Nintendo’s 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong introduced Mario as a playable protagonist.
In the original arcade game, the character was initially identified as Jumpman. He must climb construction-site platforms, avoid obstacles, and rescue a character called Pauline from the giant ape Donkey Kong. Nintendo later established Jumpman’s better-known name as Mario, linking the character to the company’s growing arcade and home-game identity.
Donkey Kong was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, with development assistance from Gunpei Yokoi. Its platform-based structure, animated character movement, and memorable story made it a major arcade success. It also introduced Donkey Kong and Pauline, who became recurring Nintendo characters in different roles.
Mario Bros., released in 1983, was not Mario’s first playable appearance; it was the game that introduced Luigi and shifted the action into a pipe-filled setting. Another common error is calling the first character Jumpman the same as a separate character. Jumpman was the original name used for Mario in Donkey Kong.