Video Game Sales Wiki

Donkey Kong is a platformer franchise created by Nintendo. Debuting with the arcade game Donkey Kong in 1981, it is Nintendo's first major video game franchise, along with the Game & Watch line of handheld games.

The player character of the original game is Nintendo's current mascot Mario, who battles it out with the titular angry gorilla Donkey Kong. It was followed by two arcade sequels, with the arcade trilogy ported to various home platforms including the NES. After a decade long hiatus, Nintendo rebooted the series with Donkey Kong Country, developed by Rare for the Super NES in 1994. Since then, the series revolves around Donkey Kong and his friends collecting bananas and battling invaders to protect their home, Donkey Kong Island.

The Donkey Kong franchise has sold more than 100 million units worldwide and grossed an estimated $9 billion as of 2025. The original Donkey Kong (1981) alone sold more than 20 million units and grossed an estimated $4 billion.

Franchise[]

Note: See sections below for breakdown of sales figures and revenue estimates.

Series Debut year Debut platform Unit sales Revenue (est.)
Original trilogy 1981 Arcade 29,396,407 $5,532,009,955
Donkey Kong Country series 1994 Super NES 40,942,655 $2,320,000,000
Other mainline games 1995 Game Boy 17,302,404 $849,000,000
Spin-offs 1983 NES 17,211,129 $698,400,000
Total 104,852,595 $9,399,409,955

Games[]

Original trilogy[]

Title Year Platform Market Sales Gross (est.) Ref
Donkey Kong 1981 22,950,690 $4,734,009,955 [1]
Donkey Kong 1981 Arcade Japan 65,000 $3,800,000,000 [2][3]
Overseas 133,178 [4][3]
Crazy Kong 1981 Arcade USA 20,000 [5][3]
Donkey Kong 1981 Coleco Mini-Arcade USA 500,000 $33,000,000 [6]
1982 Game & Watch Worldwide 8,000,000 $375,000,000 [7][8][9]
ColecoVision USA 2,000,000 $70,000,000 [10][11]
Atari 2600 West 4,583,000 $150,000,000 [12][13][11]
1983 NES Worldwide 1,130,000 $57,000,000 [14][15]
Computers Worldwide 1,016,000 $34,500,000 [13][16]
Intellivision West Unknown
1986 Atari 2600 Jr. USA 180,523 $1,258,282 [17]
Atari XE USA 39,011 $151,673
1988 Famicom Disk Japan 20,497 $100,000 [18][19]
Atari 7800 USA Unknown
Donkey Kong Classics 1988 NES West 1,560,000 $78,000,000 [14][15]
Donkey Kong 1994 GB Worldwide 3,070,000 $120,000,000 [14]
Famicom Mini: Donkey Kong 2004 GBA Japan 161,811 $4,000,000 [18][20]
Classic NES Series: Donkey Kong 2004 GBA USA 311,670 $6,000,000 [21][22]
Other 160,000* $5,000,000 [23][24]
Donkey Kong 2006 Wii (VC) Worldwide Unknown [25]
2012 3DS (VC)
2013 Wii U (VC)
Donkey Kong Jr. 1982 6,190,717 $749,000,000
Donkey Kong Jr. 1982 Arcade Worldwide 60,717 $490,000,000 [4][3]
Game & Watch Worldwide 1,700,000 $72,000,000 [26]
1983 NES Worldwide 1,110,000 $56,000,000 [14][15]
Coleco Mini-Arcade USA 300,000 $15,000,000 [13][27]
Donkey Kong II 1983 Game & Watch Worldwide 1,250,000 $59,000,000 [28][26]
Donkey Kong Junior 1983 Atari 2600 Overseas 970,000* $31,000,000 [29][30]
ColecoVision USA 800,000 $26,000,000 [31][30]
Intellivision West Unknown
1984 Coleco Adam USA
Donkey Kong Jr. 2006 Wii (VC) Worldwide Unknown [32]
Game & Watch: Donkey Kong Jr. 2009 DSiWare Worldwide Unknown
Donkey Kong Jr. 2011 3DS (VC) Worldwide Unknown [32]
2013 Wii U (VC)
Donkey Kong 3 1983 255,000 $49,000,000
Donkey Kong 3 1983 Arcade Worldwide 5,000 $38,000,000 [33][31][34]
1984 NES Worldwide Unknown
Game & Watch Worldwide 250,000 $12,000,000 [26]
2008 Wii (VC) Worldwide Unknown [35]
2013 3DS (VC)
Wii U (VC)
Total 29,396,407 $5,532,009,955

