Donkey Kong (US set 1)

Released by Nintendo in 1981, this monumental arcade title marks the first appearance of Mario, who would go on to become the company’s iconic mascot. The game was a massive hit—sparking a genuine social phenomenon—thanks to its straightforward premise, in which Mario must navigate a construction site and avoid obstacles to rescue a woman kidnapped by a giant gorilla, as well as its polished four-level structure. Developed under contract by Ikegami Tsushinki based on Nintendo’s specifications, the protagonist would not be officially named "Mario" until later installments. Notably, development history notes rare technical occurrences, such as display color errors that emerged when the game was ported to certain hardware environments.

A giant gorilla named Donkey Kong suddenly appears at a construction site, kidnaps a woman, and flees to the top floor of the steel framework. A plumber named Mario sets out to rescue his girlfriend, making his way to the summit while dodging obstacles like barrels thrown by Donkey Kong. The story depicts Mario’s battle to confront Donkey Kong and save the captive woman.