Donkey Kong
Nintendo's arcade game where Mario climbs and jumps past barrels to reach a captive.
Where Donkey Kong comes up1 episode or test
- Climb ladders to dodge barrels
- Wait out the barrels
- Felt a little passive
- Player jumps over barrels
- Player gains agency
- Platformer is born
Created the platformer, top genre 1989-1995
From Donkey Kong design history
What was said about Donkey Kong
Nintendo added a jump button so Donkey Kong players stopped waiting out barrels. Miyamoto first had the hero dodge barrels by climbing ladders and waiting, which felt passive. Adding a jump button gave the player agency and created the platformer.
Donkey Kong spawned BurgerTime, Kangaroo, Congo Bongo and Mario Bros. The platformer became the most popular genre for seven years, from 1989 to 1995. The source's verdict on the original design: "But that felt a little passive." The lesson for builders is to find moments where users just wait and give them something to do.
The History of Every Video Game Genre
Miyamoto first had players wait out barrels, which felt passive, so he added a jump button and created the platformer. It spawned BurgerTime, Kangaroo and Mario Bros.
Nintendo added a jump button so Donkey Kong players stopped waiting out barrels. Miyamoto first had the hero dodge barrels by climbing ladders and waiting, which felt passive. Adding a jump button gave the player agency and created the platformer.
Donkey Kong spawned BurgerTime, Kangaroo, Congo Bongo and Mario Bros. The platformer became the most popular genre for seven years, from 1989 to 1995. The source's verdict on the original design: "But that felt a little passive." The lesson for builders is to find moments where users just wait and give them something to do.
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