Donkey Kong is the giant enemy who kidnaps Pauline in Nintendo’s 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong. The game begins with the ape carrying Pauline to the top of a construction site, forcing the player character to climb upward and overcome obstacles.
The player was originally called Jumpman, a carpenter who later became known as Mario. Donkey Kong throws barrels and other hazards down the building’s ramps, while the player jumps, climbs, and uses hammers to progress. Pauline serves as the damsel in distress at the center of the game’s story.
Nintendo released Donkey Kong in 1981 after designing it as a new arcade project. The character’s name combines “donkey,” intended to suggest stubbornness, with “kong,” evoking a large ape. Donkey Kong later became a protagonist in his own franchise, but in this original arcade game he is the principal antagonist.