Donkey Kong (character)

Template:Nihongo foot (DK) is a character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. A flagship character of the Japanese video game company Nintendo, he is the star of the Donkey Kong franchise and also features in the Mario franchise. Donkey Kong is a large, powerful gorilla who leads the Kong family of simians. He is stubborn and buffoonish, and attacks using barrels. He wears a red necktie bearing his initials and is accompanied by supporting characters such as his sidekick Diddy Kong, rival Mario, and archenemy King K. Rool.

Donkey Kong debuted as the antagonist of Donkey Kong, a 1981 platform game. He has appeared in many video games, including the original Donkey Kong arcade games, the Donkey Kong Country series of side-scrolling platform games, Mario games such as Mario Kart and Mario Party, and the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games. The original game characterized Donkey Kong as Mario's rebellious pet, while games since Country feature him as a player character protecting his stash of bananas. Some games include Template:Nihongo foot an alternate, elderly incarnation who breaks the fourth wall. Donkey Kong has appeared in animation, comics, children's books, Super Nintendo World theme park attractions, and merchandise such as Lego construction toys.

Miyamoto created Donkey Kong to replace the Popeye character Bluto after Nintendo was unable to obtain the license. He designed him as a dumb, humorous antagonist, named donkey to convey stubborn and kong to imply gorilla, and drew inspiration from the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" and the 1933 film King Kong. The Rare developer Kevin Bayliss redesigned Donkey Kong as a 3D model for Donkey Kong Country (1994), which served as the basis for his appearance until he was redesigned for Donkey Kong Bananza (2025). Donkey Kong has been voiced by Takashi Nagasako and Koji Takeda in games, and was voiced by Richard Yearwood in the television series Donkey Kong Country (1997–2000) and by Seth Rogen in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023).

Donkey Kong has been listed among the greatest video game characters. He is one of Nintendo's most enduring characters; the Donkey Kong franchise was Nintendo's first major international success, established it as a prominent force in the video game industry, and remains one of Nintendo's bestselling franchises. Donkey Kong has also been the subject of analysis regarding his similarities to King Kong (which sparked the 1983 Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd. lawsuit), his gender role, and his transition from villain to hero.

Character

Donkey Kong, also known by his initials DK, is the star of Donkey Kong, a video game series and media franchise owned by the Japanese video game company Nintendo.<ref name="GRadarHistory" /> One of Nintendo's flagship characters,<ref name="Wired25">Template:Cite magazine</ref> he also appears in the Mario franchise as a playable character in Mario Kart and Mario Party games. He is playable in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games and makes cameos in other Nintendo franchises,<ref name="NWR: FavPt2" /><ref name="USG: Bluff">Template:Cite web</ref> such as Punch-Out!!.<ref name="Kotaku: PunchOut">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="NOM" />

Donkey Kong first appeared as the antagonist of Donkey Kong, a 1981 arcade game; he is Mario's rebellious pet gorilla who kidnaps his girlfriend Pauline and climbs a construction site.<ref name="NewYorkerMiyamoto">Template:Cite magazine</ref> He appears as Mario's captive in the sequel Donkey Kong Jr. (1982), in which he must be rescued by his son Donkey Kong Jr.,<ref name="IGN: Faces" /> and returns as the antagonist in Donkey Kong 3 (1983) and Donkey Kong (1994).<ref name="GRadar: DKDesign" /> Beginning with Donkey Kong Country (1994), Donkey Kong games were developed by the British studio Rare until its acquisition by the Nintendo competitor Microsoft in 2002.<ref name="GRadarHistory" /><ref name="NWR: MvDK">Template:Cite web</ref> He was recast as a protagonist starting with Country,<ref name="GRadarHistory" /> though he occasionally appears as an antagonist, such as in Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Donkey Kong is a large and powerful gorilla who leads the Kongs, a family of various simians. He resides in a city in early Donkey Kong games, but the Rare games moved his residence to Donkey Kong Island,<ref name="KotakuTimeline">Template:Cite web</ref> an idyllic isle.<ref name="Gspot: DK64">Template:Cite web</ref> Donkey Kong weighs Template:Convert,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and since 1994, has been depicted wearing a red necktie bearing his initials.<ref name="GRadar: DKDesign" /> Although Donkey Kong was introduced as an antagonist, he is not evil. Nintendo World ReportTemplate:'s Pedro Hernandez wrote that, unlike the Mario villains Bowser and Wario, Donkey Kong's villainous acts are the result of jealous temper tantrums rather than malice.<ref name="NWR: FavPt2">Template:Cite web</ref> He is stubborn, buffoonish,<ref name="NWR: Fav">Template:Cite web</ref> and innocent. He strives to help others and be accepted.<ref name="NWR: FavPt2" /> Donkey Kong is depicted as lazy and sleeping when he is not adventuring.Template:Sfn He protects his stash of bananas from enemies such as the Kremlings, a crocodile army led by his archenemy King K. Rool,<ref name="HG101: DKC">Template:Cite web</ref> and the Tiki Tak Tribe, a group of floating masks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Donkey Kong is frequently accompanied by his nephew and sidekick Diddy Kong, and his girlfriend, Candy Kong.<ref name="IGN: Faces">Template:Cite web</ref>

