Donkey Kong is one of the most iconic IPs in Nintendo's lineup, as the titular character is one of the few that has a history all the way back to the arcade. Originally appearing as an antagonist, Donkey Kong was a game that cemented the company's reputation for advancing the platforming genre to challenging new heights. Dodging barrels, climbing ladders, and collecting power-ups were all key features as players raced towards to the top of each level, and Donkey Kong eventually had the chance to star in his own games as time went on. One of the most famous games on Super Nintendo was Donkey Kong Country, and it is this old-school achievement that might be the blueprint for future platforming adventures.
In recent years, Nintendo has found itself as a prolific developer of family-friendly games that push boundaries within its respective genres. Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild both delivered massively successful versions of each franchise in a more expansive format, and this output is unrivaled in the wider industry. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on Switch was a welcome return, but its gameplay could possibly influence a more ambitious project that takes its successes to the next level - ultimately being another effort to modernize classic Nintendo IPs with the full potential of current technologies.
Donkey Kong Country's Impact on Games
Released in 1994, Rare created Donkey Kong Country as a reboot of the classic franchise with pre-rendered art that redefined production quality in console gaming. Mechanically, Rare also introduced one of the most engaging formulas in the genre: the collect-a-thon platformer. While Donkey Kong Country was still appreciated for its tight controls and creative levels, the addition of optional collectibles kept completionist players entertained, and it also challenged them to discover every secret in the game's animated world. Animal buddies, such as the Rambi the Rhinoceros, were playful mounts that functioned as an additional power-up but also presented fun personalities that were valuable in action.
Although collect-a-thon mechanics are often attributed to games where progression is locked behind key items, Donkey Kong Country was still experimenting with arcade gameplay to give players more options throughout each level. Gaining extra lives and unlocking animal buddies were all complementary to an experience that focused on variety, and this scope let the character shine above all else. Controlling DK and his allies was fun, and this momentum and responsiveness should be extended into a unique Donkey Kong platformer that takes full advantage of the IP's charm.
Expanding the Donkey Kong Universe
The presentation of classic Donkey Kong games is singular among Nintendo's properties, as there is an odd sense of humor that accompanies its cast of cartoonish characters. The tropical setting, with pirate ships, coves, and industrial outcrops, provides several different contexts for acrobatic action, and Nintendo might be able to connect these themes in an open-world setting that prioritizes gameplay. Donkey Kong Country has the potential to inspire new projects in the franchise, as this iconic game established many of the artistic ingredients that took players' imaginations into wild 3D spaces. The aesthetic of the series hints at multiple dimensions, but there is no better time to take advantage of this style in a bigger way.
Rare continued to develop games on the Nintendo 64 except many fans still consider the Super Nintendo's Donkey Kong Country trilogy to be superior. Unfortunately, Donkey Kong 64 had strange ideas that never took off in the same way as the originals. Despite its faults, the 3D romp still found an audience that admired its ambition and diverse roster of heroes. Retro Studios has since become the primary developer of the latest Donkey Kong titles, although it seems to be preoccupied with Metroid Prime 4 at the moment. It is possible that another developer under Nintendo could work on a new entry in the franchise, as this would be a prime opportunity to combine a fresh vision with the best elements of Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong in 2D and 3D
In both 2D and 3D, Nintendo's Donkey Kong has highlighted mobility and interactive levels that always leave a few tricks for players to find. Other Nintendo Switch games have proven that 3D reconstructions of traditionally-2D games can evolve gameplay that dates back to the arcade, which also fills a niche that some AAA competitors have struggled to break into. A recent example is Kirby and the Forgotten Land, one of the best 2022 platformers on Switch, and it shows that new perspective can sometimes inspire new ways to integrate player freedom.
There have been difficult Nintendo games in the past, and Donkey Kong is an endearing IP that might benefit from complex gameplay that is challenging to master. There is more room for developers to be bold with a Donkey Kong game because of its wide range of themes and mechanics, but a successful formula can capitalize on what players enjoy most in platformers: agility. Chaining movements would be one fun way to bring the series to the same level as Super Mario Odyssey, as these features fit within the vine-swinging nature of previous games.
A majority of players are aware of gaming's most iconic apes, but some believe that Donkey Kong deserves a resurgence just as much as other Nintendo properties. Nintendo certainly has a legacy of great games to build upon, and it is unlikely that Donkey Kong will be forgotten anytime soon. The fun-loving mascot would be a great vehicle for action-adventure innovations, tapping into classic collect-a-thon gameplay in a larger world than fans have yet to witness.