Donkey Kong , released in arcades in 1981, was Nintendo's first major hit and introduced two of their most iconic characters: Mario (originally "Jumpman") and Donkey Kong. The game is a platform-action that has Mario navigate through four industrial-themed levels to rescue Pauline from the clutches of Donkey Kong before time runs out.
Donkey Kong gameplay involves dodging barrels, fireballs, and spring-weights as Mario scales the levels. Mario can find a hammer to destroy these obstacles for a limited time, while also collecting Pauline's hat, purse, and umbrella for bonus points. The game features simplistic cut scenes that advance the narrative, making it one of the first complete stories in video games.
Interestingly, many early conversions of Donkey Kong omitted some of the original levels, with the cement factory level often left out. Despite these limitations, Donkey Kong remains an iconic game that showcased Nintendo's potential for creating engaging and narrative-driven experiences.