Sales exec who helped launch the NES says Donkey Kong Jr. Math is "the worst game we released" and Nintendo "thought it'd be great for kids' education, but we couldn't give it away"

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"I think that was one game that slipped through"

The Mario Kart Wii version of Funky Kong in front of a blurred background
(Image credit: Nintendo)

Former Nintendo of America vice president of sales, Bruce Lowry, who helped launch the NES, has lifted the lid about the much-maligned Donkey Kong Jr. Math.

When the Nintendo Entertainment System launched in 1985, the first year of it had some major games that have stood the test of time, like Super Mario Bros, Duck Hunt, and several games that I wouldn't say held up but are certainly remembered, like Wrecking Crew, Ice Climber, and ROB the Robot's duo of Gyromite and Stack-Up. But one stands above all as the most revolutionary of all time: Donkey Kong Jr. Math, which takes the classic Donkey Kong Jr arcade game and makes it bad.

Scott McCrae
Scott McCrae
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Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

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