In his playable appearances, Donkey Kong is a heavyweight.<ref name="IGN: Smash">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="IGN: DKC3">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He throws barrels to impede the player's progress in the original game.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This trait is retained in his playable appearances, whereby he uses barrels as weapons or to uncover power-ups.Template:Sfn Donkey Kong's other abilities include slapping the ground,Template:Sfn rolling,<ref name="IGN: DKC3" /> clinging onto and climbing surfaces,Template:Sfn and swinging on vines.<ref name="Kotaku: DKCSecret">Template:Cite web</ref> He rides vehicles such as minecarts and barrel-shaped rockets,<ref name="Kotaku: DKCSecret" /><ref name="VB: TFSwitch">Template:Cite web</ref> and animals such as Rambi the Rhino and Enguarde the Swordfish.<ref name="HG101: DKC" /> In Super Smash Bros., Donkey Kong has slow but powerful attacks such as a chargeable punch and a headbutt, with IGNTemplate:'s staff likening him to Street FighterTemplate:'s Zangief.<ref name="IGN: Smash" />

In other media

A Donkey Kong cartoon produced by Ruby-Spears aired as part of CBS's hour-long Saturday Supercade programming block in 1983.<ref name="1Up: 10">Template:Cite web</ref> It follows Mario and Pauline as they attempt to capture Donkey Kong after he escapes from a circus.<ref name="GI: SS">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Donkey Kong also featured in Captain N: The Game Master, a DIC Entertainment series that ran on NBC for 34 episodes between 1989 and 1991. He interacts with other Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) characters such as CastlevaniaTemplate:'s Simon Belmont.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The animated Donkey Kong Country (1997–2000),<ref name="nintendo life reunite">Template:Cite web</ref> a sitcom, follows Donkey Kong as he attempts to protect a magical artifact, the Crystal Coconut, from King K. Rool.<ref name="HG101: TVShow">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="GSpot: TVShow">Template:Cite web</ref>

Donkey Kong is a major character in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023),<ref name="Euro: Movie">Template:Cite web</ref> an animated film produced by Nintendo, Illumination, and Universal Pictures.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mario and Princess Peach seek the Kongs' help to stop Bowser from invading the Mushroom Kingdom. The Kongs agree to help after Mario defeats Donkey Kong in an arena fight. Mario and Donkey Kong begin as foes, but learn they both want the respect of their fathers, and Donkey Kong participates in the final battle against Bowser.<ref name="SMBMovie">Template:Cite AV media</ref>

Appearances in printed media include Blip, a short-lived American comic book published by Marvel Comics in 1983,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> a Donkey Kong Country comic published by the British comics publisher Fleetway Editions in 1995,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and children's book adaptations of the Country games by Michael Teitelbaum.<ref name="HG101: Land">Template:Cite web</ref> Donkey Kong appears on Nintendo merchandise, including clothing,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> toys such as plushes and Amiibo figures,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and trading cards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Lego Group introduced a Donkey Kong Lego figure in a series of Country Lego Super Mario sets in 2023.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Donkey Kong also features as a mascot in a Country-themed area at Universal Studios' Super Nintendo World, which opened in 2024.<ref name="IGN: SNW">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="VB: DKCWorld">Template:Cite web</ref>

Cranky Kong

A thin, elderly gorilla scowling and standing with a cane. He has a long white beard, small glasses, and a taupe sweater-vest.

The incarnation of Donkey Kong from the arcade games has appeared as a separate character, Cranky Kong, since Donkey Kong Country (1994).<ref name="GR+: 20yrs" /> Artwork from Donkey Konga (2003).

