Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong is where Mario began. A giant ape has carried Pauline to the top of a building site, and a carpenter called Jumpman climbs after him, jumping over the barrels the ape rolls down the girders. Jumpman was later renamed Mario. It is Nintendo’s 1981 arcade game, designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, and it plays right here in your browser with no download.

Like early arcade classics? Try Galaga and Ms. Pac-Man too.

How to play

1. Press Play under the title picture and wait a moment while the arcade machine starts.
2. Press Coin (V on a keyboard) to add a credit, then Start (Enter).
3. Run with the arrow keys, climb ladders with up and down, and jump with Z.
4. Jump over the barrels for points. Grab a hammer to smash barrels and fireballs for a few seconds; you can’t climb while holding it.
5. Reach Pauline at the top to finish the stage. The four stages are the girders, the conveyor belts, the elevators and the rivets.
6. Watch the BONUS counter: it counts down, and you lose a life when it reaches zero.

Controls

Computer: arrow keys run and climb, Z jumps, V adds a coin and Enter is Start. Move the mouse over the game to show the bar with pause, restart, sound, save state, load state and full screen buttons.

Phone and tablet: the pad under the game has the cross, Jump, and Coin and Start buttons.

A USB or Bluetooth gamepad also works.

Cheats

Press the magic wand button next to the full screen button above the game. A small panel opens over the game, and the game waits until you close it. The cheats switch on a few seconds after the machine has started.

• Unlimited lives: you never run out of lives.

Reloading the page turns the cheats off again.

About Donkey Kong

Nintendo released Donkey Kong in arcades in 1981. It was one of the first platform games, one of the first arcade games to tell a story on screen, and the first game of Shigeru Miyamoto, who went on to create Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda.

Frequently asked questions

Is Donkey Kong free to play here?

Yes. You can play it free in your browser on Yes This Game, with no download and no sign-up.

Is Jumpman Mario?

Yes. The hero of Donkey Kong was called Jumpman in 1981 and was named Mario soon after.

How do I start the game?

Press Coin (V) to add a credit, then Start (Enter).

Can I play it on my phone?

Yes. On a phone or tablet an on-screen pad appears under the game.

Can I save my progress?

Yes. The bar under the game has save state and load state buttons that keep the game in your browser on this device.