People are just realizing the bizarre reason behind Donkey Kong’s name
Gamers on Reddit were shocked when they found out Donkey Kong's unlikely origins
Gaming fans are going 'bananas' as they're only just realizing the real meaning behind Donkey Kong's name.
Despite being one of the most iconic video game characters of all time, you might know how Nintendo gave that grouchy gorilla his name.
First arriving on the scene for 1981's Donkey Kong arcade game, D.K. was the antagonistic ape who was known for throwing barrels at Mario (then known as Jumpman).
Things get even more complicated when you realize that this Donkey Kong is actually the grandfather of the one most of us know from the likes of Mario Kart and Donkey Kong 64. But that's a story for a different day.
Advert
Donkey Kong was created by the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto and has since gone on to become one of Nintendo's most recognizable characters. He's not quite up there with Mario as the Nintendo mascot, but he's become so popular, there's even talk about him leading his own spin-off to The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
As for where he got his name from, Miyamoto was apparently trying to convey the character's stubbornness. This led to the gaming auteur referring to the gorilla as a 'donkey', while the 'Kong' bit is an obvious nod to King Kong.
It's a common misconception that the name was lost in translation and that the character was supposed to be called 'Monkey Kong' but someone read a fax wrong.
Miyamoto has said this isn't the case, and although the ridiculous nature of calling DK a stubborn 'donkey' got a laugh in the meeting, it's one that stuck.
Our minds weren't the only ones blown wide open, and when the news was shared on Reddit, others loved this factoid for the next quiz night.
"In America, the other word for Donkey, "Jackass" means fool," said one, while another added, "
It would be hilarious if he was named Jackass Kong.." A third chimed in, "This is ironic tho cause he’s actually smart."
This all sparked a debate on how intelligent characters in the Mario universe actually are, with someone saying that Donkey Kong's smarts are probably on a par with Bowser.
Donkey Kong's creation was inspired by a mix of King Kong, the love triangle between Popeye's lead, Olive Oyl, and Bluto, as well as a dash of Beauty and the Beast (the original story because the cartoon didn't come out for another decade).
The Nintendo knowledge keeps on flowing, with the Donkey Kong reveal coming hot off the heels of others fans only just realizing what Goombas actually are.