Donkey Kong Country establishes that "Donkey Kong" is a hereditary title and that the Donkey Kong introduced in the Rare games is separate from the arcade games.<ref name="KotakuTimeline" /> The original Donkey Kong appears as Cranky Kong, a grumpy, elderly gorilla with a beard and cane.<ref name="NWR: FavPt2" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Cranky was initially depicted as extremely thin, which later games toned down while also giving him a thicker beard and fur.<ref name="GR+: 20yrs">Template:Cite web</ref>

Cranky provides fourth wall-breaking humor that unfavorably compares the games to older ones such as the original Donkey Kong.<ref name="GRadar: Trivia">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> For instance, Donkey Kong CountryTemplate:'s instruction manual features commentary from Cranky denigrating the game,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Donkey Kong LandTemplate:'s (1995) metafictional story transpires due to Cranky's claim that Country was only successful because of pre-rendered graphics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His wife, Wrinkly Kong, was introduced in Donkey Kong Country 2 (1995) and is killed off as a joke in Donkey Kong 64 (1999), appearing in subsequent games as a ghost.<ref name="NWR: FavPt2" />

In most games, Cranky appears as a non-player character who provides hints or sells items.<ref name="NWR: FavPt2" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He is playable in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014), in which he can use his cane to bounce on enemies and obstacles.<ref name="GRadar: Cranky">Template:Cite web</ref> Cranky also appears in spin-offs such as the Donkey Konga games and Donkey Kong Barrel Blast (2007),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a Rabbid incarnation appears in a Donkey Kong expansion pack for Ubisoft's Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (2017).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He is a supporting character in The Super Mario Bros. Movie,<ref name="SyFy: SMBMovie">Template:Cite web</ref> and an animatronic at Super Nintendo World.<ref name="IGN: SNW" /> On February 20, 2014, to promote Tropical Freeze, Nintendo pretended to have Cranky take over its Twitter account, tweeting wisecracks and image macros.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Rare Donkey Kong games referred to Cranky as both Donkey Kong's father and grandfather.<ref name="GRadarHistory" /> While Nintendo often referred to Cranky as Donkey Kong's grandfather after Rare's acquisition by Microsoft,<ref name="GRadarHistory" /> The Super Mario Bros. Movie identifies him as Donkey Kong's father.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Journalists have noted that the inconsistency makes it unclear if the modern Donkey Kong is intended to be an adult Donkey Kong Jr., who does not appear in the Country games.<ref name="GRadarHistory" /><ref name="KotakuTimeline" />

Development

Conception

Donkey Kong's creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, in 2013

In 1980, the commercial failure of Nintendo's arcade game Radar Scope put the newly established subsidiary Nintendo of America in a financial crisis. Its founder, Minoru Arakawa, asked his father in-law, the Nintendo CEO Hiroshi Yamauchi, to provide a game that could repurpose the unsold Radar Scope cabinets.Template:Sfn Most of Nintendo's top developers were preoccupied, so the task went to Shigeru Miyamoto, a first-time game designer.Template:Sfn<ref name="IGN: MarioHistory">Template:Cite web</ref> Miyamoto found most arcade games of the time dull and wanted to make one that told a story, drawing from his favorite media such as the Shakespeare play Macbeth, the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast", and the 1933 film King Kong.Template:Sfn

Miyamoto devised a love triangle with the characters Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Bluto from the Popeye franchise, but a licensing deal between Nintendo and King Features fell through.<ref name="IGN: MarioHistory" />Template:Sfn Miyamoto created original characters to replace the Popeye ones; Mario and Pauline replaced Popeye and Olive Oyl, and Donkey Kong replaced Bluto.<ref name="IGN: MarioHistory" /> Like Bluto, Donkey Kong was a hairy, brutish character.<ref name="NWR: KingKong">Template:Cite web</ref> Miyamoto chose a gorilla—an animal he found "nothing too evil or repulsive"Template:Sfn—because he felt it made the scenario more interesting and humorous, and because gorillas are built similarly to humans.<ref name="Shmuplations">Template:Cite web</ref> "Beauty and the Beast" and King Kong influenced the choice.Template:Sfn Concept art that Miyamoto sent to Donkey KongTemplate:'s programmers at Ikegami Tsushinki indicates that he replaced Bluto with Donkey Kong before removing the other Popeye characters.<ref name="Shmuplations" />

Nintendo considered around 20 names for the character before settling on Donkey Kong.<ref name="Euro: KongDong">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Sfn It is a common misconception that "Donkey Kong" is a mistranslation of "Monkey Kong".<ref name="GRadarHistory">Template:Cite web</ref> Donkey was meant to convey stubborn,Template:Sfn while kong is a generic term for gorilla in Japan.<ref name="PCGamer: 1980sDocs" /> Miyamoto called him "King Kong" during development, as, in Japan, it was commonly used to refer to any large ape.Template:Sfn One name, "Funky Kong", was later used for a separate character in Donkey Kong Country.<ref name="PCGamer: 1980sDocs" /> Other names considered included "Kong Dong" and "Kong Holiday".<ref name="Euro: KongDong" /><ref name="PCGamer: 1980sDocs">Template:Cite web</ref> Nintendo of America objected to the name "Donkey Kong" because it did not believe that donkey could be used to describe an idiot, but Miyamoto liked how it sounded.<ref name="Wired: DK">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Appearances

