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Off-Topic Discussion => Gaming Discussion => Topic started by: Sandwich on October 09, 2008, 09:57:25 am

Title: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Sandwich on October 09, 2008, 09:57:25 am
Did I miss the donkeys?  :confused:
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Flipside on October 09, 2008, 10:04:39 am
IIRC It was called 'Monkey King', but there were copyright problems because of 'King Kong', and the outcome, for some unfathomable reason, was 'Donkey Kong'.

Something like that anyway...
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Galemp on October 09, 2008, 10:06:02 am
In the original Japanese they use a word that connotes great strength and fortitude. That was translated as 'donkey' as in a very strong animal .
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Colonol Dekker on October 09, 2008, 10:07:21 am
http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/donkeykong.asp

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/186158


My take on it is...............Because japanese happy funny time translation is good !

Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Dark Hunter on October 09, 2008, 10:12:00 am
Mr. Miyamoto was looking through a thesaurus for synonyms for "Stubborn Gorilla". He came up with "Donkey Kong".

And in fact there was a legal battle with Universal Studios: they sued Nintendo because they were at the time making a King Kong movie (this was after the game Donkey Kong was released). Nintendo won, though.
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Colonol Dekker on October 09, 2008, 10:31:11 am
Stubborn as a mule, mule->donkey (semantics i know) add a Kong to it. plus it's got a ring to it :D


What would you guys call Monkey character?

Little tit-bit of info for ya, the only reason mario wears a hat, is because 8-bit an dpre 8-bit systems didn't have the resolution to produce hair to Miyamotos standard.
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: BloodEagle on October 09, 2008, 11:12:10 am
"ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US!"  ;7
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Sandwich on October 09, 2008, 02:51:36 pm
Little tit-bit of info...

"Tid-bit", you mean? ;)
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Flipside on October 09, 2008, 03:00:27 pm
When Deckers concerned, assume nothing ;)
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Silent Warrior on October 10, 2008, 01:48:58 am
 :lol: :lol: :lol:

'Nuff said. (If you're out looking for more engrish, shall we say, mishaps, don't overlook the Shining Force-series. It's common knowledge that Final Fantasy 7 went really very funny on occasion, but SF has a few surprises in store.)
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Colonol Dekker on October 10, 2008, 01:54:15 am
Little tit-bit of info...

"Tid-bit", you mean? ;)

I dunno what Tids are :p

Shinig force = Awesome :yes: begin the ritual known as "COUNTDOWN" the bomb-god shall awaken!!
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Mobius on October 10, 2008, 02:49:57 pm
Why are Mario and Luigi called Mario and Luigi?

I mean why would Japanese game developers base one of the most successful series ever on two Italians? Wasn't Pac Man enough(it was inspired by a pizza)? :wtf:
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Dark Hunter on October 10, 2008, 05:51:23 pm
Well, Mario was named after Nintendo of America's first landlord (before that he was "Jumpman").

Luigi is just an Italian name to go along with Mario.
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Mobius on October 11, 2008, 12:25:22 pm
Meh...they could have chosen two Japanese names... :doubt:
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Mongoose on October 11, 2008, 01:48:06 pm
Yes, because an Italian plumber with a Japanese name makes perfect sense.
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Dark Hunter on October 11, 2008, 03:04:32 pm
I think what happened is they designed his appearance before deciding on a name, so they had to choose a name that fit his appearance.

His appearance was dictated by graphical limitations. Overalls because it made it easier to animate arms moving. A hat because hair is tricky on 8-bit systems. A moustache because a mouth is also difficult. All this adds up to a carpenter, which was changed to plumber when Mario Bros. came out in arcades (which took place in the sewers, rather than a construction site), and I guess the moustache in particular they thought an Italian look; therefore, Italian name.

Also, another naming oddity: they are referred to as the "Mario Bros.", which implies that it is their last name that is Mario... and indeed, their official full names are "Mario Mario" and "Luigi Mario".
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Mobius on October 11, 2008, 03:10:43 pm
Yes, because an Italian plumber with a Japanese name makes perfect sense.

