Former Donkey Kong record-holder Billy Mitchell has lost a court battle with Cartoon Network over an animated parody of him.

Cartoon Network programme The Regular Show features a character called GBF that resembles Mitchell's bearded face and cheats to win video games.

Mitchell filed a lawsuit against Cartoon Network, seeking damages for what he saw to be a negative portrayal.

But New Jersey Federal District Judge Anne Thompson ruled that "the television character does not match the plaintiff in appearance."

"GBF appears as a non-human creature, a giant floating head with no body from outer space, while Plaintiff is a human being."

"And when GBF loses his title, the character literally explodes, unlike Plaintiff."

Cartoon Network is protected under First Amendment laws and the right to parody.

Mitchell was the first player ever to achieve a perfect Pac-Man game, and held the world record for Donkey Kong for years.

He found infamy in the documentary The King Of Kong, which depicted him as something of a sore loser when his record was taken out by newcomer Steve Wiebe.