Template:Further Donkey Kong has appeared in dozens of games.<ref name="Euro33rd">Template:Cite web</ref> Donkey KongTemplate:'s popularity quickly led to the production of a sequel, Donkey Kong Jr. Miyamoto, interested in showing the narrative from Donkey Kong's perspective,<ref name="GDev: Secret">Template:Cite web</ref> wanted to make him the player character, but the sprite graphic was too big to easily maneuver, so he created Donkey Kong Jr. The developers made Donkey Kong Mario's captive so they could still feature him at the top of the screen.Template:Sfn

After Donkey Kong 3, Donkey Kong's appearances were limited to cameos in unrelated games.<ref name="USG: Bluff" /> Several games featuring Donkey Kong were canceled, including a Sega-developed arcade game,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the NES game Return of Donkey Kong,<ref name="1Up: 10" /> and a Riedel Software Productions-developed CD-i game.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Nintendo staff began discussing a Donkey Kong revival as the original game's tenth anniversary approached in 1991. They were unable to start a new game at the time, so they included Donkey Kong Jr. as a playable character in Super Mario Kart (1992). However, the discussions led to the development of the Game Boy Donkey Kong game, released in 1994.<ref name="Shmuplations: DK94">Template:Cite web</ref>

The Game Boy game marked Donkey Kong's first major appearance in over 10 years,<ref name="VG247DK94">Template:Cite web</ref> before he first appeared as a protagonist in the Super Nintendo Entertainment System game Donkey Kong Country. While he was not playable in the sequels Donkey Kong Country 2 and Donkey Kong Country 3 (1996), GamesRadar+Template:'s Henry Gilbert wrote that the Country series nonetheless re-established Donkey Kong as one of Nintendo's major characters.<ref name="GRadarHistory" /> During the Nintendo 64 era, Nintendo incorporated Rare's Donkey Kong in Mario Kart 64 (1997),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in the party game Mario Party (1998),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and in the crossover game Super Smash Bros. (1999).<ref name="IGN: Smash" /> Donkey Kong was a late addition to Mario Kart 64, replacing Kamek from prerelease versions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Following Microsoft's acquisition of Rare, Donkey Kong mostly appeared as a guest character in other Nintendo franchises, such as Mario Kart, Mario Party, and Super Smash Bros.<ref name="NWR: FavPt2" /><ref name="HG101: DK64">Template:Cite web</ref> He appears as the final boss of the Wii game Punch-Out!! (2009),<ref name="Kotaku: PunchOut" /> while Activision's toys-to-life game Skylanders: SuperChargers (2015) includes him as a playable character in the versions released on Nintendo platforms,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle features him as the protagonist of an expansion pack.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Donkey Kong franchise was mostly limited to spin-offs such as Donkey Konga and Mario vs. Donkey Kong.<ref name="NWR: FavPt2" /> After Rare's Donkey Kong 64, Donkey Kong did not have another major starring role until Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (2004),<ref name="HG101: DK64" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> while Retro Studios briefly revived the Country series with Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010) and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Tropical Freeze, released for the Wii U in 2014, was the last game starring Donkey Kong for over a decade.<ref name="Euro: VV">Template:Cite web</ref> Nintendo began working to reestablish Donkey Kong as a major character in the 2020s, with his prominent role in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Super Nintendo World's Country area. Donkey Kong Bananza (2025) ended the post-Tropical Freeze hiatus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Design

Miyamoto designed Donkey Kong to appear dumb,<ref name="NOM" /> as he saw him as humorous rather than evil. In his mind, Donkey Kong's motivation was not to hurt Pauline, but to retaliate against Mario, who mistreated him.Template:Sfn With the exception of Donkey Kong 3, Donkey Kong's character artwork during the 1980s generally portrayed him as likable, even as a villain. The Game Boy game was the first to depict Donkey Kong wearing a red tie with his initials.<ref name="GRadar: DKDesign" /> For Donkey Kong Country, Rare's Kevin Bayliss redesigned Donkey Kong.<ref name="GRadar: Drafts" /> Bayliss was asked only to make him look more modern;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> he had no problems with the existing design, but was nonetheless excited to reinterpret him.<ref name="GRadar: Drafts" />

From left to right, different takes on a brown gorilla: an unkempt, naked cartoon gorilla, a CGI gorilla with a large brow and determined expression wearing a red tie with yellow "DK" initials, and a CGI gorilla grinning with a less angular brow

