what cartoon was the inspiration for the 1981 arcade hit donkey kong?

The cartoon that inspired the 1981 arcade hit Donkey Kong is Popeye the Sailor.

Quick Scoop

• Nintendo originally wanted to make a licensed Popeye arcade game, starring Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Bluto.

• When the license could not be secured, designer Shigeru Miyamoto created new stand‑in characters: Jumpman (Mario) in place of Popeye, Pauline in place of Olive Oyl, and Donkey Kong in place of Bluto.

• This reworked concept became Donkey Kong , one of the most influential arcade titles of the early 1980s.

Extra Context & Trivia

• Beyond Popeye , Miyamoto also drew on stories like Beauty and the Beast and monster films such as King Kong to shape the “giant ape kidnaps girl” scenario.

• The success of Donkey Kong introduced Mario (then called Jumpman) and set Nintendo on the path to becoming a dominant force in video games through the 1980s and beyond.

TL;DR: The 1981 arcade smash Donkey Kong was originally conceived as a Popeye game, with its cast and story reshaped only after Nintendo failed to get the Popeye license.

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