Nintendo's record-breaking spokesape Donkey Kong turns 45 today!
Videogames' primo primate is 45 years young! Yes, the very first Donkey Kong arcade cabinet released in Japan over four decades ago. Since then this baddie turned banana-enthusiast has captured hearts and minds for years. Go and tell the nearest 80s baby how old DK is, and watch them crumble into dust.
Donkey Kong's first and most impressive record is that the original arcade cabinet from 1981 was the first platform videogame. It's a record I nearly always trot out when talking about DK - see: my post about the release of Donkey Kong Bananza almost exactly a year ago (incidentally it's hard to get nice pictures of the arcade game, so the pictures in this article are from Banaza and, below, the remastered Donkey Kong Country Returns HD from 2025). But it's a significant record, and I reckon it's worth marveling at it again.
That original arcade game, in which you play the first incarnation of Nintendo's other superstar, Mario (known as Jumpman at the time; another DK fact that gets a lot of play with me), has seen fierce competition for the highest Donkey Kong score for the last 45 years. It's been held by American Robbie Lakeman since 8 June 2021, when he got 1,272,800 points.
Unlike some arcade cabinet games, Donkey Kong doesn't have a hard score limit, only a theoretical one influenced by the skill of the player and the luck involved in the levels that come up. So, although it's getting increasingly difficult, someone could swoop in and beat Robbie yet.
Despite Donkey Kong Bananza being the second best-selling game on Nintendo's Switch 2 console, it didn't unseat the first Donkey Kong as the best-selling DK game. After the arcade version was a hit, it was ported to the NES console, the Game & Watch handheld, and the ColecoVision (a home console by toy company Coleco). All-in-all it sold around 15 million units across all its versions.
Interestingly, while this is the 45th anniversary of the Donkey Kong series debuting, when we get down to the nitty gritty of DK canon, it turns out that the ape we now know as Donkey Kong may not the same one who hurled barrels at Mario all those years ago.
That guy aged up and entered retirement as Cranky Kong, who first appeared in Donkey Kong Country (made by Rareware in 1994). The current Donkey Kong is the first's grandson - or possibly his son; the lore is a little unclear and changes sometimes. But hey, who doesn't have some confusion in their family tree? Why, Donkey Kong is just like all of us! He's so relatable.
Incidentally, the world's oldest real life gorilla is Fatou, who lives in a zoo in Germany and recently turned 69. DK has a mere 24 years to go before he approaches her world record. And in fairness, he shows no signs of slowing down. I'm a decade younger, and if I sleep in the wrong position I can't stand up straight.
If you want more fun facts and gaming records, don't forget to order your copy of the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2027. I think it's a must. Although I admit to being biased.