From left to right, the evolution of Donkey Kong's design: the original arcade-era design (1981–1994), Rare's Country redesign (1994–2025), and Nintendo's redesign (2025–present)

Alongside the red tie from the Game Boy game, Bayliss gave Donkey Kong what GamesRadar+Template:'s Bob Mackey described as "menacing, sunken eyes and [a] beak-like muzzle".<ref name="GRadar: DKDesign">Template:Cite web</ref> Bayliss wanted a character that looked believable and could perform animations such as pounding his chest.Template:Sfn His initial design was blocky and muscular to make Donkey Kong easy to animate, but became more cartoonish when Nintendo faxed reference material.<ref name="GRadar: Drafts">Template:Cite web</ref> Bayliss recycled the eye design from those of the Battletoads, characters he had previously designed for Rare. In retrospect, Bayliss felt this made it difficult for Donkey Kong to express emotions besides annoyance.<ref name="GRadar: Problem">Template:Cite web</ref>

Miyamoto provided some suggestions,<ref name="NOM">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="RG: MakingOf">Template:Cite web</ref> but otherwise left the specifics to Bayliss.Template:Sfn Donkey Kong Country marked Donkey Kong's first appearance as a 3D model,<ref name="Poly: Switch2">Template:Cite web</ref> and the limitations of technology at the time influenced the redesign. Miyamoto asked that Donkey Kong have eyebrows and tangible fur, but both were infeasible. For the eyebrows, Rare compromised by making the area around Donkey Kong's eyes black. Miyamoto suggested the tie to better convey Donkey Kong's stubbornness. He felt Rare "breathed new life into" Donkey Kong and made him "really cool", but also childish.<ref name="NOM" /> Because real gorillas move slowly, Rare based Donkey Kong's running animation on a horse's gallop.<ref name="RG: MakingOf" /> Steve Mayles rendered Donkey Kong's finalized 3D model in mid-1993.<ref name="JXV: BTS">Template:Cite web</ref>

Nintendo used the Bayliss design for decades in both Donkey Kong and Mario games. While Paon reintroduced elements of the arcade-era design for Donkey Kong's appearance in DK: King of Swing (2004), they were not retained in subsequent games, including King of SwingTemplate:'s sequel Donkey Kong: Jungle Climber (2007).<ref name="GRadar: DKDesign" /> Miyamoto said Nintendo began working to make Donkey Kong more expressive during Jungle BeatTemplate:'s development.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nintendo EPD redesigned Donkey Kong for the Nintendo Switch 2 game Donkey Kong Bananza,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> although the design first appeared in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Mario Kart World (2025).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The design, which combines elements of the Bayliss design with the original arcade-era one, features larger eyes, a less angular brow, lighter fur, and more realistic proportions.<ref name="Poly: Switch2" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> EPD wanted to merge the expressiveness of Miyamoto's original design and his more cool and adventurous Country depiction,<ref name="IGN: Interview">Template:Cite web</ref> aiming to remain true to Miyamoto's vision and account for how different generations of Donkey Kong fans saw the character.<ref name="RS: Creators">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Nintendo began updating merchandise and artwork to reflect the redesign in January 2025.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Voice

Donkey Kong does not have a consistent voice across games,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and generally makes gorilla noises instead of speaking in full sentences.<ref name="GSpot: RogenDK">Template:Cite web</ref> Charles Martinet, who voiced Mario and other Mario characters until 2023, also voiced Donkey Kong for the 1994 "Mario in Real Time" trade show attraction.Template:Sfn<ref name="Mario in Real Time">Template:Cite web</ref> When developing Donkey Kong Country, Rare planned to use real gorilla noises and visited Twycross Zoo near the company's headquarters to record them. The composer David Wise described the visit as "a complete waste of time".<ref name="NLife: MakingOfDKC" /> Outside of feeding times, the gorillas were too quiet, so a Rare staffer, Mark Betteridge, provided Donkey Kong's voice.<ref name="NLife: MakingOfDKC">Template:Cite news</ref> Grant Kirkhope voiced Donkey Kong while composing music for Donkey Kong 64;<ref name="Kirkhope: Website">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="GRadar: SMBCast" /> his voice appeared in games such as Mario Kart: Double Dash (2003), the Game Boy Advance port of Donkey Kong Country, and Mario vs. Donkey Kong.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="HG: MvDK">Template:Cite web</ref> Takashi Nagasako, the most prolific Donkey Kong voice actor, voiced him in 37 games from Mario Power Tennis (2004) to Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (2025).<ref name="Voices of Donkey Kong">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2025, Koji Takeda, who voiced Donkey Kong in the Japanese dub of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, assumed the role from Mario Kart World onward.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In his early animated appearances, Donkey Kong was voiced by the comedian Soupy Sales and the actor Garry Chalk.<ref name="GRadar: SMBCast">Template:Cite web</ref> Richard Yearwood voiced Donkey Kong in the Donkey Kong Country animated series, while Sterling Jarvis performed his singing voice.<ref name="Voices of Donkey Kong" /> Yearwood reprised the role for a fan-made short film in 2023.<ref name="nintendo life reunite"/> The actor and comedian Seth Rogen voiced Donkey Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Rogen, a fan of Donkey Kong since childhood,<ref name="IGN: RogenExcited">Template:Cite web</ref> used his regular speaking voice, as he felt the role did not require an unusual one.<ref name="GSpot: RogenDK" /> He said that, during casting, "I was very clear that I don't do voices. If you want me to be in this movie, then it's going to sound like me and that's it... I think in the film and in the game, all you seem to know about Donkey Kong is that he throws barrels and does not like Mario very much. And that's what I ran with."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The directors gave Rogen freedom to approach the role, and most of his directions were to yell and sound angry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Rogen enjoyed the role and expressed interest in reprising it.<ref name="IGN: RogenExcited" />

