Nintendo is making a bold move with a redesign of Donkey Kong, first spotted by fans during the Mario Kart 9 gameplay showcased at the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal event. For years, even decades, Donkey Kong has sported the same iconic look across various games such as Mario Kart 8, Mario Tennis, and Donkey Kong Country Returns. However, Nintendo is now shifting gears, introducing a new design that draws comparisons to the successful The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
While the revamped Donkey Kong has only been seen in Mario Kart 9 gameplay so far, Nintendo has unveiled a range of merchandise that also incorporates this new look. As reported by Nintendo Life, user cookiemaster221 shared images of these products on Reddit, stating, "History is being rewritten in front of our very eyes."
History is being rewritten in front of our very eyes
byu/cookiemaster221 indonkeykong
The new merchandise displays Donkey Kong with a more approachable appearance, highlighted by a softer, rounded brow. Commenter SmallBlueSlime noted, "They're giving him the Kirby treatment, but backwards. Instead of making him angry, they're making him chill." Other fans expressed mixed feelings about the redesign. One user lamented, "I'm gonna miss that eyebrow looking down. Always made DK seem both kind and strong," while another supported the change, saying, "It's alright in my opinion. They probably did it to make him look more goofy and less angry."
Since the brief glimpse of the redesign in Mario Kart 9, where Donkey Kong appeared in only a few scenes, fans have been eager for more details. An extended look at the new Donkey Kong in action is expected in April during a Switch 2-focused Nintendo Direct.
The console reveal trailer for the Nintendo Switch 2 offered only a few hints about the new hardware, focusing primarily on its design. It confirmed that the Switch 2 is mostly backwards compatible, introduced a new mysterious button on the Joy-Cons, and validated a theory about using the controller as a mouse.