Donkey Kong Country[]

Title Year Platform Market Sales Gross (est.) Ref
Donkey Kong Country 1994 13,310,000 $765,000,000
Donkey Kong Country 1994 SNES Worldwide 9,300,000 $650,000,000 [14][36]
2000 GBC Worldwide 2,190,000 $66,000,000 [14][37]
2003 GBA Worldwide 1,820,000 $49,000,000 [14][38]
2006 Wii (VC) Worldwide Unknown [39]
2014 3DS (VC)
2016 Wii U (VC)
Donkey Kong Country 2 1995 6,193,780 $399,000,000
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest 1995 SNES Worldwide 5,150,000 $360,000,000 [14][40]
Super Donkey Kong 2 2004 GBA Japan 103,780 $5,000,000 [41]
Donkey Kong Country 2 2004 GBA USA 630,000 $19,000,000 [38]
Other 310,000* $15,000,000 [42][43]
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest 2007 Wii (VC) Worldwide Unknown [44]
2014 Wii U (VC)
2016 3DS (VC)
Donkey Kong Country 3 1996 4,058,875 $270,000,000
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! 1996 SNES Worldwide 3,510,000 $250,000,000 [14][45]
Super Donkey Kong 3 2005 GBA Japan 100,175 $3,000,000 [46]
Donkey Kong Country 3 2005 GBA USA 268,700 $8,000,000 [47][48]
Other 180,000* $9,000,000 [49][50]
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! 2007 Wii (VC) Worldwide Unknown [51]
2014 Wii U (VC)
2016 3DS (VC)
Donkey Kong Country Returns 2010 10,740,000 $506,000,000
Donkey Kong Country Returns 2010 Wii Worldwide 6,530,000 $330,000,000 [14][52]
Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D 2013 3DS Worldwide 2,940,000 $100,000,000 [14][53]
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD 2025 Switch Worldwide 1,270,000 $76,000,000 [54][55]
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze 2014 6,640,000 $380,000,000
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze 2014 Wii U Worldwide 2,020,000 $100,000,000 [14][56]
2018 Switch Worldwide 4,620,000 $280,000,000 [14][57]
Total 40,942,655 $2,320,000,000

Other mainline games[]

Title Year Platform Market Sales Gross (est.) Ref
Donkey Kong Land 1995 3,910,000 $120,000,000
Donkey Kong Land 1995 GB Worldwide 3,910,000 $120,000,000 [14][58]
2014 3DS (VC) Worldwide Unknown [59]
Donkey Kong Land 2 1996 2,350,000 $70,000,000
Donkey Kong Land 2 1996 GB Worldwide 2,350,000 $70,000,000 [14][58]
2014 3DS (VC) Worldwide Unknown [60]
Donkey Kong Land III 1997 1,030,000 $31,000,000
Donkey Kong Land III 1997 GB / GBC Worldwide 1,030,000 $31,000,000 [14][61]
2014 3DS (VC) Worldwide Unknown [62]
Donkey Kong 64 1999 5,270,000 $320,000,000
Donkey Kong 64 1999 N64 Worldwide 5,270,000 $320,000,000 [14][63]
Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat 2004 1,252,404 $68,000,000
Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat 2004 GameCube Japan 220,132 $16,000,000 [64]
2005 GameCube USA 207,615 $11,000,000 [21][48]
Other 260,000* $23,000,000 [65][66]
New Play Control! Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat 2008 Wii Japan 114,657 $5,000,000 [67]
2009 Wii Overseas 450,000* $13,000,000 [68][69]
Donkey Kong Bananza 2025 3,490,000 $240,000,000
Donkey Kong Bananza 2025 Switch 2 Worldwide 3,490,000 $240,000,000 [70][71]
Total 17,302,404 $849,000,000

