10 Video Game Characters Who Bared Nipples Before Mario

10. Donkey Kong

Mario's latest game has attracted all sorts of, if not necessarily bad, at least utterly weird headlines for its nonchalant nipple action. But keen historians of Nintendo will recall his first game had pec buttons on firm display. Only they were that of a gorilla.

Donkey Kong's design has received a modesty-inducing overhaul since his scaffold scaling days, but back in 1981 the malevolent primate was content to pound his chest with his teats proudly protruding. It's possibly the earliest representation of a nipple in a game, with a two satisfyingly minimalist pixels devoted to their depiction. It's hard to say why Donkey was eventually overcome with shame, though it probably has something to do with his normalisation into Western society.

He even started wearing a tie. That's 'dignity', apparently.