Donkey Kong is one of Nintendo’s oldest franchises, and the titular protagonist is one of the most famous video game characters in the world. Nintendo, and the video game industry as a whole, would not be the same without the ape himself. Despite the Donkey Kong character’s legendary status, the series never had a history as streamlined as Super Mario and Legend of Zelda. The franchise had an awkward phase in its early days, especially when Mario’s own franchise stole the show. It was only when Donkey Kong Country came out that the modern Donkey Kong everyone knows and loves was born.