Reception and legacy

Commentary

Donkey Kong is one of the most iconic video game characters,<ref name="USG: Bluff" /><ref name="GI: TFPreview">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="GamasutraGuinness">Template:Cite web</ref> and has been listed as one of the greatest.<ref name="GamasutraGuinness" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The original Donkey Kong was Nintendo's first major international success and established it as a prominent force in the video game industry;Template:Sfn<ref name="Time: Changed">Template:Cite magazine</ref> IGN attributed its success to the popularity of Donkey Kong as a character.<ref name="IGN: MarioHistory" /> Donkey Kong featured a level of narrative depth unprecedented in games at the time,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="GRadar: Important">Template:Cite web</ref> and gave Nintendo its first marketable characters.<ref name="NWRMarioBook" /> Donkey Kong was more popular than the protagonist, Mario, and he was the overwhelming focus of merchandise.<ref name="NWR: ImportanceMerchandise">Template:Cite web</ref> However, Nintendo soon began to push Mario as a leading character,<ref name="NWRMarioBook">Template:Cite web</ref> and Donkey Kong's popularity faded.<ref name="GI: TFPreview" />

Game InformerTemplate:'s Ben Reeves wrote that Donkey Kong Country reestablished Donkey Kong's independent identity,<ref name="GI: TFPreview" /> and USgamerTemplate:'s Jeremy Parish said that it "brought back [Donkey Kong] in true '90s style".<ref name="USG: Bluff" /> It positioned him as a competitor to Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog and other "hip anthromorph" platformer mascots,<ref name="HG101: DKC" /><ref name="LAT: Battle">Template:Cite web</ref> and was credited with helping Nintendo pull ahead of Sega towards the end of the 16-bit era's console war.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Nintendo World ReportTemplate:'s Pedro Hernandez said the first two Country games cemented Donkey Kong as one of his favorite Nintendo characters.<ref name="NWR: Fav" /> He found Donkey Kong endearing for his "innocence and humanity" in his attempts to help and feel accepted, and fascinating due to his in-universe history and expansive family.<ref name="NWR: FavPt2" /> Critics enjoyed Donkey Kong's gameplay dynamic with Diddy Kong,<ref name="IGNDKC">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> although Hardcore Gaming 101Template:'s David DiRienzo found their differences mostly superficial.<ref name="HG101: DKC" />

CountryTemplate:'s critical standing declined in the 2000s, with journalists deeming its emphasis on visual fidelity over gameplay innovation an example of style over substance.<ref name="IGNDKC" /><ref name="GSpy: Overrated" /><ref name="Vice: Terrible" /> GameSpyTemplate:'s staff disliked the Country Donkey Kong redesign, which they felt was inferior to the unruly yet endearing arcade design, and expressed dismay that Nintendo retained it.<ref name="GSpy: Overrated">Template:Cite web</ref> GamesRadar+Template:'s Bob Mackey said the design looked fine when considering the limitations of 1994 rendering technology but expressed surprise that Nintendo continued to use it without major alterations. He wrote that by 2014, it had become "increasingly bizarre to see this product of mid-90s technology dropped into games with real-time visuals that handily outclass Rare's pre-rendered relics".<ref name="GRadar: DKDesign" />