Spin-offs[]

Title Year Platform Market Sales Gross (est.) Ref
Early spin-offs 500,000 $24,000,000
Donkey Kong Jr. Math 1983 NES Worldwide Unknown
Donkey Kong Circus 1984 G&W Worldwide 250,000 $12,000,000 [8]
Donkey Kong Hockey 1984 G&W Worldwide 250,000 $12,000,000 [8]
Diddy Kong Racing 1997 6,470,000 $289,000,000
Diddy Kong Racing 1997 N64 Worldwide 4,880,000 $240,000,000 [14][72]
Diddy Kong Racing DS 2007 DS Worldwide 1,590,000 $49,000,000 [14][73]
Donkey Konga 2003 1,180,000 $59,000,000
Donkey Konga 2003 GameCube Worldwide 1,180,000 $59,000,000 [14][74]
Donkey Konga 2 2004 523,377 $24,000,000
Donkey Konga 2 2004 GameCube Japan 133,377 $8,000,000 [18][75]
2005 GameCube Overseas 390,000* $16,000,000 [76][77]
Donkey Konga 3 2005 80,510 $5,000,000
Donkey Konga 3 2005 GameCube Japan 80,510 $5,000,000 [78]
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2004 2,490,000 $99,000,000
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2004 GBA Worldwide 1,370,000 $43,000,000 [79][22]
2024 Switch Worldwide 1,120,000 $56,000,000 [80][81]
Mario vs. Donkey Kong sequels 4,574,603 $137,400,000
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis 2006 DS Worldwide 1,520,000 $46,000,000 [79][47]
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! 2009 DSiWare Worldwide Unknown
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! 2010 DS Worldwide 2,980,000 $89,000,000 [79][82]
Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move 2013 3DS eShop Worldwide Unknown
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars 2015 3DS Japan 58,087 $2,000,000 [18][83]
Wii U Japan 16,516 $400,000 [18][84]
Mini Mario & Friends: Amiibo Challenge 2016 Wii U eShop Worldwide Unknown
3DS eShop
DK: King of Swing 2005 288,749 $9,000,000
Swinging Donkey 2005 GBA Japan 48,749 $2,000,000 [85]
DK: King of Swing 2005 GBA Overseas 240,000* $7,000,000 [86][48]
DK: Jungle Climber 2007 514,689 $21,000,000
DK: Jungle Climber 2007 DS Japan 204,689 $12,000,000 [87]
Overseas 310,000* $9,000,000 [88][89]
Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast 589,201 $31,000,000
Donkey Kong: Barrel Jet Race 2007 Wii Japan 79,201 $6,000,000 [90]
Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast 2007 Wii Overseas 510,000* $25,000,000 [91][92]
Total 17,211,129 $698,400,000

Notes[]

* Contains estimates

  • These games based on Donkey Kong were converted into Game & Watch systems: Donkey Kong (1982), Donkey Kong Jr. (1982), Donkey Kong II (1983), Donkey Kong 3 (1984), Donkey Kong Circus (1984), and Donkey Kong Hockey (1984).
  • A special version of the NES version of Donkey Kong was released for the Wii Virtual Console in 2010.
  • Donkey Kong Classics, which was a combo pack of Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr., was not released in Japan.
  • A slot machine version of Donkey Kong was released in 1996 only in Europe.
  • Hudson Soft developed and released Donkey Kong 3: Dai Gyakushū in 1984 for the PC-6001mkII/PC-6601, PC-8801, and X1 computers.
  • A competition variant of Donkey Kong Country was released by Nintendo Power in 1994. Only 2,500 copies were printed.
  • Two Arcade semi-sequels to Donkey Kong Jungle Beat were released in 2005 and 2006, Donkey Kong: Jungle Fever and Donkey Kong: Banana Kingdom.
  • Donkey Konga 3: Tabehōdai! Haru Mogitate 50 Kyoku was only released in Japan.

Footnotes[]


References[]

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