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From my understanding the original Donkey Kong from the 1981 Nintendo arcade game

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is not the same character as our current Donkey Kong in such games as Mario Kart, and Super Smash Bros.

enter image description here Who is our current Donkey Kong and what is his real name? Is Donkey simply a title, and Kong a family name?

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    is this the right place for such a question? Seems a better fit for Arqade as DK isn't really fantasy or SciFi
    – Thomas
    Jun 21, 2016 at 12:57
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    @Thomas if mario and zelda are on topic, so is Donkey Kong by associations at worst.
    – Himarm
    Jun 21, 2016 at 12:58
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    We should consider Donkey Kong on-topic as it is firmly within the realms of fantasy thanks to this association with Mario, resident of the extremely fantastical Mushroom Kingdom. It's also worth noting that he appeared in Pixels, a science-fiction/comedy film starring Adam Sandler.
    – Dr R Dizzle
    Jun 21, 2016 at 13:08
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    Hm, Zelda would almost fit as it plays in a fantasy world with magic. Mario I would also consider off topic, just my two cents...
    – Thomas
    Jun 21, 2016 at 13:09
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    @Thomas Mario lives in a fantasy world called the Mushroom Kingdom, and has the ability to fire fireballs out of his palm after eating a certain flower, or transform into a racoon after picking up a leaf. His enemies include wizard turtles, dragons, sentient bombs and multiple other science fiction/fantasy type characters. The man's lept headfirst into magical paintings, and his brother has cleared a mansion of ghosts. He's even traveled through space itself on flying starships powered by aliens. Mario is firmly on-topic here.
    – Dr R Dizzle
    Jun 21, 2016 at 13:16

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Donkey Kong is indeed his name and he is part of a legacy. The Donkey Kong present in Donkey Kong Country was originally stated to be the grandson of the original Donkey Kong, now called Cranky Kong, and was presumably the son of Donkey Kong Jr. Donkey Kong 64 retconned this, and said that he was the son of Cranky Kong, a grown-up version of Donkey Kong Jr. And then, they switched him back to being a grandson for Super Smash Brothers and Donkey Kong Country Returns.

"One swift blow was all that was needed to leave him sprawled on the floor, face down! he groggily rolled over to see the familiar wrinkled, white-bearded, grouchy face of his old granddad 'punky Kong' peering down at him." - Donkey Kong Country instruction manual, pg. 5–6

"In his heyday, Cranky was the original Donkey Kong who battled Mario in several of his own games." - Donkey Kong Country instruction manual, pg. 6

"Well, if it isn't my lazy, good-for-nothing son." - Cranky Kong, to Donkey Kong; Donkey Kong 64 in-game dialogue

"As far as I know, 'our' DK is the son of Cranky, which does indeed make him the original DK Jr. all grown up: so if you see Cranky referred to as DK's granddad anywhere, just cover your eyes and hum loudly until it goes away.)" -Rare.com interview

Nintendo. Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Level/area: Codec conversation between Snake and Otacon. Otacon: "The Donkey Kong who fought that epic battle with Mario was this guy's grandfather."

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