Nintendo won a 1983 lawsuit filed by Universal Studios over the Donkey Kong character.

The legal dispute centered on allegations that Donkey Kong infringed on Universal’s King Kong trademark, a claim Nintendo denied, asserting that the game’s design and character were original and not based on King Kong.

Nintendo presented original design documents, early concept lists, and testimony from Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi, who explained the development process and the naming considerations. Court records, published by a gaming historian, include Miyamoto’s deposition in which he said he could not recall when the name was chosen and deferred to Yokoi for expertise. The archive also contains exchanges between Nintendo’s legal team and a lawyer identified as “Mr. Kirby,” as well as references to the character’s naming inspiration.

The case concluded with a ruling in Nintendo’s favor and is now preserved in a comprehensive archive that offers insight into how video game companies address intellectual property concerns.