No. 17 - Jumpman (a.k.a. Mario)

My kids love to play Super Mario Bros. Remember the video game where Mario and his brother, Luigi, collect coins while avoiding enemies and obstacles in order to save the princess? The game was originally released in 1985 as a sequel to the 1983 game, Mario Bros. The main protagonist of the series, Mario, actually debuted in the 1981 game, Donkey Kong.

In Donkey Kong, a character named Jumpman must rescue a damsel in distress who was taken by a giant ape. The name Jumpman was supposedly chosen for its similarities to the names Pac-Man and Walkman, which were popular during that time. Jumpman who was a carpenter in Donkey Kong became a plumber and had his name changed to Mario when he debuted in Mario Bros.