Nintendo considered naming Donkey Kong "Kong Dong, Steel Kong" and many others

How about Donkey Dong?

27 June 2024
by rawmeatcowboy 4
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What’s in a name? Well, with Donkey Kong, it conjures up thoughts and memories of one of gaming’s most well-known icons. While the name Donkey Kong might not make a ton of sense when you pick it apart, it’s just part of everyday gaming talk and has been for decades now. When you say something for a long enough time, it just starts to sound normal!

We all know that Donkey Kong wasn’t the first name that Nintendo considered for great gorilla, but today we’ve gotten some insight into other options that were considered. Thanks to a court document from the legal battle between Nintendo an Universal over Donkey Kong/King Kong back in 1983, we get to see a bunch of names Nintendo was throwing around before they settled on DK.

The names officially mentioned in the court document are as follows:

  • Funny Kong
  • Kong the Kong
  • Jack Kong
  • Funky Kong
  • Bill Kong
  • Steel Kong
  • Giant Kong
  • Big Kong
  • Kong Down
  • Kong Dong
  • Mr. Kong
  • Custom Kong
  • Kong Chase
  • Kong Boy
  • Kong Man
  • Kong Fighter
  • Wild Kong
  • Rookie Kong
  • Kong Holiday

It’s an interesting list of names to say the least. Pretty neat to see that Funky Kong was a name that was there from DK’s inception, and they liked it so much that it eventually got used for a whole new character. As for other names like Kong Dong…well, the jokes write themselves!

[Gaming Historian, Nintendo Everything]

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Comments (4)

rick-fil-a

3d ago

I don't know why, but Bill Kong sticks out to me more than Kong Dong. I imagine it's Donkey Kong but in a business suit with slicked back fur on his head (but also balding), who's possibly slightly behind on his taxes. He's trying his best though. Working his 9-5 office job at the banana factory office in middle management. His boss is very cranky and
asks him to stay over all the time to finish writing up reports. Doesn't get home until 9 PM, the kids are already in bed, dinner in the fridge, and the missus is too tired from her job to spend any quality time with Bill. I don't blame Bill Kong for getting a little angry and acting out from time to time.

martynstuff

2d ago

Stay safe, people
Use a Kong Dong

tendonin

2d ago

Oh man, we could've been living in the Kong Dong timeline. Is that trademark still available? Nintendo can do nothing to stop the rise of Kong Dong!

vinlauria

2d ago

That list is rather expansive.