https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2FK...HVQpd0HJo-QvcA
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Now you’re talking! Love me some Donkey Kong!
Great video! A lot of people don't know that the Popeye licensing story isn't true. Nintendo still had the Popeye license when DK was made. They were making other licensed Popeye products at the time. Also, Yokoi explained in court depositions in the Universal case that the reason they didn't make a Popeye game was a technical one, not a licensing one. It's the reason why they chose Jr. as the character. Miyamoto wanted to use DK himself, but he was too big, so they basically used a small version of the character, and adapted the story. Luigi actually makes his first appearance in Mario's Cement Factory on Game & Watch, but the idea for a second character did originate with DKJr.
An interesting note about the first two DK games is that they mixed up the stage orders for the NA releases, completely ruining the narrative Miyamoto had created. The chains stage in DKJr. is actually the final one, and there's a cool cut scene after the first two stages that has Mario whisking DK away to his hideout in a helicopter, with Jr. chasing them on an umbrella.
That makes sense. It seemed odd that he rescued daddy on the 3rd level.
One of the bootleg Donkey Kong Jr boards (I think on Moon Cresta hardware) has a weird palette that makes Mario look just like Luigi, a year before Mario Bros was released.