Is Donkey Kong Anti-American Propaganda?

[StayTuned]

I just finished watching this




And usually I manage to find the flaws in Game Theory's videos myself, but honestly I fail to find a loophole that makes this theory impossible, or at least highly unlikely.

Please don't see this as a conspiracy theory or anything, I'm just ignorant about some of the historical facts in this case and I was hoping that someone else here might shed a bit more light on it.

Could this be true?

[Kaleredar]

You can make anything about anything if you try hard enough.


I could probably extol the "existentialist humanist narrative of Toy Story" and do a fairly compelling job at it if I were so inclined. That doesn't mean that that has one iota of anything to do with what the writers had in mind.

Sometimes a giant ape is just a giant ape.

[StayTuned]

You can make anything about anything if you try hard enough.


I could probably extol the "existentialist humanist narrative of Toy Story" and do a fairly compelling job at it if I were so inclined. That doesn't mean that that has one iota of anything to do with what the writers had in mind.

Sometimes a giant ape is just a giant ape.

No really I know about the theory of why we see connections everywhere and how this leads to the most crazy theories. I am talking more about the literal facts in this case.

It's not too ridiculous to assume that Nintendo used the situation to subliminally convey a message which might be favorable to their home country.

[Katoamaton]

Is it propaganda? No. Does it have some themes centered around historic events? Maybe.

[GennGreymane]

Well he is the antagonist of our favoirte European hero... Ill a let a ya figure out who that is... YAAAAHHOO!

[Deleted]

Well he is the antagonist of our favoirte European hero... Ill a let a ya figure out who that is... YAAAAHHOO!

It's a me, Mario.

[Gheld]

but honestly I fail to find a loophole that makes this theory impossible, or at least highly unlikely.

I can see a million things wrong with it centering around one fact:

If you wanted to make Anti-American propaganda there's nothing stopping you from just making a poster that calls out American Imperialism. Toning down your propaganda and wrapping an entertaining video game around it will only serve to ensure that nobody will actually get the message. You would have to be the most fail propagandist in the entire universe to think that it would be a good idea.

Rare ware is a British company, and due to massive military cooperation between the US and Britain since world war 2, there is a lot of similar apparel and equipment (a green ammo pouch for one).

Also the triple chevron on the helmet is gold and pointed downward, which signifies the commissioned rank of Sargent.


The NCO chevron's point upwards. It took 5 seconds to fact check that. (So if he can't fact check something that simple, the rest of it loses all of it's credibility real fast)

Red capes are also universally synonymous with royalty. And of course you're fighting him in a boat, because it's not his Island, how else did he get there?.

Minecarts are also synonymous with mines. And it's pretty obvious that every minecart scene that involves broken tracks are merely paying homage to the Minecart scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. It would be flipping the bird to western culture to not have that reference in there.

Also what kind of Amerocentric BS is it to suggest that the USA is synonymous with industrialization? In the 19th century it was Europe that was synonymous with Industrialization, and the "New World" was more often portrayed as just that; virgin land galore.

[StayTuned]

Minecarts are also synonymous with mines. And it's pretty obvious that every minecart scene that involves broken tracks are merely paying homage to the Minecart scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. It would be flipping the bird to western culture to not have that reference in there.

I never thought of the mine cart levels as a homage to Indiana Jones, but it makes perfect sense. How did I skip that... I love both Indy and Donkey Kong Country

And I was unaware that Rare Ware was a British studio. I was already wondering because the US usually doesn't have these kinds of helmets. When I was a kid I thought this is the Japanese army style.

[haxartus]

I didn't know that there is such a thing as the "Banana Wars". This is more disturbing than the theory in the video.

[Tyrgannus]

Possible, but not half as convincing as the "Final Fantasy hates the church" one which just seemed...obvious.

[Arrashi]

The only thing donkey kong is about are expandable dongs. Because dong expansion never ends.

[Deleted]

The original game was about a big fucking ape throwing barrels at mario, you need to do a shit load of mental gymnastics to come up with anti-american propaganda.

[Belize]

The only thing donkey kong is about are expandable dongs. Because dong expansion never ends.

To be fair, Tropical Freeze was pretty damn good... I do love me some Retro Studios.

[Kaleredar]

It's not too ridiculous to assume that Nintendo used the situation to subliminally convey a message which might be favorable to their home country.

No, that's pretty ridiculous.


You can't really subliminally convey a message about something if the people you're trying to convey it to have no clue what any of it means.

[MrLordDariusCrowley]

Mario is also a communist and a psychopath.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKW7cZ9WCFk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WMSQNVhMqA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcxW_ciP5R4

But hey! That's just a theory: A Game Theory! Thanks for watching.

[Mahourai]

The rare critical reading of a game that is coherent and holds up through scrutiny, although interpreting the bad guy in a piece of fiction as America isn't exactly the most original idea.

[Deleted]

Actually, that was pretty funny Dude certainly has a point.

I always liked this, though, for a great game theory.....

[Jester Joe]

The only thing donkey kong is about are expandable dongs. Because dong expansion never ends.

My favorite meme of late.

[Sky High]

Possible, but not half as convincing as the "Final Fantasy hates the church" one which just seemed...obvious.

kill this god, kill that god! kill your god, become a god!

[Rassium]

Donkey Kong, as you all know, was named after the landlord.