The franchise started in 1981 with Nintendo's arcade classic Donkey Kong, in which Mario, or Jumpman, served as the game's protagonist. Two years later, Mario got his own arcade game with Mario Bros.

Created by Shigeru Miyamoto while he was developing Donkey Kong (which, incidentally, was supposed to be a game based on Popeye), Mario was first ... version and "Jumpman" in the English instructions.

In 1981, Mario made his debut in Donkey Kong, as a man trying to save his girlfriend from his pet gorilla. His name was initially Jumpman, and his job was to climb up ladders and avoid barrels ...