How a Lawsuit Almost Destroyed Nintendo (and Mario!)

Описание: In 1981, Nintendo became an overnight sensation in America with Donkey Kong.
But just as the game was sweeping the nation, a single lawsuit nearly brought the company to its knees.

Universal Pictures suddenly accused Nintendo of copying their movie King Kong — dragging the young Japanese company into a high-stakes courtroom battle that could have ended Mario before he ever began.

What happened next changed video game history forever.

This is the untold story of how Nintendo fought back — how a small, up-and-coming game company stood up to a Hollywood giant, won a landmark legal victory, and walked away not only with $1.8 million in damages, but with the confidence to shape the future of gaming.

After the lawsuit, Nintendo doubled down on innovation. Engineer Gunpei Yokoi went on to invent the handheld Game & Watch — a portable gaming device that sold over 43 million units worldwide and introduced the legendary D-pad design that defined an entire generation of consoles.

From Donkey Kong to Game & Watch, and eventually Mario Bros., this is the incredible journey of how Nintendo turned crisis into creativity — and built the foundation of the gaming world we know today.

💬 What do you think would’ve happened if Nintendo had lost that case?
Would Mario even exist today?
Share your thoughts in the comments below! 👇

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