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Today in History: Donkey Kong debuts Mario, revolutionizing gaming history

7/9/2025

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Summary

Story summary

On July 9, 1981, Nintendo released the arcade game Donkey Kong, marking the debut of Mario, its iconic character. In this platform game, players control Mario as he navigates a construction site to rescue Pauline from the giant gorilla, Donkey Kong. This release laid the foundation for Mario's enduring legacy in video gaming.

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Story summary

On July 9, 1981, Nintendo released the arcade game Donkey Kong, marking the debut of Mario, its iconic character. In this platform game, players control Mario as he navigates a construction site to rescue Pauline from the giant gorilla, Donkey Kong. This release laid the foundation for Mario's enduring legacy in video gaming.