8 Video Games That Started Out Totally Different

4. Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong & Popeye
Nintendo

Now this one is a biggie. Just imagine a world without Mario in it, would games have recovered from the console crash after Atari flooded the market with ET games? Well maybe, but we can never truly tell and players today owe a lot to Nintendo and their moustached mascot.

But before Super Mario Bros, this plumber debuted in another game under the name of Jumpman. Yes, he was the character tasked with jumping over endless barrels to defeat Donkey Kong and save the princess. But just like Doom, this one was also almost a licenced game.

After games like ​​Radar Scope weren’t doing so well outside of Japan, Nintendo needed something to repurpose the cabinet with. Their first choice wasn’t Donkey Kong, but rather Popeye the Sailor Man. Thankfully for everyone in the industry, the Popeye licence was pulled and Miyamoto had to retool what he had for a new game. Bluto was turned into a gorilla and from there DK was born.

Nintendo did eventually get the Popeye licence, but thankfully today, Mario and Donkey Kong reign supreme.

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Resident Evil Aficionado. Video Games & Fried Chicken are my passions. Occasionally some Wrestling. I used to work in Film & TV, but now I Write, Edit & Present for this website and its Youtube Channels.