⚠️This fact has been debunked
This is a popular myth with no historical basis. The real origin story is well-documented and the myth-busting is genuinely interesting.
Contrary to a popular internet myth, Donkey Kong was never Mario's pet. The game's creator Shigeru Miyamoto has confirmed that the original 1981 arcade game was simply about a gorilla who escaped and kidnapped a woman, with no backstory of animal abuse.
The Donkey Kong Abuse Myth That Nintendo Never Made
If you've spent any time on gaming forums or social media, you've probably encountered this dark origin story: Mario was originally a cruel pet owner who abused Donkey Kong, and the famous arcade game was actually about the ape's righteous revenge. It's a compelling narrative that reframes the heroic plumber as a villain.
There's just one problem. It's completely made up.
What Miyamoto Actually Said
Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary Nintendo designer who created both characters, has given numerous interviews about Donkey Kong's development. The original 1981 arcade game was inspired by King Kong and Popeye—a simple story of a gorilla kidnapping a woman and a hero trying to rescue her.
In the game's sparse narrative, the character then called "Jumpman" (later renamed Mario) wasn't a pet owner at all. He was a carpenter. Donkey Kong was just... a gorilla. No tragic backstory. No abuse. No revenge plot.
Where Did This Myth Come From?
The origin of the abuse story is murky, but it appears to have spread through:
- Fan theories that tried to explain why an ape would kidnap someone
- Misremembered details from the Donkey Kong Country manual (which introduced Cranky Kong as the "original" DK)
- The 2018 film Ralph Breaks the Internet, which jokingly referenced Mario's "complicated past"
- Viral social media posts that presented the theory as confirmed fact
The myth gained particular traction because it fits a popular narrative template: beloved childhood characters secretly have dark origins.
The Actual Donkey Kong Timeline
Here's what Nintendo has actually established. In the 1981 arcade game, Jumpman (Mario) chases Donkey Kong to rescue Pauline. That's the entire story. Later games retconned this by suggesting the original Donkey Kong is now Cranky Kong—the elderly ape in the Donkey Kong Country series—and today's Donkey Kong is his grandson.
This retcon created some timeline confusion, but at no point did Nintendo suggest any abuse or pet ownership. Mario and Donkey Kong simply started as adversaries and eventually became go-kart racing buddies.
Why We Love Dark Reimaginings
The staying power of this myth reveals something about how we consume nostalgia. We're drawn to theories that add depth to simple childhood stories. The idea that Mario was secretly the villain all along is interesting—it makes us reconsider everything we thought we knew.
But sometimes the truth is more mundane. Miyamoto was a young designer who needed a simple premise for an arcade game. A gorilla kidnaps a woman. A hero climbs ladders to save her. That's it.
Mario wasn't an abuser. He wasn't even a plumber yet. He was just a guy in red overalls jumping over barrels—and that was enough to launch one of gaming's most iconic franchises.
