DONKEY KONG
Mario as the Villain in Donkey Kong Jr.
In the 1982 arcade game Donkey Kong Jr. (a sequel to the original Donkey Kong), the roles are reversed.
The Plot: After the events of Donkey Kong, Mario (then known as Jumpman) captures Donkey Kong and locks him in a cage.
- The Goal: Players control Donkey Kong Jr., who must navigate obstacles, collect keys, and ultimately rescue his father from Mario’s imprisonment.
- Mario’s Actions: Mario is depicted as a cruel zookeeper-like figure, brandishing a whip and sending various enemies (like Snapjaws and Nitpickers) to stop Donkey Kong Jr.
This game is the only time Nintendo has explicitly cast the main character Mario as the villain in a canonical title.
