10 Video Games Where You're Secretly The Villain

The original arcade version of Donkey Kong is a pretty simple game. Unless you count a sprite of an ape as exposition, there's really not much to go on in terms of plot and storyline. It's just a tale of a moustached man trying to save his girlfriend from a dumb and angry ape.

Or is it?

Well, according to the game's description as well as the story of its sequels, Mario is actually not the hero everybody believes him to be. It turns out he and Donkey Kong have a history beyond the latter kidnapping Pauline.

In reality, the gorilla is actually a runaway pet of Mario, who's not just a "jumping man," but also a cruel circus owner who keeps his animals in tiny cages and whips them into obedience.

The only reason Donkey Kong kidnaps Pauline is to take revenge on his ex-owner. And if you still think Mario is kind enough to just try saving his lover, you have another thing coming.

The sequel to Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., reveals that Mario cages the big ape after rescuing Pauline and forces him back into his circus.

There's some serious evil hiding behind that bushy moustache.