​​From the arcade to Donkey Kong Bananza: Full retrospective of the DK games

Which characters come to mind when you think about the video game Rushmore? For many, Donkey Kong would be up there. It doesn’t matter whether you know the ape from the latest Mario Kart or back from his original arcade classic. It’s hard to deny that the big ape isn’t one of the medium’s most recognizable faces.

At this point, Donkey Kong’s legacy is so established, he will always be relevant when a new release featuring him comes along. With the long-awaited Donkey Kong Bananza now outit’s time for us to look back on DK’s past, from his arcade origins to his sprawling platforming adventures. 

The Escapist recaps 

• Donkey Kong arcade debut in 1981 as an arcade game, which also introduced the world to Mario.
• Through various spin-offs and multiplayer titles, Donkey Kong has undergone multiple identity shifts between villain and hero.
• The franchise further developed through Rare’s Donkey Kong Country Series, which added side characters, a new story, and iconic jungle settings. 
• There have been numerous major redesigns and genre changes that have kept the franchise up-to-date across multiple iterations. 
• Donkey Kong Bonanza is the latest Donkey Kong game in the franchise, marking a bold return, blending nostalgia with new-gen innovation on the Switch 2. 

Who is Donkey Kong?

Many people see Donkey Kong as just a hulking gorilla who throws barrels, but he’s much more than that. From transforms from a villain to a charming hero who has starred in his platforming adventures. Since he debuted in 1981, DK has had a legacy to be proud of and has expanded to a wide range of Donkey Kong characters like Cranky Kong, Diddy Kong, Funky Kong, and Dixie Kong. DK has often been portrayed as a mighty but mellow protector of his jungle home. 

Physically, Donkey Kong has changed slightly throughout the years and has gradually softened his look. He initially was a wide and imposing ape, trying to stop Mario. However, he now has more of a cartoonish look with an approachable style as he transitioned his way into multiplayer titles such as Smash Bros and Mario Kart. 

Full Timeline of the Donkey Kong Games 

Donkey Kong Games Explained 

Below is a closer look at each of the major entries of the Donkey Kong series, from the first arcade original to the newly released Donkey Kong Bananza. 

Donkey Kong (1981)

This was the first time Donkey Kong appeared in a game. The arcade game became a revolutionary platformer where players played as Jumpman (now known as Mario) to rescue Pauline from the hands of Donkey Kong. This was the beginning for both Mario and Donkey Kong. 

Donkey Kong Jr. (1982)

In this game, players were controlling DK’s son in a role reversal, where they had to rescue Donkey Kong from Mario. This was the first sign of Nintendo’s early experimentation with their character roles.

Donkey Kong (Game & Watch, 1982)

This was when the arcade gameplay was adapted by LCD technology to bring it to portable players. Nintendo’s popular handheld series made this possible.

Donkey Kong 3 (1983)

A little-known title that included Stanley the Bugman, this was an arcade shooter and was a departure from earlier platforms. This game is more known for its odd premises and execution. 

Donkey Kong (NES, 1983)

A home adaptation of the original arcade game, the NES port brought it to consoles and helped it gain early popularity in Western markets.

Donkey Kong Country (1994)

This was an SNES classic, and it marked a huge turning point for the character. It was developed by Rare, and they had popularized pre-rendered 3D graphics, which swept players off their feet. Debuting Diddy Kong and producing ambient music and tight platforming helped this game become one of the most influential to date. 

Donkey Kong Land (1995)

The game became a portable equivalent to the Country games. This was a Game Boy title that was impressively packed into a small screen. In Donkey Kong Land, fans were given the challenge of taking DK’s world on the go. 

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong’s Quest (1995)

Memorable music and deeper platform challenges helped define a new identity, and saw this sequel shift its focus to Diddy and Dixie. It quickly became one of the best 2D platformers of its era. 

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble! (1996)

For Rare’s SNES trilogy, this became their final entry, and it featured Dixie and the new character Kiddy Kong. Even though it still had a high-quality and creative design, it was divisive. 

Donkey Kong 64 (1999)

Nintendo tried to bring the DK world into 3D, much in the same way Mario 64 had. This N64 title gave players the opportunity to play as different characters and explore huge levels. It still remains a divisive cult classic, despite its being known to have an overwhelming collect-a-thon style. 

Donkey Konga (2003)

This specific game required bongo controllers, but this quirky title gave a musical spin to the DK franchise. Being a rhythm game, this was definitely a departure for the franchise, but a fun one nonetheless.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (2004)

The sequel to the rhythm game mixed that idea with high-speed platforming and used the bongo controller established in the previous game. The game was then updated for the Wii. 

Mario vs Donkey Kong (2004)

Mario vs Donkey Kong became the first of numerous sequels and was a puzzle-platformer game that pitted the two characters against each other.

Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010)

The franchise was revived by Retro Studios for the Wii, where they returned to DK’s 2D platforming roots but also brought in new mechanics. This game contained both a nostalgic nod and a modern success. 

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014/Switch 2018)

Potentially considered as the peak of the modern DK era, the game contained challenging puzzles, tricky level design, and reintroduced Dixie and Cranky as playable characters. In 2018, it was rereleased on the Nintendo Switch, with Funky Kong being added as a playable character. 

Mario vs Donkey Kong (2024 reboot)

The puzzle-platformer was rebooted into a modern remake in 2024. This version included co-op elements and provided cleaner visuals for Switch users. 

Donkey Kong Bananza (2025)

Donkey Kong Bananza is the latest game in the franchise, being one of the highlights of the early Nintendo Switch 2 era. The game incorporates destructability into the franchise and offers the charm that Nintendo games are known for. 

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