Top Mario Side Characters #3- Donkey Kong

Well, it was obvious that I was going to put Donkey Kong in this list as, just think of all he has done for gaming. Without him there would be no Mario, after all.

Donkey Kong tied with Mario as the first Mario characters, first appearing in Donkey Kong way back in 1981. Originally, Donkey Kong was going to be a similar game, but with Popeye characters instead. Unfortunately, the licensing with that game didn't work out. But, we should be thankful for that, because Nintendo then had to make up their own characters. They ended up with Mario (then called Jumpman) and Donkey Kong, now two of the most recognisable figures in gaming.

Since that wonderful day, Donkey Kong has featured in many well-loved game series, including Donkey Kong Country, DK Jungle Beat, Donkey Kong 64, Mario VS Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Barrel Blast, all the Mario sports games and Super Smash Bros. If you haven't played any of Donkey kong's platformers before, I would recommend starting off with Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii, as it is a great game with a nostalgic feel to it.

Buy it, for their sake!