After Rare's departure from the franchise, Donkey Kong's standing declined. PasteTemplate:'s Garrett Martin wrote that his popularity peaked in the early 1980s and mid-1990s, and only Donkey Kong Country Returns came close to matching the sales of the arcade and SNES games.<ref name="PasteFranchises">Template:Cite web</ref> IGNTemplate:'s Jesse Schedeen said that, by 2009, Donkey Kong was only kept relevant by his Super Smash Bros. appearances, as his name had become "almost synonymous with gimmicky games" like Donkey Konga.<ref name="IGNOverrated">Template:Cite web</ref> Schedeen called him one of the most overrated video game characters,<ref name="IGNOverrated" /> and ViceTemplate:'s Ian Dransfield said that games starring Donkey Kong were outclassed by those starring Mario and Rayman.<ref name="Vice: Terrible">Template:Cite web</ref>

GamesRadar+Template:'s Scott McCrae said being a Donkey Kong fan was difficult due to the hiatuses between major games,<ref name="GRadar: Bananza" /> and TheGamerTemplate:'s Adam Starkey said that Donkey Kong had "unfairly remained in Mario's shadow" in the decades following Rare's departure.<ref name="TheGamerBetter">Template:Cite web</ref> IGNTemplate:'s Logan Plant wrote that before Donkey Kong BananzaTemplate:'s announcement it seemed as if Nintendo did not care about Donkey Kong.<ref name="IGNBananza">Template:Cite web</ref> Starkey noted that his 40th anniversary in 2021 passed without acknowledgement from Nintendo, which he joked was "grounds for a HR complaint".<ref name="TheGamerBetter" /> He felt one could not celebrate Mario without acknowledging Donkey Kong and found it odd that Bowser had usurped Donkey Kong's role as Mario's nemesis, given the characters' history.<ref name="TheGamerBetter" /> Journalists expressed excitement for Donkey Kong's return in Donkey Kong Bananza,<ref name="GRadar: Bananza" /><ref name="IGNBananza" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Polygon felt its emphasis on destruction was a natural fit for his character.<ref name="Poly: Preview">Template:Cite web</ref>

Donkey Kong's 2025 redesign was divisive.<ref name="VGC: Redesign">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="NLife: NewDesign" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After it was teased alongside Mario Kart World, TheGamerTemplate:'s Stanley Henley complained that it turned him into a generic "ugly inflatable", reflecting a trend for "aesthetic simplicity over visual flavor" in brands.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> ViceTemplate:'s Anthony Franklin II called the redesign "awesome" following its reveal in the Donkey Kong Bananza trailer, which they felt demonstrated that fans were too hasty to judge it,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and GamesRadar+ described it as "peak Donkey Kong... He's got the goofy look, but still has the ability to look super intense".<ref name="GRadar: Bananza">Template:Cite web</ref> Bayliss considered the new design superior and said design changes were necessary for characters to endure.<ref name="NLife: NewDesign">Template:Cite web</ref> He felt there was nothing to debate and that fans should embrace change.<ref name="VGC: Redesign" />

Analysis

Donkey Kong has been described as a parody of King Kong; their similarities sparked the 1983 Universal v. Nintendo lawsuit.

Donkey Kong has been described as a parody of King Kong,<ref name="NWR: Fav" /><ref name="PCGamer: 1980sDocs" /> with Hernandez writing that the original game "was almost a mockery of the premise" of the first King Kong film.<ref name="NWR: KingKong" /> Whereas King Kong is fearsome, Donkey Kong is silly and foolish.<ref name="NWR: Fav" /><ref name="NWR: KingKong" /> In the 1983 Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd. lawsuit, Universal alleged that Donkey Kong violated its King Kong trademark. Robert W. Sweet ruled it was unlikely that anyone would confuse the two, as Donkey Kong was "farcical, childlike and nonsexual" compared to King Kong, "a ferocious gorilla in quest of a beautiful woman".<ref name="PCGamer: 1980sDocs" /> He noted stark contrasts between King Kong, who goes on bloody rampages and viciously attacks foes, and Donkey Kong, who bounces and struts to taunt the player and uses humorous obstacles such as cement tubs and pies.<ref name="PCGamer: 1980sDocs" />

The original Donkey Kong features a simple damsel in distress narrative with traditional gender roles, which Miyamoto reused in his Super Mario and Legend of Zelda games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="GameStudies">Template:Cite journal</ref> Donkey Kong, hypermasculine and brutish, kidnaps the passive Pauline, who must be rescued by the "appropriately masculine" hero, Mario. However, due to the cyclical gameplay, the masculine Mario is unsuccessful in defeating the hypermasculine Donkey Kong, who always recaptures Pauline.<ref name="GameStudies" /> The Western New England University professor Edward Wesp found this makes Donkey Kong similar to the Looney Tunes character Road Runner, with Mario akin to the perpetually failing Wile E. Coyote. Wesp writes that Mario's "determination and skill... will, in the end, fail to overcome [Donkey Kong]'s brutish power".<ref name="GameStudies" />

