Game Start (Donkey Kong)
This article is a stub. Please consider expanding it to include any missing information. Specifics: Info on Donkey Kong rereleases, the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, and the Super Smash Bros. series
| "Game Start" | |
|---|---|
| "Game Start" in the arcade version of Donkey Kong | |
 Image from Nintendo Music | |
| Composed by: Shigeru Miyamoto[1] | |
| Key | G minor |
| First appearance | Donkey Kong (1981) |
| Latest appearance | Mario Kart World (2025) |
"Game Start"[2] is a musical theme composed by Shigeru Miyamoto for the arcade version of Donkey Kong, originally playing in the game's opening where Donkey Kong climbs to the top of 25 m with Lady. It has since become a recurring music theme in the Donkey Kong and Super Mario franchises, commonly associated with Donkey Kong himself. The theme shares a similar melody with the instrumental Dragnet theme.
History[edit]
Donkey Kong franchise[edit]
Donkey Kong[edit]
The original Donkey Kong is the theme's first appearance. Due to differing hardware, ports of the game have slightly different versions of the theme (e.g., the NES version has the theme transposed to a higher key than the original).
 Game Start - The theme's original appearance in the arcade version of Donkey Kong | File info |
| Game Start - The theme's appearance in the Famicom/NES version of Donkey Kong | File info |
Donkey Kong (Game Boy)[edit]
The Game Boy version of Donkey Kong features two arrangements of "Game Start", both by Taisuke Araki. The first arrangement (slightly sped-up compared to the original) can be heard when the player enters a boss level, and the second arrangement (with the same speed as the first) plays during the final boss.
| Battle Begin! - The theme that plays when enters a boss level in Donkey Kong for the Game Boy. | File info |
| Final Boss - Donkey Kong's final battle theme in Donkey Kong for the Game Boy. | File info |
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat[edit]
In Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, an arrangement of "Game Start" is incorporated into the battle against Ghastly King.
| Vs Cactus King - A portion of Donkey Kong Jungle Beat's final boss theme that reprises Donkey Kong's "Game Start" jingle. | File info |
Donkey Kong 3: Dai Gyakushū[edit]
An arrangement of "Game Start" is heard when the space bar is pressed on the title screen.
Mario Tennis series[edit]
Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)[edit]
In the Nintendo 64 version of Mario Tennis, "Game Start" is incorporated into the Donkey Kong Court theme, as well as in Donkey Kong's trophy celebration theme.
| Donkey Kong Court - The arrangement heard in the Nintendo 64 version of Mario Tennis | File info |
Mario Tennis (Game Boy Color)[edit]
The Game Boy Color version of Mario Tennis features a chiptune version of the Donkey Kong Court theme, which retains the "Game Start" melody.
| Jungle Court / Banana Bunch - The arrangement heard in the Game Boy Color version of Mario Tennis | File info |
Mario Power Tennis[edit]
In Mario Power Tennis and its Wii port New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis, an arrangement of Donkey Kong's trophy celebration theme, which still incorporates the "Game Start" theme, can be heard.
Paper Mario[edit]
In Paper Mario, an arrangement of "Game Start" in C minor plays before the battle against the Koopa Bros. On the Paper Mario Game Music Soundtrack CD, it is included in the beginning of "Koopa Bros. Keep Cool".
| "Koopa Bros. Keep Cool" - The arrangement heard at the beginning of the Koopa Bros.' theme. | File info |
Mario vs. Donkey Kong[edit]
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, an arrangement of "Game Start" is incorporated into the battle intro against Donkey Kong.
| Donkey Kong Boss Intro - The theme plays on Donkey Kong's boss stage in Mario vs. Donkey Kong. | File info |
Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix[edit]
- Main article: Moustache, Barrel, and Gorilla
"Moustache, Barrel, and Gorilla" in Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix is directed by U1-ASAMi and samples "Game Start" in the beginning of the song.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]
In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, after Cat Mario beats Donkey Kong, a piano arrangement (absent from any OST collection) of the theme plays when DK dizzily swings punches and almost falls from the platform.
Mario Kart World[edit]
In Mario Kart World, the music track that plays in the first section of DK Spaceport incorporates the melody from "Game Start" played by brass and saxophones in the key of B flat.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ゲーム開始[3] Gēmu Kaishi |
Game Start |
Notes[edit]
- Although a similar sequence of notes plays in Minecart Mayhem! and Creepy Castle from Donkey Kong 64, the composer Grant Kirkhope admitted that it was a coincidence.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ "Well, there are two versions of Donkey Kong, and the version on the Nintendo Entertainment System I did only a very little bit of the music. But in the arcade version, I did the opening music and then the end of it as well." – Miyamoto, Shigeru (June 19, 2015). Q&A: Shigeru Miyamoto On The Origins Of Nintendo's Famous Characters. NPR (English). Retrieved June 5, 2025. (Archived June 3, 2025, 17:20:40 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ Nintendo Music
- ^ VGMdb
- ^ Grant Kirkhope in Twitter (September 23, 2024)
| Donkey Kong | |
|---|---|
| Characters | Donkey Kong • Mario • Pauline |
| Levels | 25m • 50m • 75m • 100m |
| Items and objects | Bolt • Conveyor Belt • Girder • Hammer • Ladder • Lift • Parasol, Hat & Bag |
| Enemies and obstacles | Barrel • Cement tub • Fire • Fireball • Jack • Oil drum |
| Music | "Game Start" • "Hammer BGM" • "Round 1 BGM" • "Title BGM" |
| Other | Crazy Kong • Crazy Kong Part II • Donkey Kong Original Edition • Donkey Kong Video Arcade Keychain • Gallery • Game Sound Museum: Donkey Kong • Donkey Kong Goes Home • Miyamoto on Zelda • Multimedia • NES Classics • Nintendo Music (soundtrack) • Staff |
| Toy adaptations | 2 Mario Bros. PINBALL GAMES & 2 Donkey Kong PINBALL GAMES • 2 Mario Bros. WATER GAMES & 2 Donkey Kong WATER GAMES • Donkey Kong (A-Maze-Ing Arcade game) • Donkey Kong (board game) • Donkey Kong (electronic water game) • Donkey Kong (jigsaw puzzle) • Donkey Kong Candy Maze • Donkey Kong Counting Target Set • Jenga: Donkey Kong Collector's Edition |
