In the arcade game Donkey Kong, the character who throws barrels at the player is Donkey Kong.
Nintendo released Donkey Kong in 1981, with the giant ape positioned at the top of a construction site. He rolls or throws barrels down sloped platforms while the player’s character climbs upward to rescue Pauline. The barrel hazards are the game’s signature obstacle and force players to jump, climb ladders, and choose routes quickly.
The game was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and became a major success for Nintendo. Donkey Kong was initially conceived as a licensed-style project involving familiar characters, but Nintendo ultimately created its own cast. The arcade game introduced Donkey Kong, Pauline, and the character later known as Mario, although Mario’s name was not used in the question here. Donkey Kong’s barrel-throwing role belongs specifically to the original arcade title; later games portray him as a hero rather than primarily as the antagonist pursuing Pauline.