Donkey Kong has been around for quite some time and has been involved in a number of notable escapades.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie focuses on the titular Italian plumbers, but it also includes Donkey Kong, the guy that started it all. Without the problems produced by Cranky Kong in the 1981 arcade game, Mario would not be where he is today.
Since then, Donkey Kong has appeared in games from four distinct decades, and the Donkey Kong franchise has surely left its imprint on successive generations. However, the newest generation of enthusiasts may be unaware of the sheer number of Donkey Kong games available and their impact on the gaming industry. A few titles have withstood the test of time and continue to represent the best of what the franchise has to offer.
Donkey Kong (Arcade)
Donkey Kong made his arcade debut in 1981, and the rest is history. Not only for the Donkey Kong series, but also for the Super Mario series, as it was the first game to feature the Italian plumber.Despite taking only a few minutes to complete, the arcade version of Donkey Kong is a timeless classic with endless replayability because to its straightforward premise of rescuing Pauline from Donkey Kong’s clutches on a building site.
The first Donkey Kong not only introduced players to the character, but it also established franchise backstory, since it was later revealed that his rendition of Donkey Kong was, in fact, Cranky Kong.
Donkey Kong (Game Boy)
Donkey Kong was updated for the Game Boy more than a decade after its original release. The game expands on its predecessor by including the original four levels of the arcade game as well as an extra 97 stages spread across nine planets.
Extending on what made the first game so successful, Mario returns as the protagonist and is tasked with rescuing Pauline from Donkey Kong’s clutches. This time, the titular ape is accompanied by his son, Donkey Kong Jr., who assists his father in thwarting Mario’s laborious mission.
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
Donkey Konga debuted the iconic DK bongos, which made a triumphant return in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat.Except this time, the players were not engaged in a rhythm game. Instead, they used the bongos to control Donkey Kong.
It may sound like a gimmick (and in some ways it is), but those “bongo-pounding controls” make for exhilarating gameplay, especially given that Donkey Kong’s aim in this game is to conquer the jungle and defeat anyone who stands in his way.
Donkey Kong Country
While Donkey Kong Math Jr. was the first Donkey Kong game for a home platform, Donkey Kong Country, a 16-bit classic, revived the franchise on the SNES. It certainly revitalised the character, as this was the first time players could play as an adult Donkey Kong Jr., alongside his nephew Diddy Kong, as they reclaimed their stolen banana wealth from King K. Rool.
This Donkey Kong was previously referred to be Cranky Kong’s grandchild, but Leigh Loveday, the writer of Donkey Kong Country 2, later verified that this incarnation was Donkey Kong Jr. all grown up.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
Diddy Kong stars as the main character in the second installment of Nintendo’s underappreciated franchise. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest follows Diddy and Dixie Kong as they attempt to save Donkey Kong from King K. Rool. Despite being released a year after the initial Donkey Kong Country game, the sequel improves the gameplay by making Diddy move faster and adding Dixie the ability to jump high and glide with the help of her hair.
Diddy’s Kong Quest keeps the spirit of Donkey Kong Country while making necessary enhancements such as improved visuals and sound design.
Donkey Kong 64
The N64 brought popular Nintendo characters, such as Link in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Mario in Super Mario 64, to life in 3D.The same is true for Donkey Kong 64, which allows players to control Donkey Kong in 3D.
The plot of the game is clear, with Donkey Kong on a quest to save his friends and relatives from King K. Rool. As the player overcomes riddles and minigames to advance in the plot, each stored character becomes playable. With seven worlds to explore and 200 objectives to complete, each character brings a unique skill set to the table.Donkey Kong 64 is also known for including the infamous DK Rap, which has subsequently gained popularity because to its debut in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Donkey Kong Country Returns
Donkey Kong Returns made a triumphant return in 2010, this time for the Nintendo Wii, thanks to Retro Studios. It was one of the best-selling games on the Nintendo Wii, and it brought back the elements that made the original Donkey Kong Country so good: great level designs, inventive gameplay, and fan-favorite characters.
Tikis, who replaced King K. Rool’s Kremlings from the original Donkey Kong Country, were introduced as new adversaries in the plot. Drift Boss game also included a two-player mode in which a second player controlled Diddy Kong throughout the adventure.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze surprised fans even more after the success of Donkey Kong Country Returns. Tropical Freeze, first for the Wii U and then the Nintendo Switch, expanded on the success of the 2010 title by returning even more fan favourites like Dixie Kong and Cranky Kong. Funky Kong made a comeback in the Switch version.
Despite having fewer levels than Donkey Kong Returns, Tropical Freeze revitalised the genre by providing fans with a modernised version of the classic Donkey Kong Country games on the SNES.