Donkey Kong cover art

Game entry

Donkey Kong

1981 · Platformer, Arcade · Arcade · Nintendo

Donkey Kong is ranked no. 884 among the best video games of all time by GameForever voters, with an ELO score of 1,598 and 54% of duels won. The pairing that comes up most often sets it against Portal: 4 duels settled, 0 to 4. In its strongest family it holds position no. 18 out of 154 (1980s).

World rank

no. 884

ELO score

1,598

Wins

54%

Duels played

193

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About Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong is not only Nintendo's first real smash hit for the company, but marks the introduction for two of their most popular mascots: Mario (originally "Jumpman") and Donkey Kong. The game is a platform-action game that has Mario scale four different industrial themed levels (construction zone, cement factory, an elevator-themed level, and removing rivets from girders) in an attempt to save the damsel in distress, Pauline, from the big ape before the timer runs out. Donkey Kong is also notable for being one of the first complete narratives in video game form, told through simplistic cut scenes that advance the story.

ELO progression

Score moved from 1,500 to 1,598 ELO points over the last 215 days.

Head-to-head

Direct record on the most played match-ups.

In the same genre

All Platformer games →
  1. 17 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island1995 · Platformer 1,915
  2. 43 Super Mario Galaxy 22010 · Platformer 1,882
  3. 56 Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy2001 · Platformer 1,872
  4. 90 Super Mario World1990 · Platformer 1,848
  5. 97 LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga2007 · Platformer 1,843

Keep exploring

All-time best platformer games Greatest Arcade games Best games of the 1980s Every Donkey Kong game, ranked

Around this spot

The games Donkey Kong sits between in the world ranking.

  1. 881 Payday 3 1,599
  2. 882 FlatOut 2 1,598
  3. 883 Resident Evil 4 1,598
  4. 884 Donkey Kong 1,598
  5. 885 Age of Empires II: HD Edition 1,598
  6. 886 The Medium 1,598
  7. 887 Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc 1,598

More games from Nintendo

Released in 1981

The standing

Where Donkey Kong ranks

The world rank mixes every family of games. Here is where Donkey Kong stands in each of the ones it belongs to. Its best standing, all families considered: 18 out of 154 (1980s).

Where Donkey Kong ranks
Ranking Position Games competing
World ranking 884 5,110
Platformer 105 621
1980s 18 154

The community

The debate

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