Games featuring Donkey Kong as a protagonist depict melodramatic adventures that emphasize action over characterization.Template:Sfn According to PopMattersTemplate:'s Erik Kersting, in his initial appearance, Donkey Kong is similar to Nintendo villains such as MarioTemplate:'s Bowser, ZeldaTemplate:'s Ganon, and MetroidTemplate:'s Ridley, in that he is animalistic, unclothed, and unrelatable, much like the literary villains Caliban and Gollum. Kersting observed that, in turning Donkey Kong into a protagonist, Donkey Kong Country "domesticated" him, adding the tie to clothe him and supporting Kongs to provide a family.<ref name="PM: Tie" /> The tie—as well as Donkey Kong's contrast with the crocodilian King K. Rool, a more primitive animal—suggests Donkey Kong possesses sophistication and nobility and does not merely act upon impulse. The Kong family highlights that Donkey Kong cares for others and is past kidnapping. The player thus perceives him as selfless and admirable.<ref name="PM: Tie">Template:Cite web</ref>

Donkey Kong has been described as inheriting the racial stereotypes associated with the King Kong narrative, specifically using ape imagery to symbolize black men as brutes obsessed with white women.Template:Sfn There is no evidence that Miyamoto or Nintendo executives intentionally drew from racial stereotypes when creating Donkey Kong, but the researcher Sam Srauy argued that Donkey Kong "played into pre‐existing racial beliefs in the United States and further set the video game industry on a path dependency toward reifying racism."Template:Sfn Srauy wrote that Donkey Kong continued to embody racist tropes after becoming a protagonist, finding his post-Country laziness evocative of the "porch monkey" stereotype.Template:Sfn

In popular culture

A Donkey Kong-themed monster truck at Monster Jam in 2008

Donkey Kong remains one of Nintendo's bestselling franchises, with 82 million copies sold by 2025.<ref name="PasteFranchises" /> Journalists described Donkey Kong as a mascot for both Nintendo and the video game industry.Template:Efn The catchphrase "it's on like Donkey Kong" has entered pop culture vernacular,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> used in television series, films, music, and news headlines to say something is "going down".<ref name="WiredTrademark">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="PCW: On">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2007, the Monster Jam racing series obtained the license to use Donkey Kong's appearance for a monster truck. The truck debuted in a December 2007 show in Minneapolis and toured with Monster Jam throughout 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ralph, the protagonist of the video game-themed Walt Disney Animation Studios film Wreck-It Ralph (2012), was inspired by Donkey Kong.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He is introduced as the antagonist of a Donkey Kong-like arcade game and has similar proportions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Entertainment Weekly described him as "a kind of human version of Donkey Kong".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The director, Rich Moore, said Ralph was conceived as an animal similar to Donkey Kong,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the animators used Donkey Kong as a reference when designing 8-bit sprites of Ralph.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Donkey Kong appears in Patrick Jean's Pixels (2010), a short film which depicts 1980s video game characters attacking New York City.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> He reappears in the feature film adaptation Pixels (2015), which expands the premise to depict alien invaders using the characters to conquer Earth.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The director, Chris Columbus, said Donkey Kong's inclusion required months of negotiations, and Nintendo granted permission after determining the filmmakers were treating him with respect.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The film War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) features treacherous apes nicknamed "donkeys" in reference to Donkey Kong.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Donkey Kong has inspired internet memes,<ref name="KotakuCockBlast" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> including a 2022 phenomenon in which Twitter users responded to posts from the Pringles account by spamming a picture of Donkey Kong shooting lightning from his groin.<ref name="KotakuCockBlast">Template:Cite web</ref> The transgender rights movement adopted Donkey Kong as an icon after the YouTuber Harry "Hbomberguy" Brewis livestreamed a playthrough of Donkey Kong 64 for over 50 hours to raise funds for the British charity Mermaids in 2019, in response to the National Lottery Community Fund considering canceling a £500,000 grant.<ref name="BBCDKTrans" /> Kirkhope made a guest appearance during the stream to say "trans rights" in his Donkey Kong voice.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Laura Kate Dale, a transgender game journalist, wrote for the BBC that posting images of Donkey Kong became "a powerful act of protest and a way to remind one man that his attempt to remove financial support from the trans community failed" following the livestream.<ref name="BBCDKTrans">Template:Cite web</ref>

References

Works cited

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External links

• Donkey Kong – Play Nintendo