Topps' Donkey Kong Stickers, Scratch-Offs, and Gum

Topps' Donkey Kong Stickers, Scratch-Offs, and Gum

These stickers and scratch-off cards were printed in 1982, which is probably older than many of you! At that time, Donkey Kong was a sensation in the arcades, and players pumped in quarters to continue the adventures of the brave carpenter (nicknamed "Jumpman"), who would later become Mario. Donkey Kong may have been the title star, but he was the villain, holding a girl named Pauline at the top of a construction site. It was your job to save her from the giant monkey. The game consisted of several single-screen levels filled with traps like barrels (thrown by DK), oil flames, and other pixellated hazards. Although I've played the NES version (with only 3 levels due to cartridge space restrictions) I've never played Donkey Kong in the arcades. The game seems primitive by today's standards, but back then people thought it was hot stuff.

Surprisingly, the game gained a huge fan following, complete with a line of DK-related collectibles. This collectible card series from Topps consists of four different scratch-off games and 32 stickers. The scratch-off cards are based around the four arcade levels of Donkey Kong. The sticker backs can be arranged into two complete pictures of Mario, DK, and Pauline. Each card pack included 3 scratch-offs, 3 stickers, and one stick of gum. I found a few of these unopened packs with the gum still inside, which had left a spotty brown residue on some of the scratch-offs.

The complete set contains 36 cards. All the stickers originally had a black border, but some of these had fallen off over the years. The stickers have lost much of their stickiness over the last 25 years!

Scratch-off Cards (4) - Click to open larger image in a new window