Use a Japanese plumber?

Also, another naming oddity: they are referred to as the "Mario Bros.", which implies that it is their last name that is Mario... and indeed, their official full names are "Mario Mario" and "Luigi Mario".

Yeah, I know it...it's so odd :wtf:
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: CmdKewin on October 13, 2008, 05:49:56 am
Yes, because an Italian plumber with a Japanese name makes perfect sense.

Use a Japanese plumber?

Also, another naming oddity: they are referred to as the "Mario Bros.", which implies that it is their last name that is Mario... and indeed, their official full names are "Mario Mario" and "Luigi Mario".

Yeah, I know it...it's so odd :wtf:

It depends really... it's not uncommon for Italian people to have identical First and Last names. Very few ones, but there are some :)
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Inquisitor on October 13, 2008, 07:13:33 am
I worked with a William Williams.
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Mobius on October 19, 2008, 02:44:53 pm
It depends really... it's not uncommon for Italian people to have identical First and Last names. Very few ones, but there are some :)

Similar, yeah...but identical? I recall a Guido Guidi, just to give an example, but Mario Mario is exaggerately odd...
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Excalibur on October 19, 2008, 06:05:49 pm
Once there was an Abdhulla Abdhulla on T.V. Yes - that actually appeared in the name box. (I don't know about the actual spelling though)

As for Donkey Kong - I assume Kong means Gorilla and donkey means stupid but strong animal...

What about Diddy Kong?
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Flipside on October 19, 2008, 06:26:06 pm
Diddy = Small, I would presume that was what was intended.
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Excalibur on October 19, 2008, 06:35:15 pm
Thought so, since Diddy Kong is small and crappy...
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Mongoose on October 19, 2008, 08:40:25 pm
Hey, he has mad cartwheel skills.
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: BloodEagle on October 19, 2008, 11:27:16 pm
Diddy Kong's Quest is the best game in the entire series.  :yes:
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Dark Hunter on October 20, 2008, 12:42:12 am
Diddy Kong's Quest Diddy's Kong Quest is the best game in the entire series.  :yes:

QFT and fixxored. :nod:

This game taught us that Diddy might have "mad cartwheel skills", but they pale in comparision to Dixie's "helicopter hair".
Still have it for the SNES, actually. One of my favorite games of all time.
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Turey on October 20, 2008, 07:14:22 pm
This game taught us that Diddy might have "mad cartwheel skills", but they pale in comparision to Dixie's "helicopter hair".
Still have it for the SNES, actually. One of my favorite games of all time.

I almost always played as Dixie. The helicopter hair was so useful.
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: Mongoose on October 20, 2008, 08:17:21 pm
I liked playing as her too...except for that one time I got burned fighting one of the big vulture bosses when I didn't get the barrel throw off in time.  The great part about Diddy was that you could just let enemies run into you if you were carrying one.
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: BloodEagle on October 20, 2008, 08:22:21 pm
Diddy Kong's Quest Diddy's Kong Quest is the best game in the entire series.  :yes:

QFT and fixxored. :nod:

This game taught us that Diddy might have "mad cartwheel skills", but they pale in comparision to Dixie's "helicopter hair".
Still have it for the SNES, actually. One of my favorite games of all time.

Holy Hell. I've been saying it the wrong way for over a decade!  :eek:
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: MR_T3D on October 24, 2008, 07:29:53 pm
If i rough translate Donkey Knog to japanish and back to english, it sounds like "Asshole Monkey"

which would make sense:

original game: rescue princess from asshole monkey who steal her.
Title: Re: Why is Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong?
Post by: aurora_energy on October 24, 2008, 08:19:54 pm
I almost always played as Dixie. The helicopter hair was so useful.
I usually played as diddy, so that way when he died, i could use her. That way i would not get stuck.