What year was Donkey Kong introduced to the world?

Every now and then I sit back, stare into the sky, and reflect on the fact that a giant ape wearing a tie somehow became a video game icon.

Donkey Kong (who started as a villain, btw), has worked his way into the hearts of millions of gamers over decades of top-notch games, becoming a part of pop culture in the process.

It's hard to remember a time when Donkey wasn't a part of our lives (feels weird to call him by his first name, doesn't it?), but it did indeed exist. When was this icon introduced to the world?