Donkey Kong was released in the arcades in 1981 and marked Nintendo's first real success. It introduced Mario (originally "Jumpman") and Donkey Kong as two popular mascots for the company.
Donkey Kong is a platform-action game where Mario must rescue Pauline from Donkey Kong before time runs out. The levels get progressively harder, with obstacles like barrels, fireballs, and spring-weights to avoid or destroy using a hammer. Collecting Pauline's hat, purse, and umbrella also earns bonus points.
Donkey Kong features one of the first complete narratives in video games, told through simple cut scenes that advance the story. Note that many early conversions only used two or three original levels, with the cement factory level often missing.