Donkey the Hutt Menaces Mario Skywalker

The geekiness is strong with this shirt design by Carlos Escárrega.  The shirt combines 8-bit nostalgia with the beloved Star Wars franchise for double the nerd fun.


Based on the groundbreaking and classic 1981 arcade game platformer, Donkey Kong, Carlos has replaced the beloved Mario (or “Jumpman” as he was known at the time) with the simultaneous two-player action of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.  Donkey Kong himself has been replaced by the slug-like alien gangster, Jabba the Hutt.  Naturally, Princess Leia (in slave bikini garb, of course) takes the place of the original damsel in distress, Pauline.

return of the bit

The act of ascending the construction site remains the same, but instead of jumping over Donkey Kong’s never-ending rolling barrels, the Jedi apprentice and smuggler must hop over what could possibly Jabba’s green bowel movements.  But don’t worry, looks like they have help.  While Jumpman made use of strategically placed hammers to smash Donkey Kong’s thrown barrels, Luke and Han here can grab green lightsabers.

Here’s a fun fact, using a licensed character as the protagonist in Donkey Kong is not so out-of-the-question.  For some time, the original game was going to use Popeye as Jumpman and Bluto as Donkey Kong.  However, Nintendo failed to acquire the license to the Popeye comic strip.

Instead they created the Donkey Kong character who himself was subject to a lawsuit from Warner Bros said the ape took too many similarities to King Kong.  Now, Donkey Kong’s grimacing face has been transposed onto the face of one of the galaxy’s most ruthless and merciless gangsters, the worm-like Jabba the Hutt.

han and luke 8-bit
While this concept only exists as a shirt design from Carlos, it would make a pretty fantastic game.  So I encourage any independent game designers to run with this Star Wars/ Donkey Kong mashup.

If you like the 8-bit Star Wars style, then check out this 8-bit Imperial March theme here.  And here is a cool minimalist Empire Strikes Back poster in the style of an old skool shoot-em-up.