyamoto himself cleared the air by insisting that "donkey" was intentional all along. According to the designer, the word was simply meant to indicate stubborn stupidity, while "kong" was just a doff of the cap to the great cinematic ape. Put the two together and you've got a 'stupid ape,' a landmark video game, and a myth debunked.
Fact or Fiction?
