Product package:Super Nintendo Donkey Kong Country Product Package

In 1981, the struggling Nintendo of America released a game that would turn the company around: Donkey Kong. After failing to break into the American market, Nintendo of Japan created Donkey Kong in hopes that it would be a hit for their U.S. division. Donkey Kong sold over 80,000 units in the U.S. and became the era's second most popular license after Pac-Man. The game was not a one-hit wonder; in fact, it was the first game in what would become an extensive video game dynasty. Donkey Kong was the first video game for Nintendo newcomer Shigeru Miyamoto. Under the supervision of Gunpei Yokoi, Nintendo's dean of engineering and the designer of the Game Boy, Miyamoto wanted to design a game with a storyline. He devised a story in which an ape escapes and kidnaps his owner's girlfriend. The ape takes the girlfriend, Pauline, to a construction site where the owner, an Italian carpenter originally entitled Jumpman, tries to save her. It is in this construction setting that players must navigate Jumpman up levels of steel girders while avoiding the barrel-throwing antics of Donkey Kong. Jumpman would later evolve into Mario, one of the most famous characters in video game history. In 1994, a new Donkey Kong story emerged. Titled Donkey Kong Country, the game focused on the grandson of the original Donkey Kong from the classic arcade games. After discovering that his treasured banana hoard had been stolen by the nefarious crocodile leader, King K. Rool, the new Donkey Kong embarked on a quest with his nephew, Diddy Kong, to reclaim what was rightfully his. The game was revolutionary for being one of the first Super Nintendo adventures to implement pre-rendered 3D graphics. This means that the three-dimensional graphics featured throughout the game were designed entirely through computers, rather than in real-time. It was also the first Donkey Kong game to utilize the Amimal Buddy system, where the player would be periodically assisted by friendly animals in their quest. This was the first entry in the franchise that was not directed or produced by Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto. It was instead spearheaded by producer Tim Stamper and Rare Ltd. Donkey Kong Country ultimately sold over nine million copies and became one of the highest selling games of all time on the Super Nintendo. It was soon followed by Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995) and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (1996).