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Donkey Kong came first, but Mario made his debut in Donkey Kong in 1981 as a character called Jumpman.
That’s where the confusion starts, because people often mix up Mario’s first appearance, the first game to use the Mario name, and the start of the Super Mario series. Those are three different milestones, and they do not all point to the same game.
Once you separate the names and dates, the timeline is straightforward. Here’s how Nintendo’s early arcade history lines up and why this question still comes up so often.
What Nintendo’s official timeline says
Nintendo’s own history materials place Donkey Kong in 1981, and Mario’s first appearance is tied to that game under the name Jumpman. On Nintendo’s Mario history page, Mario is described as being in Donkey Kong as Jumpman, while the company’s Mario Bros. page says Mario Bros. (1983) was the first game to use “Mario” in the title.
That is why the answer depends on the question being asked. If you mean which game came first, it was Donkey Kong. If you mean which character appeared first, Mario’s first appearance was inside Donkey Kong as Jumpman. If you mean which game first used the name Mario, that answer is Mario Bros..
For the original arcade release, Nintendo’s Arcade Archives Donkey Kong page lists the game as a 1981 release.
Why this question gets mixed up so often
A lot of sources collapse three different milestones into one:
| Question | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| Which game came first? | Donkey Kong (1981). |
| Which character appeared first? | Mario’s first appearance was in Donkey Kong, but he was called Jumpman at the time. |
| When was Mario first named Mario? | Nintendo was already using the Mario name by Donkey Kong Jr. (1982), and Mario Bros. (1983) was the first game to put Mario in the title. |
| Why do some pages say Super Mario Bros.? | They are usually talking about his first game in the Super Mario Bros. series, not his first overall appearance. |
That last point is the one that causes the most confusion. Nintendo’s company history pages sometimes summarize Mario’s rise by pointing to Super Mario Bros. because that is the game that turned him into a global flagship character. But that is not the same as saying it was his first appearance.
Donkey Kong vs. Mario: the timeline in plain English
- 1981: Donkey Kong launches in arcades. Mario appears as Jumpman.
- 1982: Donkey Kong Jr. follows, and Nintendo is already using the Mario name in the series.
- 1983: Mario Bros. becomes the first game to use “Mario” in the title.
- 1985: Super Mario Bros. makes Mario the star most players remember today.
That is the safest way to say it: Donkey Kong came first as a game, and Mario debuted in it under a different name.
Are Donkey Kong and Mario enemies?
In the original arcade game, yes, they are set up as opponents. Donkey Kong throws barrels, Jumpman climbs to rescue Pauline, and the whole game is built around that conflict. In Donkey Kong Jr., the roles flip and Mario is the one holding Donkey Kong captive, which is part of why early fans still remember them as rivals.
Over time, though, the two series moved in different directions. Mario became Nintendo’s platforming mascot, while Donkey Kong developed his own cast, jungle setting, and separate identity. Modern continuity tends to treat them as longtime characters who can cross paths without the old arcade rivalry being the whole story.
If you like sorting out Nintendo history questions like this, Retro Only also covers related topics in the Nintendo FAQs section, plus questions about Mario’s first game, Donkey Kong’s release, and the Mario series on PS4.
Bottom line
Donkey Kong came first. Mario’s first appearance was in Donkey Kong (1981), but he was called Jumpman then. If you are asking when the name Mario first showed up, the answer is later: Donkey Kong Jr. and then Mario Bros. as the first game with Mario in the title.
So the short, accurate version is: Donkey Kong came first, Mario appeared first inside Donkey Kong, and the Mario name came afterward.
FAQ
Was Mario originally called Jumpman?
Yes. Nintendo’s official history materials identify Mario’s original role in Donkey Kong (1981) as Jumpman.
Is Donkey Kong older than Mario?
Yes, if you mean the original game and the character’s first appearance. Donkey Kong came out in 1981, and Mario first appeared in that game as Jumpman.
Why do some sources say Mario first appeared in Super Mario Bros.?
Usually because they are talking about his first appearance in the Super Mario Bros. series, not his first appearance overall.
Did Mario get his name before Mario Bros.?
Yes. Nintendo was already using the Mario name by Donkey Kong Jr. in 1982, before Mario Bros. used it in a title in 1983.