Donkey Kong

Released in the arcades in 1981, Donkey Kong was not only Nintendo's first real smash hit for the company but marked the introduction of two of their most popular mascots: Mario (originally "Jumpman") and Donkey Kong.

Donkey Kong is a platform-action game that has Mario scale four different industrial-themed levels (construction zone, cement factory, an elevator-themed level, and removing rivets from girders) in an attempt to save the damsel in distress, Pauline, from the big ape before the timer runs out.

The Nintendo 3DS (2011) added glasses-free stereoscopic 3D and a second analog input to Nintendo's handheld line, eventually building a library that rivaled the DS in size and quality. Because the eShop for digital purchases has since closed, physical 3DS cartridges are the only way to preserve access to many titles — a dynamic that's pushing more collectors toward cartridge-based copies even for games that were originally digital-first.

Gamevaro tracks Donkey Kong for Nintendo 3DS with separate market values for loose, complete-in-box (CIB) and factory-sealed copies, sourced from real eBay sales. Prices also vary by region — PAL, NTSC-U and NTSC-J releases of the same game often sell for different amounts due to print run sizes and regional collector demand.

Adding Donkey Kong to a Gamevaro collection takes seconds — search by title or scan the box barcode, and the app fills in cover art, release details and current pricing automatically. This 3DS release dates back to 1981.

Market insights

Only a handful of market sales have been tracked for Donkey Kong, suggesting it doesn't trade hands very often — a sign of relative scarcity compared to more common Nintendo 3DS titles.

Complete-in-box (CIB) copies typically command a premium over loose cartridges/discs because the original box and manual are more fragile and get discarded or damaged over time — fewer complete sets survive.

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